Chelsea Strutton and Merideth McNair

Writers

With the 2020-21 school year in full swing, Marlow High School students are preparing for success in both traditional and non-traditional learning across the district.

From the comfort of their own homes to their on-campus classrooms, students are starting to adjust to their new normal.

With the outbreak of COVID-19 canceling the last two months of the 2019-20 school year, students were eager to return to school and continue their education, even if it required a few adjustments along the way.

In order to protect the Marlow Public School staff members, masks and facial coverings are required for all teachers and support staff.

While masks and facial coverings are only optional for students, it is highly recommended that they wear them.

When arriving in their first hour classroom, students are required to get their temperature taken in order to ensure they do not have a fever, a common symptom of COVID-19.

In regards to social distancing, teachers do the best they can when it comes to distancing students in the classroom as well as monitoring entrances and exits in the hallways.

Students of MHS have been given the opportunity to learn in class with their peers or take on the virtual route of learning through applications like Google Classroom.

With only five students enrolled in the online pathway and 372 students attending class in person, MHS allowed students to test the waters in both environments and decide to learn in whichever way they felt the most comfortable doing.

Taking the on-campus route rather than online, sophomore Payton Ortega explained why she chose to return to the classroom.

“I chose to stay in school because I think that it would help me in the long run,” stated Ortega. “I think it’s more helpful for me to do school in person rather than online because of the way that I learn.”

Involved in active organizations such as Bootlegger, Ortega furthered her explanation as to why she chose to stay on campus.

“Staying in school also helps me learn to balance a schedule with extracurricular activities such as Drama and Bootlegger!” exclaimed Ortega.

Having chosen to go online at the beginning of the year, senior Rachel Retherford began her first semester from the comfort of her own home before realizing the in-person learning opportunities best fit her needs.

Known for her charismatic and loving personality, Rachel Retherford explained why she decided to return to campus.

“I decided to come back to school because I am not the best at managing my own schedule,” stated Rachel Retherford. “I needed more structure.”

Having sampled virtual learning alongside her older sister is sophomore Kenzie Retherford. 

Kenzie Retherford explained what was her favorite part of virtual learning.

“My favorite part about being an online student was that I got to work at my own pace in my own way,” stated Kenzie Retherford. “The fact that I got to have some control over my day was really nice.”

Kenzie Retherford also displayed her opinion on why she did not choose to continue her education online, instead returning to campus to complete the first semester of her sophomore year.

Kenzie Retherford stated, “I thought it would be more beneficial for me to come back to school because I wanted to learn at the same pace as everyone else with my peers.”

Having been off campus for five months, Marlow Public Schools made big changes during the time off to protect the vulnerable members of the community.

From seating charts to social distancing rules, the school district prepared for any unexpected changes that might arise during the school year.

Behind the scenes of every safety precaution and critical decision is the Marlow Public Schools superintendent George E. Coffman Jr.

When asked why he believes most students chose to return to campus, Coffman credited the staff as well as the students themselves.

“I think most students prefer in-person education rather than online because of the in-person interaction between teachers and students,” said Coffman.

Coffman continued with why he thinks students will succeed in whichever pathway they decided on for the first semester.

“In-person school allows students to ask questions in real time, interact with their peers, and access immediate help,” Coffman stated. “Online school will work for students who are self-starters.”

Allowing students to be independent in their own choice to join their peers on campus or to further their education virtually, Marlow Public Schools will continue to put the safety of their community first.

Whether online or on-campus, Marlow High School is determined to make the 2020-21 school year memorable.