At Walpole High School, the first term of using the hybrid schedule ended on Friday, Nov. 13. Half of the school has been attending in-person classes on Monday and Tuesday, while the other half attends Thursday and Friday, with remote half-days for all on Wednesdays. Here’s what students had to say about their first term with this new learning technique. 

“I think that the term went pretty well considering the circumstances, and I definitely prefer the hybrid schedule rather than going all online because I have a lot of trouble staying motivated at home. At some points during the term it was clear that the students and the teachers were both struggling with the new hybrid schedule, but it has been getting better as we keep going. A big complaint that I have is that my classes are freezing, which makes it hard for me to focus,” junior Julie Blake said.

“With the hybrid model, I personally believe certain teachers are assigning too much work and then expecting us to complete it all on time. Some of my teachers are assigning work then letting us log off, which makes it difficult for some kids to complete it. It is harder to focus when there are many distractions in your home, or at least I know that is true for me. I really have no complaints about the in-person classes, but I do think it is important for teachers to keep teaching the material instead of just giving us worksheets to complete on time,” sophomore Brigid Welch said. 

“I feel like we shouldn’t have to stay in meets if we aren’t being taught anything. I work best when I feel like I’m not being watched by my teachers or peers, and the meet tab makes my computer slow,” junior Matthew McLaughlin said.

“I like the hybrid schedule so far, especially on remote days because we aren’t given homework on top of class work,” senior Katie Meehan said. 

“I find teachers seem to unconsciously prioritize the in-person class over the home classes. It makes it very frustrating to learn a subject at home. Also, it feels less comfortable to ask a question over Google Meet than when you are actually in class. The Google Meet makes it feel as if the spotlight is on you when asking a question, which usually deters people from asking it in the first place,” senior Domenico Straccia said.

“I think the hybrid schedule works, but it is hard to switch from at home to in-school. I’m finding that people haven’t been able to get some of the work done, but for the most part I think the workload has been okay. My main complaint is how quick we have to learn things and how frequent quizzes are. Also, how many quizzes we have piled up on Monday because some teachers don’t want us taking tests or quizzes at home,” freshman Colin Mahoney said. 

With the second term beginning, students hope for school life to improve and for remote learning to become easier with the continuation of COVID-19. Recently the WHS Student Council has sent out a survey about the hybrid schedule, hoping to address the student body’s concerns.