Secondary students head back to school a few days before Spring Break in Santa Barbara
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Freshman and new student orientation begins at Santa Barbara High School on Wednesday morning.
Principal Elise Simmons said they are calling it an orientation because freshman and new students have never been shown the campus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Simmons said other students will be showing the incoming students around in small groups. They will learn where their classes will be held, where the cafeteria is located, and how they will start the day with temperature checks.
They will also wear lanyards with colors designating their class. And they will be reminded to stay six feet apart inside classrooms and outdoors.
"I am over the moon. It is so amazing, it is a little bit more than a year and we are going to have our students come back to this beautiful campus tomorrow. We will welcome all of our new students, that includes our freshman, and 95 tenth and eleventh and twelfth graders who have never been on our campus before.
Secondary students in Groups A return to indoor classrooms on Thursday followed by group B on Friday and group C will continue distance learning.
Senior Sophie Graham said, "It is pretty exciting, I am a little worried with how rushed it has been going, but I am excited too because in-person learning is so invaluable. I am just really hoping to get a sense of how safe it's going to be."
Some seniors were already on school grounds Tuesday afternoon having their yearbook portraits taken free-of-charge.
Other students were rehearsing an upcoming play or practicing team sports.
Educators said 73 percent of the district staff members have been vaccinated or have appointments to be vaccinated. About 11 percent have chosen to opt out of the emergency-use vaccination.
The return to in-person learning will be followed by Spring Break next week.
During the school board meeting Superintendent Hilda Maldonado urged people not to let their guard down so that more in-person instruction hours can be added.
She said a summer schedule is also being worked on to make sure students can take classes between June 14-July 23.
The district said plans for graduations are still in the works.
