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As we are on our way to vaccinating our population and finally gaining control over this virus that has taken over a year of our lives, I am glad to see that we are finally returning to 'normal.' I think that the highest risk in undergoing hybrid instruction (with an in-person component) is the risk for the teachers and older staff. The district should work to not only prioritize the health of students, but the health of teachers that are not becoming front-line exposed to this virus. Where I am from, hybrid learning is taking place and school county employees are being prioritized for vaccinations, which has certainly helped educators feel more comfortable conducting in-person instruction. Students and teachers have also been given the choice to remain home for instruction or attend in person class. Another precaution being taken is that class sizes have been reduced to 50% and students come to school alternating on A or B days to reduce risk of spread. I think that having both students and staff members sign waivers that ackowledge the assumption of risk can be one way to help transition into hybrid learning as well. I think that mandating masks, maintaining social distancing, reducing class sizes, and contact tracing are all great ways of acheiving in person instruction safetly. At the end of the day, I think that transitioning back to normal is a risk but the reward of having students experience instruction and feel 'normal' again makes it completely worth it (as long as everything is done safetly). As for science instruction, I think that for the time being, we would have to limit hands on activities and group projects which could increase the risk of spread. Students should also bring in their own materials so that materials are not contaminated throughout the school day.
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