To stem the spread of COVID-19, students will be split by last name into two groups that will alternate between in-person and virtual learning starting Wednesday. What are your thoughts about the new cohort model?
“I actually really like it because it is a good way to limit the spread of COVID while still being able to go to school.”
Lydia Winklbauer, East senior
“It’s an excuse to inch closer to being virtual. It’s a half-baked, worthless idea.”
Brandon Baier, West senior
“I feel it will make matters worse. A majority of my friends are in (cohort) A while I am in B, so when I hang out with them after school, on the weekends, or in sports, and I then test positive, I’ll be bringing it to school with me to the entire B group the next day. I think students should be allowed to choose which group they would like to be a part of so that they can purposefully be with their friends and teammates to minimize the spread of the virus.”
Maren McDonnell, East junior
“I personally think that it will be very confusing at first just because a lot of people will forget if they’re supposed to come in or not. I think it will be very uneven with how many people are in each class because not everyone is perfectly even with their last names. For choir and band and all those activities where it takes a whole group to make something work, it’s going to be really hard since everything is uneven.”
Makayla Weddig, West junior
“I don’t like that some of my friends are going to be coming to school on different days than me. But I’d rather do this than go all virtual again.”
Trinity Gierach, West sophomore
“The plan still seems a bit confusing, but I believe it will make more sense as the year goes on. Remembering the days I have to stay home and not may be a challenge for me. Though, the schedule really splits us up. For example, my only in-person class, choir, only has three students for one of the days, while the other day has the rest of the class. The proportions are extremely different, and I am worried that this may affect our learning.”
Emma Louk, East ninth grader
Interviews by Megan Landvatter, Current Staff. Photos also by Landvatter, except for those submitted by McDonnell, Gierach and Louk due to social distancing.
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