Class sizes shrink every day at Etowah as more students are deemed close contact to a COVID-19 case. Etowah has used three different schedules this year: face-to-face school, online, and hybrid. The many schedule changes have caused anxiety and stress for some, while others have enjoyed the new class formats.
“Personally, the switching is tough due to me constantly having to adjust from having a person to a computer as my teacher. It [the constant schedule changes] makes me take advantage of every day that I’m not quarantined. I try to be more kind and work harder [in an] in-person class,” Josh Faile, sophomore, said.

Some students opted to do online school via Georgia Virtual School (GaVS) to stay safe during the pandemic. Meanwhile, there are other students who attend face-to-face school but prefer online. GaVS gives students the opportunity to complete homework and lessons on more flexible schedules. 

“I decided to do online school for the safety of my family, and I like it so far,” Edith Kuria, senior, said.

After about a month of hybrid learning, many students grew accustomed to only going to school two days a week. This model was a favorite for many students because it gave them the chance to see their friends some days and have other days to create their own schedules. 

“My favorite model of learning was the hybrid schedule because it gave me a chance to get to engage in the classroom but still be able to catch up with my work at home. I felt like it was the safest schedule,” Ella Daugherty, junior, said.

Although many enjoyed their extra time at home, many struggled to turn in work on time, but other students fell behind in school and developed poor sleep habits. As Etowah finishes out two months of face-to-face school, Coronavirus cases rise. Many students are quarantining due to close contacts with COVID-19. Some wonder if this will lead to school shutting down again.

“I like hybrid because I basically get two weekends, yet I still get to see my friends at school two days a week. I also have more free time. I think it’s exciting knowing that I could randomly get sent home at any given moment,” Walt Centers, senior, said.

While there have been many changes to Etowah’s learning schedule, the county continues to work to accommodate students despite the uncertain COVID-19 situation.