Since students got out for spring break many things have changed, making this year like no other. Due to COVID-19, many students have chosen to continue distance learning, or go “VIP.” But for those who have chosen to come back to school, things looked a little different.

Many safety guidelines have been instituted to help keep students and faculty safe. For example, social distancing must be enforced, water fountains are closed, and students must wear a mask at all times, except when eating.

The first day of school was trial and error. 

“We want to make this the best learning experience we can have but we do have to follow a lot of safety guidelines,” Principal Doug Payne told students the morning of Aug. 17. “We will continue to do that each day. We’ll continue to make improvements.”

Students had different reactions to the new rules.

“I feel bad for the freshmen,”  junior Malik Rollen, said. “They really won’t absorb the full high school experience. They don’t get to be around like how (previous classes) were.”

Through all of the new challenges this school year faces, the first day of school went smoother than most expected. 

“It was pretty smooth to be honest,” 10th-grader Sam Bennett, said. “I expected it to be a lot messier. Overall, the staff handled it well.”