Virtual learners find silver linings at Northwest Catholic

When it was announced this past summer that Northwest Catholic students would have the option to return to school or go online, most students jumped at the chance to return to campus. They missed their friends, sports, clubs, and the sense of normalcy from the school routine that they used to take for granted.

Returning to a school of one-way hallways, a full block schedule, and a strictly-enforced mask policy to keep everyone safe was foreign to students. However, Northwest Catholic’s students took the new rules in stride and made the best of a tough situation.

But what about the students who decided it was better to attend school from home? What has their experience been like? After talking with students who opted for full virtual schooling during this time, I found that they made the choice for good reasons.

Senior Aarthi Tippireddy ’21 of Windsor Locks said, “My family and I felt it was the safest option.” Aarthi has been attending school from home in order to limit her contact with too many people and decrease the risk of contracting COVID-19. And while she misses interacting with other students, she likes saving time by not commuting to campus and she likes being able to sleep later.

Madeleine Pascavis ’21 of Simsbury also thought it’d be best to not attend in-person during the pandemic. She enjoys learning online because she feels more productive at home; for example, she can make good use of the long advisory and lunch breaks. Like Aarthi, she likes not having to commute to school, especially because her drive is twenty-five minutes.

When asked if there’s anything she’d like to change about her virtual learning experience, Madeleine said, “There’s nothing I would change. The teachers have all done such an amazing job and I love being virtual.” It’s great when virtual students like Madeleine and Aarthi are able to find the good in their new learning situations.

Virtual schooling can sometimes be a good alternative for in-person students as well. For example, if a student needs to quarantine because of possible exposure to COVID-19, they can log in from home. This year, falling behind isn’t an issue, especially when teachers have the option to record classes that students can watch later.

Though this school year has been different, sometimes the “different” aspects can be helpful. From a teacher’s perspective, the “different” teaching methods have required an adjustment as well. Instructing online and in person at the same time can be difficult, because teachers have to set up all the electronics to broadcast the class, sometimes record the class, and make sure that all students are involved and learning.

For Ms. Hart, a math teacher at Northwest Catholic, she’s found that she calls on students more randomly this year, both in-person and online, rather than those who only raise their hands. Of course, one of the challenges of online learning is that the teacher can’t always see when the students are confused or want to answer questions. Therefore, Ms. Hart says that she makes an extra effort to talk to her online students, especially since this is a stressful time for everyone.

When asked about how the school year is going, Ms. Hart said, “It seems we’re all on the same team, just trying to get through each day and learn some math along the way.” And aren’t we all trying to make the best of a hard situation by working together as a community, like Ms. Hart is with her classes?

Whether you are an in-person or virtual, your voice and contributions to the Northwest Catholic community are important. So keep raising those hands (virtual hands too!) in class, and if we do it right, hopefully soon enough, we’ll all be back at 29 Wampanoag Drive.

Northwest News is the student newspaper club of Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford. NWC is a diverse, Catholic, co-ed, college preparatory community, educating the whole person — mind, body, spirit, and imagination since 1961. Learn more at northwestcatholic.org.