Teachers have to face new challenges this year because of COVID-19; they are balancing teaching students online, transitioning to in-person learning and organizing curriculum during a pandemic. 

“I think the biggest issue has been going back to in-person (learning) doesn’t mean things will be like they were before,” AP world history teacher Samuel Riley said. “Handing out papers is going to be outdated. Digital learning is now in-person learning.”

Riley said one of the biggest challenges to returning to campus is learning how to find a new approach to navigate the school day.

“The biggest issue that surrounds us during this pandemic has been time management,” he said. “As a teacher of 20 years I lived my life with a bell schedule.”

Some teachers found teaching remotely could be a challenge, but there were also positive aspects to teaching with the online platforms. 

“I have enjoyed the technology part of education,” Riley said. “After reevaluating I have changed how I do certain things and I also feel better about taking a chance and trying something new.”

Because teachers had to teach virtually for the first four weeks of school, some communication with students got lost.

“I prefer in-person learning because I need that face-to-face communication with my teachers,” junior Daisy Faz said. “I am able to stay on task better while being in a classroom because I do not have distractions like if I were doing my work at home.” 

Starting Sept. 8, students who chose in-person learning will come back to campus, while Virtual Learning Academy students will continue to learn from home. The school has implemented changes to help keep students safe as they return to campus.

“Students who have been here in years past have become used to doing things a certain way and we are about to have to change so many of those things,” Principal Trent Dowd said. “We are going to have to train all of our students on all of our new procedures and make sure they get comfortable with them.”

Despite already being faced with new challenges this year, the school is implementing further protocols to ensure students and staff safety. 

“Our MHS staff is so excited about having students back on campus and they want them to stay on campus,” Dowd said. “The closer we follow safety protocols, the better chance we have of being able to remain on campus.”