PUYALLUP, Wash. — After a year of remote learning, Puyallup’s high schoolers are finally making their way back into the classrooms.
The district has moved forward on its plan to get students back into the building. Tuesday was the first day students from the 10th to 12th grade will be able to enter into a hybrid model of learning.
The hybrid model groups students together to come into the building twice a week, every other week for in-person learning.
This is good news for Vanessa Henry, who says her daughter, Victoria, has struggled with remote learning.
“It’s been a challenge with her being blind," Henry said. “She’d rather be in school every day, but at least she gets to be with her teachers, one-on-one, so that’s better.”
And the school day will be quite different from what students remember.
Puyallup has put a series of protocols in place, which includes health screenings and temperature checks at the door and mandatory masks throughout the school building. Classmates will be six feet away from each other.
“We have been diligent in working with our staff to set up health and safety protocols,” said Dr. John Polm, Superintendent of the Puyallup School District. “We’re trying to provide as safe an environment as we can. There are no ‘no-risk’ environments anywhere, but we’re doing everything our health professionals say should happen.”
Yet even with all the steps taken, there’s only so much that can be done, and there’s always a risk of potential infection.
But Victoria is glad to be back, and hopes that moving forward, the people who decide how to combat COVID-19 take into consideration the people who have to live under those decisions.
“Think about the kids, they really, really, REALLY miss their friends. They haven’t been able to see anyone in a little over a year, socialization is a huge part of life, it’s very important for mental health,” Victoria said. “We can make precautions to where we’re all safe, but can still socialize.”