As we enter our third week of hybrid learning at Fossil Ridge High School, we very well could be going back to the fully remote learning plan soon. As the COVID-19 cases rise in the building, more students and staff are put into a two week quarantine determined by contact tracing. Some of our sports have already been shut down, such as football, because of positive COVID-19 tests and close contact with other schools around the state. Some teams are taking the extra precaution and having their athletes go remote to hopefully avoid the spread of the disease at future competitions and games.

From a student’s point of view, hybrid learning is difficult, and students find it hard to concentrate while switching back and forth between school and home work spaces. Some students do not feel comfortable being around others from different households so a majority of students have opted for fully online courses to limit contact with other people. People’s anxiety surrounding COVID-19, current events, and overall socializing would lessen if we transitioned back to fully online learning.

I spoke to a teacher at Fossil, who would rather stay anonymous, who has strong opinions about how the district is handling the pandemic. They do not appreciate the lack of consideration surrounding COVID-19 and hope for a change in the near future.

As a high school student, I work best with a routine and this uncertainty is quite stressful. In my opinion, we should go back to fully remote until it is safe as a community to be back in the building together. Until that decision is made, we need to continue to practice the rules of social distancing and break time outside of the classroom, as well as reducing contact as much as possible.

Hybrid learning is hard for everyone involved, including Poudre School District because of the tough calls they are being forced to carry out. We are uncertain of the future of our school district but, hopefully, everyone stays sane and safe during this time.