M.V. Teachers’ Views On Return To Five-Day School Schedule

By GRACIE LEAVITT

The Progress

Next week, students at Moapa Valley schools will be returning to a five-day school schedule after nearly seven months of hybrid learning. This significant schedule change takes place with scarcely more than two months left in the school year,

The challenges of the hybrid format have been tough on teachers. Not only have they had to prepare instruction materials for two different cohorts of students each week, but they’ve also kept track of Cohort C, the all-online option for students not comfortable returning to live learning.

But now with much of the hybrid model being swept aside, the teachers are having to retool their lesson plans once again; all w hile still monitoring those Cohort C kids.

For this article, The progress asked several Moapa Valley High School teachers how they feel about this newest transition and what their hopes are for the future.

MVHS English teacher Kim Hardy expressed pride in how MVHS has handled the hybrid plan despite the challenge of teachers seeing students only once a week.

“I believe that students should be interacting with teachers, not computer screens,” Hardy said “But despite that, I think we did an amazing job of making it work.”

Hardy said that technology like Google Meets allowed students to be ‘in class’ virtually with the students who were actually physically in class.

But Hardy worries about Cohort C students who haven’t even gotten that one day per week of live interaction with teachers. She is concerned about getting some of those students back up to speed in the coming months to regain lost ground.

“I’m worried about a lot of things,” she said. “But that’s normal. If we’re not worried, we are complacent. And complacent is not a good place to be.”

Hardy admits that she wishes that this transition could have been made at the semester rather than now so late in the school year.
“But we take what we get, we are grateful for it, and we will make it work,” she said. “I just hope that the chaos and extra work required by this baby step is worth it and gets us back to normal sooner.”

MVHS Spanish teacher Dallas Larsen said that he was grateful to give his input into the matter.
“I think we have made the best out of a bad situation thus far,” Larsen said.
Larsen said that he has been in favor of going back to five days a week since the beginning of the year. But tending to the Cohort C component has made the preparation for that kind of schedule quite difficult.

“To help with the workload, a 4 day week would have really helped with preparation,” Larsen said.
But Larsen holds out hopes that next year the schools will be able to return to a normal school schedule, notwithstanding an probable additional awareness of hygiene and health.

History teacher Charlie Cooper said that he was thrilled to hear the news about going back to a five day schedule.

“I look forward to getting back to “normal” somewhat, as that means the COVID situation is getting better,” Cooper said. “I think it gives a lot of hope. Now, if we can get rid of the masks, I would be thrilled!”

Cooper also expressed a desire for the community to come together and be unified at this time. “I hope to see a lot of support and excitement as we go forward,” he said. “This last year under COVID has been hard on so many. Our students and community members have struggled, lost loved ones, experienced frustration, and even anger.”

Another variable that was important to teachers how the students in their individual classes would react to this sudden change with very little preparation.

MVHS Science teacher Shane Hickman expected to hear mixed reviews from students about the five-day week.
“Some will love it, others will hate it; you can’t make everybody happy!” he said. “Those who are excited will be there, those who aren’t will most likely request Cohort C.”

MVHS Math teacher Michelle Anderson said she also was heawring a mixed response from students. But she hopes that everyone in the end will be able to push through and make the best of it.

“As far as my students’ reaction, I have asked all of them and some are excited to go back but most would like to finish the year out with the schedule we have,” Anderson said. “They are just getting used to it and it’s hard to change. But we will all do what we need to!”