At Mission Vista High, almost half the student body, 750 students, chose to come back for in person learning. The others are continuing with virtual learning.
“It felt refreshing, actually, being in a different environment, because we ve been home sitting at our desks for so long,” said Emma Schroeter, a high school senior. “Just to finally be able to be back on campus where so many memories have been made over the years.”
This is not the first time students have been back at the school for full-time in-person learning. In October, Mission Vista had to pivot after students and staff were quarantined. In November, the district took a pause “out of an abundance of caution” when COVID-19 cases spiked countywide. And then, in mid-January, plans to bring back middle and high school students were thwarted when the state changed its guidelines.
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As schools reopened in the fall, teachers and administrators struggled with the effects of the pandemic, striving to follow COVID-19 precautions and keep classrooms safe.
One by one, however, districts that reopened have shut down campuses again, as positive COVID-19 cases have emerged. The problem isn’t that the virus is spreading widely on campus, but that scattered positive cases set off chain reactions that make it difficult or impossible to keep schools running in-person.
The schools that reopened have taken steps to prevent COVID-19 transmission, and imposed quarantines when positive cases were reported. If a student, staff member or teacher turns up positive, school officials trace and notify close contacts, and place those people in isolation as well. When teachers or other employees are sent home, schools must find replacements to fulfill their duties.