When students left to attend spring break last year, almost everyone thought it would have gone by fast, and life would go back to normal quickly. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and students were met with a lengthy delay starting in March 2020, due to COVID-19.

After spring break was extended an additional week, students began attending online school for the remainder of the fourth quarter. While taking in the fourth quarter of last year came with its difficulties, CPS Administration announced that the 2020-2021 school year would begin in August 2020 with students in their respective buildings.  However, many changes were made to ensure everyone’s health and safety for the upcoming school year.

First, CHS’s most considerable change would be the requirement of face masks throughout the building; we had asked students how they felt so far about the drastic change. Some said they distract the learning experience, while others said wearing a mask helps keep us safe during the school year. 

In addition to the face masks, the school would be regulating social distance throughout classrooms and the cafeteria. With the six-feet-apart standard, larger classes such as Band and Choir would compromise to make the most out of the situation. Adjusting seating charts, spacing out students, and making sure they can sing or play an instrument without causing issues became a top priority for these teachers because of COVID-19. 

The cafeteria changed to make seating more spaced out, with students sitting in assigned seats and designated tables. The lunch line would also change drastically as the self-serve buffet-style tables would also be unavailable throughout the semester. Instead, CHS would be offering grab-and-go alternatives, with fruits and vegetables being already served on small plates by Lunch Staff.

Overall, with the new 2020-2021 school year, numerous changes have been made to ensure students’ health and safety. With the requirement of facial masks and social distancing throughout the building, CHS hopes to keep the school year going strong for months ahead. CHS Anchor News will continue to report on updates as they happen, so make sure to follow our Twitter and Instagram for all the latest in school news.