The Return To In-Person Instruction Faces Logistical Hurdles

Mr. Shin, principal of Redwood High School shares precautionary measures that will be put in place in an effort to guarantee a safe return to school.

By Nick Schonken

March 2020, students left the halls of Redwood for a break that many assumed would last for two weeks. It has been many months since that immediate leave from Redwood’s campuses, and plenty of students do not know what the return to Redwood would look like.

In an interview with Redwood High School principal Matt Shin, the student’s return plans were explained.

First, students who signed up for in-person learning will not be set to return to school until Tulare County has been in the ‘red tier’ for at least 14 consecutive days.

Once Tulare County schools can be reopened, Shin says that in-person instruction will “look like probably half the kids coming on one day, and the other half coming on another day or… half coming in the morning, half coming in the afternoon. Much like our [fall 2020] bell schedule where we have the hybrid… track A, track B.”

Classrooms

Unlike previous school years, this modified way of doing school will include kids’ social distancing and wearing masks on campus and in classrooms.

Shin says, “Desk will be six feet apart.” Unlike some school settings seen in the media, Redwood’s desks will not have plexiglass shields because of the sheer cost and practicality of it. The number of students allowed in each classroom is restricted and based on the state’s guidelines.

Shin also says, “we’re not going to have the group work or the partner-pair.” Shin then says that students might be able to still do group work through Zoom, where students can put on school or personal headphones and be placed into a breakout room and do group work while social distancing.

Because Redwood’s Chromebooks have been distributed to students, students will have to bring their Chromebook to and from school every day.

All the classrooms will now have an air purifier. Additionally, Shin says that the Custodial staff has “fogger machines” that spray a mist that kills anything on the surfaces.

Students and Symptoms

According to Shin, “there will be health screen checks every morning before kids come in … I don’t think we’ll check temperatures, but we will be asking them questions. And it’s really going to be up to the parents and kids at home to not send somebody who’s been feeling sick to come to school.”

If somebody is sick, they will be sent home. If an individual has symptoms or is sick, they will go to the nurse’s office. There will be a room they will stay in until they are picked up. Such students are not to return to in-person learning until symptoms are gone.

As of the time of the interview, Shin said that if a Covid-19 outbreak were to happen, there are no set guidelines as to what needs to be done. But, in the meantime, while students are full distance learning, the district will need to work through their outbreak plan by working closely with the county health department.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms will be cleaned during class periods.

Shin says that since bathrooms are “probably going to be utilized more, there’s going to be waiting for lines.” The lines will be socially distanced and will most likely be monitored by a staff member

Classrooms may have air purifiers or forms of ventilation, but Shin wasn’t certain if bathrooms would have such amenities at the time of the interview.

Passing Period and the Bridge

There will be different traffic patterns when crossing to Vista/Main. Students going from Main to Vista will go along the Creek and over the bridge. Students going from Vista to Main will be going underneath the bridge via the crosswalk, walking on the turf, and going around the gym.

On Main Campus, students coming from the Vista campus will be separated by the Athletic Field’s fence. Students from Vista will be on the turf, while students going to Vista will be on the sidewalk.

The Point of In-Person Learning

After reading all of the differences of going to school in a world with Covid-19, it might leave one to think what the gain of going to school is if there is little to no social aspect.

According to Shin, “The gain is for instruction.”

In full distance learning, Shin says that teachers don’t know if students are comprehending or getting the content. Whereas in-person, he says teachers can see students’ facial expressions, body language, and understanding of the material. Also, students might have an easier time asking for help compared to Zoom.

Shin says, “our failure rates are a lot higher right now,” and “kids are struggling to learn on full-distance learning. Not just at Redwood; across the state… across the nation.”

With in-person learning, it is not as easy to avoid doing work, and teachers can see if a student is doing the work or understanding.

Shin says, “This in-person learning is beneficial to the teaching.”

Although the focus of this interview with Mr. Shin was about the logistics of returning to Redwood, he said something I felt was important to share.

“I want the student body to know that I miss them, I want them here, I want to see you guys here, I want us to get back to a sense of normalcy, I want to see events going on at Redwood again, I want to see kids laughing, having fun, sitting in the quad, music on Fridays, events, activities going on on campus. I used to love being here after hours and seeing kids still doing things. That’s the beauty of High School.”

– Principal Shin

Tags: back to school, covid-19, high school, in-person learning, Interview, Matt Shin, Nick Schonken, Principle Shin, Redwood, school