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On August 2, 2021, students returned to the school campus after online learning for an entire school year. With lingering Covid-19 concerns, the Hawaii State Department of Education issued health protocols to maintain safety while students are on campus. Although wearing masks and staying six feet apart is the new normal, many students are still finding their feet with health guidelines.
Students have mixed opinions about health protocols on campus and student safety relating to Covid-19. Edrich Rabanes, a current Maui High sophomore, commented, “during the transition time, I do feel a bit uncomfortable. Sometimes I would also see people so close to me who don't even wear their masks correctly. It usually bothers me in hallways that are more narrow and closed off, like the hallways in B building.”
Student clusters do not bother sophomore Zoe Zane much unless they start to crowd the bathrooms. For Eli Wynne, crowded hallways do not make him feel anxious but to help alleviate hallway traffic during the transition he suggests extending the allotted transition time and having students exit the classroom gradually. In response, Vice Principal Lianne DelaCruz explains “there are so many instructional minutes teachers need to instruct... the instructional minutes, split up with all the classes, that’s how you get the passing time and recess, lunch and we end at two o'clock.” Essentially, that means extending the transition time would cut into required instructional minutes or it would make the school day longer.
Properly wearing masks and washing and sanitizing hands are safety protocols that Maui High teachers instruct their students to follow inside the classroom. AVID teacher Naomi McCall reports that students “definitely” follow the safety protocols in the class and science teacher Dr. Nanna Lindberg states “almost always” for her classes. “If I have time, I also try to sanitize and clean the desks,” said Lindberg, who reported getting sick three times since school started. “It's been a common cold all three times, but you don't know, and also I'm pregnant so that puts me at high risk if I do get sick. It's been concerning but so far everything's turned out okay,” she added.
For suggestions on ways to improve safety while in school, Lindberg pointed to the issue of proper ventilation in classrooms. “This is something that is not necessarily easy to accomplish, but we do need better school facilities with adequate ventilation,” Lindberg expresses. “If we open the windows here we get a pretty good breeze going through but then it gets really hot instead. Our work environment isn’t the most conducive to keep spread down. Other than that it’s hard to go into suggestions without becoming political, but the school is doing, for the most part, the best they can to try and find a compromise so that the students can be in school.”
Sophomore America Ledesma admits that social distancing with friends is a challenge. “Many of us are excited to come back and engage with each other and it becomes hard to remain at a decent distance. It may not be of bad intentions, and more so adapting.”
Vice Principal JoAnne Higa understands the importance of this. “It is a really big part of high school, that’s why we’ve been trying to incorporate some of the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)” Higa shared. “At lunchtime and recess time when kids can socialize, it’s difficult for us to try and keep everybody distanced…hopefully as we get better with our numbers with COVID some after-school and social activities could happen more.” According to Higa, the school has purchased additional picnic tables to provide students with more spots to hang out across campus during downtime. They plan on adding more tables and/or benches over time and may possibly put more out over winter break.
Throughout September and October, Covid cases on Maui have steadily decreased. Safety restrictions for after-school activities like sports have progressively been less limiting. As of September 27th, Maui High athletic teams started back up and fall sports are now well into their competitive seasons. This shows there has been a little bit of a breakthrough in the social factor of the students' lives. If case counts continue to decline, COVID-related safety guidelines will also likely decline. In the meantime, Sabers must work together to balance the need to be social but safe in school.