Starting on April 26, Pelham Memorial High School students switched from the traditional hybrid learning model to a newer hybrid/full-time in-person model. Seniors are allowed to be fully in person while other grades have the option to be in either 3 or 4 days a week. All grades were also offered a fully virtual option. The announcement came following the middle and elementary schools allowing students to come back full in person after spring break. 

The main concern the new model brings is with regard to classroom space and scheduling. With careful planning, the newer, more robust hybrid model can work. Instead of being in school 2-3 days a week, students can now come in person 3-4 times a week. Students, assigned a cohort at the beginning of the year, have now been further divided into sub cohorts. The sub cohorts are based on last name initial and are as follows:

A1: A – D 

A2: E – K

B1: L – P 

B2: Q – Z

This means that Cohort A will still remain in person Mondays and Tuesdays and every other Wednesday while Cohort B is still in on Thursday and Friday as well and every other Wednesday. Subcohort B1 will accompany Cohort A on Mondays while B2 joins Cohort A on Tuesdays. On Thursdays cohort, A1 will come in and on Friday cohort A2 will come in along with Cohort B. The two cohorts will continue to alternate attending on the early release Wednesdays with the subgroup on Wednesday also attending on a rotating basis. 

“It feels really good to see so many students back in the classroom.  I had almost all my seniors for one Criminal Justice class and for the first time this year it felt like I had a great interactive class and the students had so much more enthusiasm than online.  It was like a light switch went off,” said Mr. Ferreri, speaking about his criminal justice class. 

The library in the high school is now being used as an overflow space for classrooms that cannot hold all students with the 3 feet distancing requirements. Seniors may be asked to relocate to the library if there is insufficient space in their classroom. 

“It’s great to be able to see all of my friends in school. It’s definitely starting to feel like normal again,” said Greta Fear, a junior. “It’s much easier to pay attention and learn in person so I hope that we can continue to move in this direction.”