The Olathe School District returned to in-person learning on Oct. 19. The students are separated by last name. They’re either in Group A who attends in the AM or Group B who attends in the PM. Mask and social distancing are required, and the classrooms are sanitized at the end of each hour.. School definitely looks different, but being back at the school is a step back to the norm.

The new schedule has been an interesting adjustment. Morgan Gawlak, junior, is excited to be back, but has some ideas for the schedule. 

“I like being back in person, it helps me set a better routine and keeps me motivated.” Gawlak said. “I believe I would enjoy Hybrid more if we had some days of the week in person and then the other days remote.”. This sort of schedule would add time to the classes and give students more chances to see their teachers.

With the shortened amount of time in classes, homework feels a bit overpowering. In an attempt to keep all student accessed areas controlled, all bathrooms are closed except for the main two. It gets inconvenient to use the restroom when it’s across the hall. Jordyn DeArmond, freshmen, has struggled with these obstacles. “Teachers could give less work, it’s quite stressful” DeArmond said. “We could have more bathrooms available too.”

Although hybrid has gone relatively smoothly so far, Yasmen Hassen, junior, has had a different experience as an online learner. “I personally love remote learning and I would not feel comfortable going back to school,” Hassen said. “The environment and schedule would stress me out.” 

There are many improvements that could be looked into for the future. For now, the Olathe School District is working to continue to be successful in keeping everyone safe.