As the students of Independence continue to move forwards in semester two with their online learning environment, they’re moving closer towards the date they can return to school.

On Nov. 10,  the Loudoun County School Board approved the start of hybrid learning for students in grades 6-12. This stage was meant to be implemented on Jan. 21, with students who chose hybrid going in two times a week.

The Board had put metrics in place to prevent students from returning in case of a COVID-19 spike in the county. One of those metrics included if the number of positive COVID-19 tests in Loudoun reaches more than 10% within a 14-day period, which Loudoun surpassed, causing a delay in reopening. 

This has recently changed, due to Governor Northam announcing in the beginning of Feb. that all Va. school districts must open by the middle of March, following the Center for Disease Control and Prevention announcing that it is safe to reopen schools. 

Loudoun has announced that students in grades 6-12 will be returning to school on Mar. 3. Some students will be returning to Independence on hybrid schedules, going in for two days a week, while students who stuck with virtual will continue learning from home.

Despite two different learning models, all students will be learning the exact same content at the same time. Those at home will be watching their teachers and fellow students in school live through Google Meets, creating continuity and consistency of learning among all students. 

On Dec. 18, parents and guardians chose which learning plan their student would be participating in—a binding choice that would last the full second semester. 

There were many factors ranging from health safety to familiarity for those that chose to continue their virtual learning. Junior Arya Reddy chose virtual for comfort reasons, noting that she likes “being home in [her] pajamas.”

Those that chose hybrid had a variety of reasons, including missing the school environment and face-to-face contact. Many students have found it difficult to learn online, including Junior Ethan Onstott who finds that he “learns better in a classroom environment.”

According to the IHS Counseling Office, approximately 31.8% of students will be returning to Independence this semester. 68.2% of students will be continuing their online learning, via Google Meet. 

See you soon, Tigers!