As students finally returned to school on March 9, many teachers were excited about the new educational doors that have opened. 

Hybrid learning has been very difficult for many teachers to adjust to. Physical education teacher and head football coach Bryan Jennings needed to adjust to teaching his course online.  

“P.E. is really tough to teach virtually,” Jennings said. “Teaching is about building relationships, which is kind of tough to do through the virtual world.” 

Social studies teacher Milissa Barrick also faced major challenges as she adapted her curriculum to a virtual classroom. 

“Having all my instruction be digital and learning how to teach to a screen and a classroom at the same time was extremely difficult,” Barrick said.

Through all of this, teachers have remained hopeful for the return to at least hybrid teaching. 

“Students coming back in the building [allowed] us to have a little bit of normalcy back,” Jennings said. 

Teachers also believe that the return to at least a semi-normal setting will continue to be beneficial for everybody. 

“I missed the vibrancy of the hallways between classes. I missed seeing friendships begin as students meet new people,” Barrick said.

A change that excited English teacher Emily Yancey was the opportunity to see students again.

  “I missed hearing my students’ voices, seeing my students’ faces and the relationships you naturally build in a classroom,” Yancey said. “I also really missed my former students who are upperclassmen now.” 

However, some students made the choice to stay out of school and remain fully virtual. 

“I think a major positive of hybrid is that students get to make the best choice for themselves and their families when it comes to attending in-person versus attending virtually,” Yancey said.

Though the return to hybrid has presented both many positives and negatives, many Clover Hill teachers believe that it’s for the better, mainly due to the belief that it will lead to a return to more of a normal routine, as well as the fact that people will have the opportunity to see each other again.

“I am thrilled to have students back in the building again,” Barrick said. “It allows me the opportunity to get to know my students better and gives me more chances to work and connect with students that might be struggling academically and emotionally.”