by Tomasa Perez
From left to right: Antonio Murillo, Israel Nunez, and Martin Chacon
Are we back to normal yet ? After a year of a pandemic that kept us away from friends and put in-person schooling on hold, can you even remember what “normal” feels like? What is “normal” anyway? With the return of on-campus learning this past semester, we have looked forward (and backward) to get a sense of a “normal” life and even tried to return to “normal” by participating in some of Saint Mary’s most noteworthy traditions such as the house assemblies, prep rallies, sports games, and all-school Mass.
So, “What’s up ahead for our school community (and or the community at-large)?”
Mrs. Heldt, our school nurse, says the administration’s goal is “to keep our school open and have in-class learning, to help decrease anxiety for the students and help students academically and socially.”
That may be a very BIG challenge in the months ahead. Every week, we learn of new quarantine cases in our community or we hear about a new “variant” or other frightening relative of the original COVID-19 virus making its way from another hemisphere and inevitably landing on our campus. It’s only natural to wonder if we will be going back to mandatory masks and remote learning anytime soon.
According to Saint Mary’s Principal Mrs. Bartlett, our school policy on masks, is “up to the students honoring their parents' decision.”
Students at most public schools in Arizona are required to wear masks on campus, but students attending Saint Mary’s and other Catholic schools within the Phoenix diocese are free to decide whether to wear masks on campus or not.
After many COVID restrictions had been eased, we were told that a new Delta Variant had been discovered in the US. According to St. Mary’s Science Department Chair Mr. Weisse, the Delta Variant is the “same disease, but less deadly.”
So, as we return to life on campus, and COVID is less threatening than it used to be, we still need to take precautions to remain safe and healthy. Certainly, all students, teachers, and staff play an important role in helping to keep our community safe. In other words, keep washing your hands, wear a mask if it seems appropriate, and stay home if you’re feeling “under the weather.” But at the same time, let’s all try to remain engaged, cheer on our teams, say “hi” to people in the hallways, and take advantage of every opportunity move a little closer to “normal” every day.
