VVHS Kids Return To The Classroom

By CALLA HAVILAND

The Progress

The Bulldogs are finally back in school again! Of course it was not the first day of classes. But Monday, Mar. 8 was the first day that kids have physically met on the Virgin Valley High School (VVHS) campus this year. After a year of waiting, the students retunred to a hybrid model of instruction.

The student body was divided into three cohorts. Cohort A will attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays, Cohort B on Thursdays and Fridays, and Cohort C was still open for those who chose to do all online learning.

On Monday, Cohort A students walked into the school under a giant inflatable bulldog tunnel and were welcomed with cheers and confetti as they walked down the hall. Both students and teachers alike seemed excited to be back in the building.

Nayeli Andrade, sophomore at VVHS, was reflecting on why she was glad to be back to school. “I am very glad to be back in school, because I am now able to see my classmates and teachers in person,” Andrade said on Tuesday afternoon. “Not only that, but in just two days of being back, I have noticed a change in the atmosphere of the school. Everyone seems to be a lot more upbeat.”

Tyra Ludvigson, also a sophomore, added, “I’m so glad to be back in school, at least part time, because now I can get a small sense of normalcy in this school year.”

With the chance to be back on campus many of the students were able to finally see their teachers in person. Many found out that their teachers were more than just a person on the screen.

Students were asked what it was like being able to see their teachers in person. Marli Wakefield said,
“It’s really fun being able to see how my teachers really are instead of just behind a screen.”

Marli’s cousin Lydia Wakefield, who is a junior, also commented saying, “It’s awesome to see teachers face to face again. Learning comes much easier when a teacher is actually looking at your work to see what step you are missing or messing up!”

Not only were the students excited to see the teachers, but the teachers were also excited to see their students in the classroom. Mr. Bowler said he really “enjoyed the interaction between myself and my students.”

Mrs. Leavitt, a math teacher, also loved having her students back! “I enjoy the happiness I see in the faces of the kids!” she said. “They are so glad to be back even though it is very different with a lot less kids in person in each class.”

Leavitt also said that “The biggest struggle I have seen is with kids who need that extra personal support, help, and motivation that a teacher or aide in the room can give. It’s hard in any circumstances for a lot of kids to ask for help and so much harder for them to ask for help through a computer.”

VVHS principal Riley Frei said that he was overjoyed to have the kids back in his building. He said that the first two days of Cohort A had gone very smoothly.

“We had to put some planning into it, but it was nice to have the Moapa hybrid model to work off of in getting ready,” Frei said. “Thus far, everything has worked perfectly.”

Frei said that a number of students who had initially requested to be in Cohort C had asked to be able to come back now that they had seen the hybrid model in force.

“We will work on bringing them back,” Frei said. “We need to get through this week and make sure everything is in place first. Then we will start filling spots with those Cohort C kids that want to come back.”

The students look forward to the progression of taking the next step and getting back to full time school. They look forward to have everybody back together again as an entire Bulldog family.