On Sept. 29, the hybrid plan for the Bethel Park school year was approved by the School Board and is now, officially, a go. 

As per the approved plan, beginning Oct. 5, Group A (last names A-K) will report to school on Mondays and Wednesdays, while Group B (L-Z) will report on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On their off days, students will log in to Schoology and report to the live stream where their teacher will be instructing virtual classes while also teaching the group in the classroom. 

On Fridays, every student will be assigned independent work, as they have the past month.

The plan also includes hopes that all students will be able to return full time by the start of the second nine weeks, Nov. 9, though they can also opt to remain remote if they wish.

Learning from home has proven to be a challenge not just for the students, but also for the teachers who are faced with the last-minute difficulties of Schoology breakdowns or WiFi disconnections.

In order to lessen their worries, starting Monday, Oct. 5, students at home will be required to have their camera on during their live class calls so teachers can assure that they are present.

When asked how she felt about the switch to hybrid, sophomore Leah Armstrong said: “The transition seems good now, but when we’re in the classroom with all the new restrictions, there are going to be a lot of problems. But overall, I’d rather be back in the classrooms, so I’m very happy we get that chance again.”

“I’m very excited about the change to hybrid. I learn better in person than I do at home because of all of the distractions being at home and the inconsistencies of online learning. Every teacher teaches online differently, while at school everything is more structured and organized. Being in a more constructive environment makes schoolwork a lot less stressful,” junior Julianne Murphy said.

Students in school are required to wear masks at all times. There will be hand sanitizer available nearly everywhere in the school. One-way traffic will guide the hallways. In the classrooms, students will be sitting at desks six feet apart. School lunches will be at distanced desks in the cafeteria. 

School bus transportation will be provided with social distancing measures intact and hand sanitizer available at all times. 

If you do not feel well, please stay home until you feel it is safe to be around others. The option to tune in via live stream is always available.