The 2020-21 McCaskey school year began with an all-virtual environment. At 8:00 on September 2, High school students across the city opened up their iPads and logged onto their homeroom classes. 

Teachers, some at home, some in front of their blackboards at school, worked to provide an experience which loosely resembled that of normal school. 

The district’s blend of synchronous zoom learning and asynchronous independent work is designed to allow time for classroom discussions, professional development, and homework done during school hours.

But online learning can be hard. “I hate it,” says Gabriel Painton, a McCaskey history teacher. “I wasn’t built for online teaching, I love the interaction and activities of a classroom, and it has been stolen from me. There are too many days that I feel like a bad teacher,” he continued.

This sentiment is one that is echoed by the school’s students. “It has been pretty difficult staying focused, keeping everything organized, and getting everything in on time,” says Lucie de Syon, a sophomore student and McCaskey soccer player. “But,” she added, “sports have really helped with that, because it’s a way to escape the quarantine of doing all online school, and it’s pretty much my only social event and the only time I get to see my friends.” 

After much anticipation, it was decided in a live streamed school board meeting on September 8 that high school sports and marching band practices would be permitted to continue as scheduled, with increased safety and social distancing measures.

The McCaskey Marching Band, as well as cheerleaders, color guard, and football players participated in their first spectatorless, live streamed football game on Friday, September 18. For all sports, there is a limit of 250 people on or near the field during games. 

However, failure to report positive Covid tests and neglect for social distancing contributed to a temporary halt in soccer practices throughout the district on September 8.

“It is important that everyone understand the seriousness of telling your coaches when there is a case, because we are not talking about just you. We are talking about all the members on these teams … we don’t treat our family like that. We don’t hide that kind of information from our family. Because our family can get sick,” said School District Superintendent Dr. Rau at the September 8 school board meeting. Now, players are being asked to create and sign team Covid pledges where they promise to be fully transparent and work with their teammates to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

The board also approved a back to school plan which prioritizes in-school attendance for students with special needs, for whom online learning poses additional challenges. 

But the district is hesitant to begin in-person instruction for more than just that group of students, especially in light of recent school closures. Both Conestoga Valley and Donegal High Schools, which began the year with in-person instruction, have closed their doors through late September because of Covid cases that arose among students and staff.

It’s safe to say that this year has been one of the hardest- not just for McCaskey, but for schools across the country and even the globe. Students have had to adapt to totally new learning conditions, grapple with isolation, and struggle with the daily dangers posed by the pandemic. 

Although we can’t gather in person, the most important thing this year is to stay unified as a school community through acts of empathy, love, and awareness.

Together we can.