Inside Scarsdale High School -Signs, Distancing, Masks and Virtual Learners

Mr. Williams conducting his Chamber Orchestra class.September 18, 2020 marked the first day of school for students in Cohort A at Scarsdale High School. As students shuffled into school with masks wrapped around their faces, they followed stickers that showed them which direction to walk and to remain six feet apart.

Many changes can be seen around the high school such as the new safety guidelines featured on signs all throughout the building. As one steps inside, one’s eyes are immediately attracted to the Old Commons, an area once filled with noisy students one next to another in the morning, sitting in tables preparing for their classes, and feasting on a protein bar or two before class started. Now, the lounge area has become filled with empty rows of seats separated from each other.

As one enters into the classrooms, one can notice that the rooms all consist of the same layout, rows of chairs with several feet of distance between them. An empty chair is placed in the front of the classroom for the teacher to place his or her laptop for all virtual students to watch the lesson, while other teachers chose to display the virtual students on the smartboard.

The teachers no longer walk up to student’s desks, but rather remain at the front of the classroom, teaching through their masks.

Mr. Harrison, Social Studies Department Chair, talking to his virtual students in the AT US Government class.

As senior Andrew Lofaso discusses his first day of school he describes how as he walked into the building, “At first it was a shock, just to see the school in that kind of state, but after a little time, adjusting wasn’t so bad. The biggest adjustment was having to wear a mask all day and not being able to interact as intimately with your peers and teachers.”

While there is a learning curve to virtual classes and it can take time adjusting to the hybrid schedule, students and teachers alike are working together every day to make the transitions as smooth as possible for everyone.Seniors Andrew Lofaso and Trevor Koch wearing their masks while participating in their Spanish class. Spanish teacher, Ms. D"Angelo, teaching her students, including her virtual students, that remain on the smartboard.

Mr. Sipe teaching Honors Geology class to his seniors.