On March 13, 2020 Carrollton announced it was going virtual due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. How are we doing one week later?
Carrollton has now been closed for one week and the community is making the adjustment together. The consensus of many students is that they are really missing their friends most of all, but obviously they understand the need for the quarantine and are now spending more time with the ones who mean the most to them.
Everyone seems to be adjusting to the online system. Karly Spillane, Math teacher writes, “Online schooling has surprisingly been a very smooth transition. My students have been extremely responsive to the new teaching style and try to keep as much normality as possible.” Sara Andreu, Religion teacher writes,“We do what we need to do, we adjust and make it all work to the best of our ability.” But, there are always a few challenges. Karly Spillane, Math teacher writes, “It’s difficult to assess daily if each student is understanding. Typically, I will walk around and check in on students to see if they understand the material, but with online schooling it puts a lot of responsibility on the student to reach out to me if they have concerns. Another challenge is figuring out how to assess in a way that encourages academic integrity.”
A week ago, when Carrollton received the email from Head Master, Olen Kalkus, that Carrollton was closing, students began to cheer. Now, students are feeling quite differently. Valentina Villegas ‘23 writes, “I miss seeing my friends and just interacting with people in general because although I see my friends virtually, it is not the same as face to face contact.”
Learning online has been quite a challenge, but with just one week into it, students feel that learning in a more comfortable place can be more helpful. Drue Diaz ‘23 writes, “Online school has worked well for me because I work in an environment that is more comfortable and relaxing.”
Parents have had to adjust their schedules, as they are getting into the hang of their children being home, taking classes virtually. Denise DiMare, mother of four Carrollton students writes, “It’s been such a treat to experience this with my girls. With everything going on, it’s a constant reminder of the importance of family and loved ones. I feel blessed to have them here and experience their daily school routine. The teachers have been extraordinary. I am so proud of how both the teacher and students have picked up right where they left off. It has been more work for me making sure they are paying attention, doing their work, making their lunch, and making sure they are prepared on a daily basis. But I don’t mind it at all. It’s been great!” Carrollton has definitely taken the right measures in going virtual. Mrs. DiMare continues, “I one hundred percent agree with the measures that were taken for online schooling. This virus is extremely contagious. We need to be ahead of the game. We need to practice social distancing and make sure we confine ourselves to our homes until we can get a hold of this deadly virus. It may take a while, but the day will come where we can all live our normal life. We need to be patient, have faith, and appreciate the simpler things in life.”
