March 13, 2020 was the day Covid-19 shut down schools across all of America; the lives of students, parents, teachers, and others have been affected ever since. Many students have struggled to learn, teachers have struggled to teach, and parents have struggled to work in an online environment. After months of hard work, patience, and commitment, many schools are now finding ways to safely reopen. One of those schools is Cascade High school.
Many schools have put safety precautions in place: staying home after exposure to COVID-19, washing hands frequently, physically distance from one another, holding classes outside, ensuring proper ventilation, disinfecting high-touch surfaces such as keyboards and desks, and creating smaller classes or cohorts. Bus drivers have also implemented safety precautions: wearing masks, physical distancing, and keeping windows open to allow for ventilation as much as possible. These measures are necessary in order to ensure students and drivers safety.
Rudy Joya, the assistant principal at Cascade High School, has been one of many school staffers who have put in hard work, time, and effort in the process of the school re-opening. Mr. Joya stated that, “The three main safety precautions that are going to be put in place is students need to wear a mask, social distancing is required, and hand washing is also required. Another safety precaution that will be put in place is if someone feels ill or has been in close contact with someone who has been positive with Covid-19, they will need to stay home.’’
For many students, online learning has proven to be challenging. Mr. Joya said, “While we have good online attendance, our academic production and true genuine engagement is not as high as being in person. Some of our most vulnerable students are struggling and I believe our equity gap is increasing. The in-person connection and instruction are key to helping students be successful. We believe that by being in person, we can help our students even more.’’ Although hybrid learning is not for everyone, most students will be going back in person. However, students have been given the option to remain remote. The school will continue to receive guidance from the health department and CDC on all items related to a safe return and following their recommendations to keep the community happy and healthy.
Zoe Boggs, a sophomore at Cascade High School, said, “Online school has been tough but I am overjoyed to get back to in person and to see most of my classmates and teachers again.’’ Another student from Cascade, Juan Fonesca, said, “I am excited to be able to spend the rest of my Freshman year, in person.’’ Cascade students are excited to slowly and safely transition into in-person learning again. Many community members have concerns about health and safety if kids are in person but the staff at Cascade School District and Cascade High School are doing everything possible to adhere to mandates established by local health officials and feel confident that it is possible to safely return to a hybrid model of school.
Although Covid has affected the lives of all the Leavenworth community members, students, teachers, and parents have all stayed strong and patient throughout the process. Remember to stay positive and think on the bright side.
Who are you most excited to see going back into in person school? Leave a comment below. If you or your family member are looking for more information the Cascade district website, https://www.cascadesd.org/ , has all of the information you are looking for.
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