Second Semester of the School Year
By: Tavian Davis
With the year coming to an end and some schools approaching the end of their first semester, people are curious as to what the second half of the school year will look like. Cases are on the rise and the selection period for learning arrangements has ended in the Cobb County School District. This has some parents questioning their selection that they made for the second semester. Of course the district will try and make sure that everyone is safe. If the situation arises where it is absolutely unsafe to learn in person, then everyone will most likely switch to virtual.
It is unknown how many cases are actually at the school due to the fact not everyone has been tested. Of course, if enough students tested positive drastic restrictions will have to be enforced. The Cobb County School District, as well as the government, most likely has a procedure for the possible event of Covid cases in schools. Elijah, a sophomore at Hillgrove Highschool, says, “I feel that the district should put infected schools on a two-week virtual basis.” This would follow the 14-day quarantine that those who have been exposed to the virus follow. The main concern is how effective this would be.
Considering that Covid tests are not always accurate and the virus is so easily contractible, there needs to be further precautions. Hillgrove Highschool students are required to wear masks. “I feel masks work. They are efficient”, Elijah continues. This is heavily enforced by not only the school, but the CDC. Masks are easier to enforce than other precautions, however. It is difficult to prevent several social young teenagers from getting close and interacting with each other at school. Elijah says, “Hillgrove is very bad in this area; students still are too close to each other ignoring all social distancing rules.” This of course is a major reason why face to face is slightly risky.
The Cobb County School District recently closed the online choice selection for the second semester of the school year. The selection was for whether a student will learn virtually or face to face during the second semester. Many are aware of the possible bad outcomes for the next semester. Tristian Vernet a Hillgrove Highschool student says, “It would be terrible if the second semester begins and there is a major increase in Covid cases due to the increase in face to face students.” There are many different assumptions as to what the popular choice for the second semester will be. Kate Maflin, sophomore student at Hillgrove Highschool, says, “I feel that considering how tired of being home most are, more students will choose to learn face to face in the second semester.” This situation could be a bad thing, and this is since social distancing will be more difficult to enforce in classrooms. Kate continues, “The desks will have to be distanced even further.”
With the first semester approaching an end for the Cobb County School District, the outcome is unknown. It is possible that learning will be completely switched to virtual. This option, although maybe not the most popular choice, is statistically the safest. It is also possible, however, that more students will select to learn face to face. This could lead to a major increase in cases, which will have the same result of all students switching to virtual learning. Nothing can be truly determined now, so of course students, teachers, and the Cobb County School District must wait and see the true outcome of the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year.
It is unknown how many cases are actually at the school due to the fact not everyone has been tested. Of course, if enough students tested positive drastic restrictions will have to be enforced. The Cobb County School District, as well as the government, most likely has a procedure for the possible event of Covid cases in schools. Elijah, a sophomore at Hillgrove Highschool, says, “I feel that the district should put infected schools on a two-week virtual basis.” This would follow the 14-day quarantine that those who have been exposed to the virus follow. The main concern is how effective this would be.
Considering that Covid tests are not always accurate and the virus is so easily contractible, there needs to be further precautions. Hillgrove Highschool students are required to wear masks. “I feel masks work. They are efficient”, Elijah continues. This is heavily enforced by not only the school, but the CDC. Masks are easier to enforce than other precautions, however. It is difficult to prevent several social young teenagers from getting close and interacting with each other at school. Elijah says, “Hillgrove is very bad in this area; students still are too close to each other ignoring all social distancing rules.” This of course is a major reason why face to face is slightly risky.
The Cobb County School District recently closed the online choice selection for the second semester of the school year. The selection was for whether a student will learn virtually or face to face during the second semester. Many are aware of the possible bad outcomes for the next semester. Tristian Vernet a Hillgrove Highschool student says, “It would be terrible if the second semester begins and there is a major increase in Covid cases due to the increase in face to face students.” There are many different assumptions as to what the popular choice for the second semester will be. Kate Maflin, sophomore student at Hillgrove Highschool, says, “I feel that considering how tired of being home most are, more students will choose to learn face to face in the second semester.” This situation could be a bad thing, and this is since social distancing will be more difficult to enforce in classrooms. Kate continues, “The desks will have to be distanced even further.”
With the first semester approaching an end for the Cobb County School District, the outcome is unknown. It is possible that learning will be completely switched to virtual. This option, although maybe not the most popular choice, is statistically the safest. It is also possible, however, that more students will select to learn face to face. This could lead to a major increase in cases, which will have the same result of all students switching to virtual learning. Nothing can be truly determined now, so of course students, teachers, and the Cobb County School District must wait and see the true outcome of the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year.
