High schoolers returning to a staggered schedule

WAAY-31's Grace Campbell discusses how a rise in COVID-19 cases has led to a staggered schedule and the impact that has on students.

Pandemic.

Starting november 30th, high school students in the huntsville city school district will go back to a staggard schedules until winter break.

It's due to the rise of coronavirus cases among the high schools.

That means students will be separated into 2 groups.

One group will be in class 3 days and remote two days.

The other group will be remote 3 days and in class for 2 days.

Waay 31's grace campbell spoke with a parent about the decision.

Mary schappell has a senior and sophomore here at huntsville high school.

She told me she's glad the district is going back to the staggard schedule because of the increase in coronavirus cases in the area.

Mary schappell, parent: "we constantly have kids going home quarantined and so this will, i think, alleviate some of that exposure in the classroom and allow less of the kids going back-and-forth with quarantine."

Schappell wants her kids to be in the traditional school setting, so she's glad the transition will still let students be in the building some of the time.

"i feel good about that decision.

I think they needed to make that decision because it seemed to work when they did it, when our school system did it previously.

Both she and her husband work, so being a teacher for her high schoolers when they're home isn't always an option.

"it's easier because they are self-sufficient and we don't have to really show them what to do, they know what to do at home."

Schappells kids do well when they have their remote days, but she believes some students do better in the classroom than virtual because there aren't as many distractions.

"i think with the younger they are, the easier they are distracted and it just depends on the personality of the child.

I think it varies with the personality."

Schappell hopes the number of coronavirus cases will be down once winter break is over so students can all be back in the building safely.

Live in huntsville, grace campbell waay 31 news.

You can see where that concern comes from.

Huntsville city schools says it added 111 new covid-19 cases in the past 14 days across every school in the entire district.

51 of those cases came from the district's 6 high schools alone!

Huntsville high school added the most cases by far - with 17.

It was followed by columbia and