In the time of Covid-19, there is only one constant: change. On the high school level there have been many changes including Homecoming being cancelled, but they are not the only casualties of Covid.

Seven months ago, the world began to shut down. Week by week the hope for things to return to normal began to slip away. Everyone thought there would be a two week shutdown and that would be the worst of it, but we were all wrong. Life continues to change into a new “normal.”

Just 24 hours before the Marching Band’s second performance, what band members thought was going to look like a “normal” Friday night changed. The halftime show was moved to before the game. Also, instead of the entire band getting to stay and cheer on the football team, only 40 members were able to do so

The Music Department has plenty of other things to worry about, especially when the activities are inside and not outdoors at a football stadium. How can students safely blow into instruments, or even sing, without spreading germs and risking the health of the people around them? They can’t.

“What we do, specifically in band and choir, is a little more dangerous because of the aerosol effect that we have. Extra safety measures and extra planning need to go into everything,” Mrs. Kristen Tepshich, Choir Director and Assistant Band Director, said.

In addition to music, the play and the musical, which rely on money from selling tickets, are taking a major hit. Without being able to charge admission, these activities are at risk for next school year. Activities Director Mrs. Mindy Thiel, worries about how it will all play out in 2021 without the proper funds.

“We want to keep money going into those programs, as we are self-funded,” Mrs. Thiel said.

Field trips are something that many students look forward to, but in “new normal”, these are not going to happen. This affects many classes that have annual field trips, such as the Washington D.C. trip to the Holocaust Museum.

“If a field trip doesn’t have to happen, the district would prefer it not to happen. The last time I talked to the superintendent and the assistant superintendent, they asked, ‘Can you not plan those trips until we see how this plays out,’” Mrs. Thiel said.

The GATE department also relies heavily on the field trip opportunities for getting the hours needed to complete the program that year for community service. It is strange for the GATE teachers, Mrs. Kate Elder and Mrs. Christina Paladino, to make online adaptations.

“We still intend to do a lot of our same long term projects, just a little different. The short term single day activities are just not going to happen,” Mrs. Elder said.

While they make adaptations to the online environment, students must cope with the loss of in-person field trips. While it will be a hard adjustment, the GATE teachers are hopeful they can make an impact on the students.Covid-19 has taken many things away from everyone. The only certain thing is uncertainty. While we miss the things we have come to expect, teachers are trying to find new ways to give those experiences. .

“We get stuck in tradition, stuck in the things we’re used to, but we are figuring out other ways we can affect the community,” Mrs. Tepshich said.