Re-thinking School After the Pandemic

 I'm currently writing a weekly column called "Unpacking the Backpack" for our local newspaper, The Villager. 

This week's piece is about "Re-thinking School After the Pandemic":

“I actually kinda like the hybrid schedule.”

My high-school-age daughter revealed this feeling at dinner, and I was rather surprised, knowing how much she’d complained about missing school. Granted, she’s concerned about not learning enough to be prepared for next year, and she truly misses being around people. However, from an academic and mental well-being view, she actually prefers two days in-person with a couple days out of class to do the work, study, and review. She even suggested a permanent four-day week with office hours, support services, and extracurriculars on the fifth. I kinda like her idea.

The pandemic has forced families and schools to re-think ....