The fall 2020 school year is underway, but looking much different from previous years. Many of the precautions taken inside of Orono High School are due to requirements enacted by the Minnesota Department of Health and Safety. There are still many local schools who have returned to distance learning this year.

Teachers, who already work many hours outside of school, are taking on more responsibility to help keep students safe. Classes are split between A day, B day and distance learners; teachers are responsible for all three groups everyday. The Minnesota Department of Health and Safety requires that teachers sanitize surfaces and materials being used by multiple students.

“Cleaning desks between classes means that I don’t get any downtime between classes because it takes me about that amount of time to spray and get everything situated”, english teacher Sarah Cole said.

In previous years, tables would be completely full with students pulling up chairs for additional seating. Now, tables have signs indicating how many people may sit at a table to maintain social distancing. Students are becoming frustrated with staff for enforcing the minimal contact during lunch, although, without this new format students would be required to eat lunch in their classrooms.

“I think it is hard to be unable to spend lunch time socialising with classmates, since I usually use lunch to catch up with friends who are not in my classes”, senior Jordan Arends said.

There is a fear that with fall and winter there will be an increase in cases. If cases continue to rise, the school will be required to return to a distance learning model. When students are able to maintain a six foot distance between each other and only be in the building 50% of the time, Orono students will be able to continue with a hybrid learning model. It is up to the students of Orono High School to keep each other safe and earn the right to be in person at school.