Many can remember the life as a student on Zoom, and students of WS/FCS might not have the option to just remember it for much longer. It has been officially announced by the administrative office that when schools are closed by weather, computers will be opened for classes on Microsoft Teams.
Although the administrative office for the county made the announcement, Principal Spainhour was able to create the schedule for West Forsyth. All of the online classes will end before noon, allowing the rest of the day to be used as asynchronous or additional conferencing with teachers.
“I think this will help in a couple different ways. You’ll still be in classes with your teachers keeping up with work, and you’ll be at home for the safety of all the drivers. We have a lot of teenage drivers. My only worry is if everyone will have their chromebooks,” said Assistant principal Rhonda Belcher-Powell.
Predictably, many students were not happy with the new change in the plans. Concerned about losing their snow days and the logistics of a remote learning day.
“Personally, I believe that having a remote day is not beneficial for anyone. Students will 9 out of 10 times not show up for class, and no teacher really wants to do [Microsoft Teams]. I just think we should have a mental health break, a day off with no stress of having to log on to the computer,” senior Mariah Thomas said.
Students are also worried about whether they will even be able to get into the online class.
“I don’t think it will be effective. If there’s snow bad enough that roads can’t be traveled on, there’s a chance that power in houses may be unstable and can prevent students from attending class,” senior Nickolas Peterson-Paugh said.
Not all students are saying this is a bad thing, some students are looking at the good of the remote learning schedule.
“I feel like it’s a good idea, even if it means we have to technically still do school work. We will be able to stay home, do a little bit of work and not have to make it up later on,” junior Hannah Lorenz said.
Students will not be the only ones affected by this change, many teachers have expressed their conflicting emotions on the schedule.
“I am a little bit torn on this issue. No one wants days taken off of our spring break or added at the end of the year, so I respect the effort to keep that from happening. I do not believe, however, that a remote learning day will allow us to get much, if any actual content covered. We will have lots of kids absent, and lots of technical difficulties,” math teacher Christina Koch said.
All in all, even if many do not want to attend the remote classes, it will help students’ when they won’t have to make up those same snow days during their summer. Even if you don’t want to get up and plug in your computer, remember that attendance will still be taken on those days. If you have any technical difficulties contact your teacher whenever you are able. And even with an online class, don’t let it stop you from enjoying the snow.