In order to safely preserve education, the student body should be constantly updating our daily routines and safety measures. It’s time that we step up and help keep one another safe.
COVID-19 is no longer a taboo subject; we can and should be openly discussing it. The world isn’t what it was eight months ago when the virus was still in the “it that shall not be named” phase.
COVID is a part of all of our lives. It’s among us every day and will inevitably impact everyone in the world, if it hasn’t already. The first step in improving the way that we are responding to COVID is creating a more open conversation around coronavirus.
Now that the ice has been broken, remember that the facts and statistics have changed and will continue to change almost daily. Making sure that we stay up to date and informed is immensely important.
It should be noted that, when a school district implements a set of safety regulations at the beginning of a school year, by the end, those very safety regulations have the potential of being outdated. This is because the information that all stakeholders have on the virus could have changed or expanded.
Knowing this, students should be keeping themselves aware of what the current facts and statistics surrounding the virus are.
While it may take longer for school regulations to be revised and changed, an informed student can make a simple, instantaneous switch in their routine to make their days at school safer.
Now for what should be the obvious one: if you feel sick, please don’t come into school. As we come into school every day, we come in close contact with more people than we realize
We’re with people at lunch, on the bus, in the hallway, etc. There are too many opportunities to infect others that it’s not worth the risk of coming into school when you feel sick.
No one wants to walk through the hallways, wondering who has a fever or is losing their sense of taste. This adds so much unnecessary stress into the school day that students don’t need.
This year, students in the Souderton Area School District were lucky enough to choose whether or not we wanted to come into school. This was a privilege and, by coming into school while sick, some students have abused it.
Trust me, I get that there are situations where you will feel like you should come into school. You don’t want to get behind on schoolwork or you don’t want to miss your favorite class… I can guarantee, though, whatever the reason may be is not worth risking your health.
This is also a sentiment that should be shared with our parents. Students should go home and have a conversation with their parents about how important it is that we all listen to our bodies when we don’t feel good.
Finally, let’s address one of the biggest concerns on many students’ minds: staying on top of schoolwork.
I get it, balancing multiple classes can get tough and, in years past, missing one day would mean you’d fall behind a week. This year, however, that should not be a concern.
There has been an influx of students who have gotten sent home recently due to contact tracing and contracting coronavirus. Classes are still continuing with all students present, whether it be in person or online, and engaged in the material.
What we need to keep reminding ourselves is that teachers are understanding and prepared. If you’re out of school for a day, or 14, you can easily join class on a Microsoft Teams meeting and access work online.
Ask any teacher in this district and he or she will tell you that they would much rather you stay home and take care of yourself than come in and risk both your health and the safety of your classmates.
All we have to do is keep an open line of communication with our teachers. If you’re going to be out of school, reach out to them to figure out the best way you can stay on top of your work.
Maintain trust in yourself and your teachers. If you miss school, you will be fine and there is always going to be a way for you to catch up.
Remember, it is up to every single one of us to look out for each other. We may not write the rules or control what the world around us does, but we can find ways to make our community safer, together.
Together, we can make our community safer. We got this, Souderton!