After 8 months of hybrid learning, students returned to full in-person learning this academic year. It has been a more engaging experience last year, since everyone is back in person and guidelines are lifted. We are coming back from a time where students would alternate weekdays from virtual learning to in-person learning, and PMHS has been working hard to create a safe and secure learning environment. We reached out to members of each graduating class to see whether the transition back to a closer “normal” has been successful.

Freshman Cameron Wanuga said, “Last year, I felt like I wasn’t involved in anything because of the online learning environment. However, this year It’s way easier. I’ve been learning better compared to my grade 8 virtual experience. I hope that our school will be able to fight through the pandemic, and see a better year.” 

Sophomore Padraig Pearlman said, “The biggest change is that I now get to see all my friends without dividers or cohorts.” Plastic trifold dividers and cohorts that separated grades into smaller groups played a significant role last year to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Junior Maddy Finster said “I struggle with focusing, so online school was very hard for me. Online education made learning difficult for students of different learning levels, and grades. I hope that we will eventually return to the way things were in previous years. Although this may not happen for a few more months, I am hopeful.”

Senior Gabriela Motta said, “Learning virtually made it very hard for everyone since we had to adjust to the new way of school. Some handled it better than others and it was very hard to build relationships with teachers. Since COVID has been going around, students are supposed to be distant, so we don’t do labs or group work anymore. When COVID hit I was in 10th grade. When I was taking chemistry, we did fun group labs multiple times a week. Since then I think I’ve done one lab. It’s small things like that that I took for granted and missed.”

Senior Ulysses Conrad expressed what many twelfth graders have been feeling. He said, “Following the many traditions of senior year with COVID has been a challenge.”