Going back to school in the midst of a pandemic is a big change for all of us. The CDC, North Carolina Health & Human Services, WCPSS, and the Leesville administration have set protocols in place to try and protect us from the spread of the virus.
In short, the protocols are as follows:
Bus: Mask over nose and mouth at all times and seating charts are required.
Classrooms: Teachers must have seating charts, if students work in groups teachers must keep track of who works together, and students are encouraged to use hand sanitizer regularly.
Co-curricular Activities, Band, and Athletics: For participants and spectators, indoor activities require masks, and for outdoor activities masks are optional.
COVID Care Center: If students aren’t feeling well they will be sent to the Covid Care Center and precautions will be taken from there.
Water Fountains: Students must use water bottles and can’t drink directly out of the water fountain.
Link to full LRHS Covid Protocols as per LRHS website.
Overall, Leesville is keeping students more separate, like doing staggered dismissal and one-way hallways.
“I think [the protocols] are just enough, except I would like to be required to have to clean my desks after each period,” said Sarah White, an English teacher at Leesville. “The one-way hallways gave teachers enough time to clean in between classes.”
Over text, Marley Brunson, a sophomore at Leesville, said, “We will [probably] be sent back to virtual” because of the new Delta variant, even with the precautions taken.
While many students and teachers are happy to be back in person and believe that Leesville is doing all it can, they are still worried that we won’t finish out the year in person.