In the weeks leading up to spring break, the murmurs about returning to full in-person learning became a reality, as Superintendent Dr. Scott Siegfried gave the final word: students would be returning in-person, five days a week, two weeks after spring break on Apr. 5, 2021 – almost thirteen months after we left school the first time.

“Since July, I have said that our ultimate goal as a school district is to bring students back for full in-person learning as soon as it is safe to do so,” Dr. Siegfried said in an email to CCSD families on Mar. 9. “The data and science tell me we have reached that point.”

The announcement was not been met with all-around appreciation. The teachers’ union fought the decision, demanding more preparation time for teachers.

In addition, many students are worried for their physical safety. New CDC guidelines only require that students be seated three feet apart in classrooms, meaning that classes can return to full capacity. And even though every person on campus will still be required to wear a mask, that still isn’t enough for some students.

“I think it should stay six feet because there are more variants of the virus that are more infectious,” sophomore Giselle Marians said. “We still need to do our best to stop the spread, and three feet won’t do that as well. We also don’t have to clean desks anymore. It’s like they are asking to get shut down again.”

Mental health is the biggest concern among students. “I think that putting us in full in-person after more than a year is honestly the worst idea possible,” sophomore Smriti Madurai-Koothapiran said. “I’m worried for my mental health and how I’m going to balance everything out of the blue.”

Creek students were given the option to go fully online at this point, and 70 students chose to not come back in-person. Teachers will provide those students with online versions of course material.