As the Omicron variant surged across our nation during the winter holidays, we all let out a quiet gasp. “Again?” many of us thought. How bad will this be? Then, as our student body slowly trickled back into the classroom and was met with vacant desks, we all surely began to ponder the question, “What about an online school?”
As of this writing in mid-January, the school’s director and DSST network has made a firm commitment to staying in person. According to students who spoke with Byers Campus School Director, Elin Curry said, “We have no plan to return online.” She pushed back against a return to online school even as more students and staff were absent with a wave of coronavirus infections. By the second Friday, nearly ⅓ of the student body had missed time for the week, and 28 staff members out of the school's total of 100 were unable to attend. In some cases, former students who had friends still at the school were even called in to supervise classes as our newest crop of substitutes. While it is important to note that many of the absences were pre-scheduled for family matters and such, many of them were also related to covid exposures over the break. As the number of substitutes rose, teachers and students alike were pushed to return as soon as possible. As one student declared, “I haven't gotten my test results yet, but I was told to stay here anyway.” This only added to an unsafe atmosphere among the school's constituents, with these practices seeming to increase the risk of covid outbreaks and the odds of parents wanting to take their students out of school. As one source said, “(last week) I genuinely felt online school is the only way (to stay safe).”
During the first full week after break, a return to online learning seemed almost inevitable, but student and staff attendance started to improve in the third week. As one student put it, “If we were going online, it would have been last week.” Still, the situation raises questions about when online school might be better for student learning, safety, and mental health. This might not be the last variant to affect school plans.
While online learning's popularity certainly declined in the months leading up to our return in-person, it wasn't always so unfavorable. In the early months of the pandemic, many looked forward to online school. It offered an easier, less rigorous schedule in a more relaxed setting. As hard as it might be to believe, many actually preferred it to our in-person return. Listed amongst its advantages is online school’s more flexible schedule which seems to fit many students' attention spans far better. This is not to negate the many flaws and problems that arose through online schooling, simply to highlight that the issue is not as one sided as some believe it to be. As per one student, “Online schooling eliminates the risk while also improving class flexibility and really benefits my personal mental health.” Among other students, sentiment for online school’s improved schedule flexibility seems to be relatively universal.
Even so, the student opinion on a potential return remains incredibly varied. When asked about a return online, the vast majority of students believed at the very least a hybrid learning option should be available. However, a majority of students also disclosed they personally were not in favor of a return to online learning. Listing a variety of reasons ranging from lack of interaction with classmates and teachers to responsibilities out of school. Another potential idea floated would be a 1-2 week break from in-person. Of course this invokes imagery of our original transition online and likely would be hard to get off the ground.
As for now, the school seems to be in no place for a full or hybrid return online. Things also seem to be looking up; with omicron numbers across Colorado appearing to have peaked and staff/student population largely returning back in person this week. While we all hope this is our schools last major COVID interruption, school administrators must seriously consider more flexible learning options if we are indeed to find ourselves in this situation again.