MILLIS - Students in Mrs. Foley’s fifth grade class at Clyde F. Brown Elementary School in Millis recently wrote opinion essays on “Should students be in school full time, hybrid, or fully remote during the pandemic?” 

 Foley says the essays led to a lively conversation in the classroom. “We had a discussion about their opinions and they were so passionate about their beliefs.”   

Of these students, eight said school should be fully in person, six said hybrid, and three said fully remote. Here are some (mostly unedited) excerpts from those essays.  

 I think we should be fully in person because we need to be outside and be around more with people . Like i said before if you look at a screen for too long it can mess up your eyes and cause a lot of other stuff. It can mess up your eyes because the screen is so bright. Also we all need to be outside for at least 10 mins everyday to get away from screens. Also when people are at home and they have lunch and recess they dont go outside they go on electronics and stuff. - Molly Tobin

In conclusion, learning at home can be stressful to students and teachers., bad for your overall health, and not good for a child’s social skills. These are just some examples of why we should be fully in person. I believe that Millis Public Schools should learn fully in person. - Jacob Mussi

In this time it is better to do hybrid, it is safe and it’s healthy. As you should not be on your device all day everyday.  Hybrid is good because we do need to stay healthy. You can learn better in school and you can stay healthy. In this time it is a good mix between online and in person school.  So schools and the readers make sure to show this to  your principles or your parents that we should be hybrid. - Nathan Sumner 

With zoom ruining kids education to screen time giving children bad headaches why would you not want to return to school. Don’t forget that COVID-9 is under control making it safer too. And lots of students are feeling more stressed after all of this. I think it’s about time we return to school for good. - Logan Berube 

Most kids work better in person than online...It is way easier to communicate with your teachers and friends...Understanding people online is very hard...Too much screen time for kids is not good… - Elizabeth McCarthy 

I think we should be hybrid because it is safer for kids. Also you can socialize 2 times a week,we get a chance to leave our houses and hybrid combines staying safe at home and being able to socialize. - Gabby 

These are all the reasons why i think we should be Fully in person.Going to a school hybrid or fully remote can cause sickness when you’re at the computer for too long,your house can get really distracting and you might not have everything you need to participate. - Anonymous

Reasons why we should be fully remote: not everybody wears masks all the time neither do they stay social distances and that is why it’s getting worse and worse as the year goes on. If you are  fully remote you don’t need to worry about being late or driving in the snow. You have a half day every wednesday so you don’t have too much screen time, and you don’t need to worry about getting covid. - Arabella Girouard 

I think we should be fully in person because we have masks on and the only time we don’t is when we are outside 6 feet away...It is hard to focus at home...Younger children and kids with special needs learn best in school...Your wifi can be so glitchy and it gets very annoying when you miss out on part of the directions…people have not seen their friends for a while and i bet they want to see their friends. School can be a safe place. Students said it can be a way to escape troubled family lives...It is good for kids to talk and do stuff. - Joe Barisano 

One reason I believe we should be Fully Remote is because Covid is easily spreadable and the numbers just keep going up. As of December 8th, 2020, the total case count in our current town, (Millis) is 142 and counting...I believe we should be Fully Remote because there will be more equality in terms of academic attention. Kids won’t have to feel left out when they are online and others are having a party in-person. (hybrid). Though, if they’re all remote, they don’t have to be jealous or hurt that they aren’t included [and] kids will be able to learn in a more suitable, comfy, homey environment. - Audrey Holmes

Covid-19 is a virus that has killed so many people I can’t count. It was such a tragedy when it hit, shops closed, restaurants closed, offices closed, schools closed, almost everything closed! We all had to shut ourselves up in our houses like a turtle in its shell. We had to do remote learning after Covid hit in March...Hybrid is a safer, better, and more productive way of learning in quarantine and it gives more opportunities for families than other ways of quarantine learning. People are taking precautions and working really hard for students to be able to have fun in school. Teachers want their students to be able to get a good education even with everything being so hard, and I believe that hybrid learning is the best choice for that. - Margaret Scavone

That reason why I chose fully remote is because coronavirus is constantly changing. Since it is always changing, we will never know if it’s safe to go to school. If you do manage to catch it, your symptoms could be not as bad as older people, you could give it to a family member or a grandpar ent and they could get very very sick and maybe die. That’s why I think it’s safe to stay home where it’s safe for everyone. - Brayden 

I think that we should be hybrid  because It makes sense because the cohorts are small, socializing with peers is good, and school gives kids more energy to learn and socialize...Some kids might get frustrated or angry about work and have a lot of stress when you have to do it all on a computer...Socializing with anyone takes you off the screen for a bit so your eyes don’t hurt…You get to talk to new people,more excited and the cohorts are small. - Zoe Leonardo

Covid has had it’s ups and downs. People think it’s over, then another wave hits. Because of this us students can’t learn much from staring at a screen at home. I have many problems with my internet. So it’s very hard to understand and hear what they’re saying. Too much screen time can damage the brain, and cause mental health problems. Online learning can cause stress, and anxiety. I learn better in person. More focused. Understanding more. And being able to see our friends. Corona Virus has been around for almost a year now. It has stopped us from doing the many things we love. Like playing sports, seeing friends, going on trips and more. It’s harder to not socialize with friends and family. It’s also hard for parents. Especially if they work from home. I strongly believe that it will be easier, more fun, and definitely understandable to be fully in person. - Olivia Peterson

I believe we should be hybrid because Socialization is important for kids. No one has seen anyone for the past couple of months. It makes me sad because I really miss my friends and it is easier and makes me happier if I get to see them in school along with my other classmates...As long as we follow the right measures we can see our friends while in school...In conclusion as you can see hybrid is good for kids with special needs, for kids to get social interaction and the stats about covid- 19 and how schools are preventing their staff and students from getting Covid. - Jocelyn Bibeau

I think we should be fully in-person. First of all it’s easier to learn with a teacher because they are in the classroom with you and can help you. Also you won’t have to talk in front of the whole class because when you’re in school you can just ask her for help and they will come over. when you’re in school there are also no distractions from home like pets, siblings, parents, other zoom meetings etc... When you’re not in school you can’t play games, have lunch or do fun activities with each other  because at home you just go into break out rooms. friends shoulnt have to be separated, so what if we have to wear masks at least we would be able to see them while being safe at the same time...it’s so hard for people with mental health issues, it’s harder to focus because they aren’t in school. in school you can get real help and won’t have to ask in front of the whole class. mental health can make people have anxiety, get stressed out and will make them start over thinking too much when they really don’t have too. - Bella Giargiari 

I think that we should be Hybrid because it is safe right now My three reasons are: Kids need to see their friends again, looking at a screen all day is bad for you, and we need to get exercise. Trust me I love going in person but we just need to be safe right now. I also kind of like having half of the kids in the classroom. Thank you for taking your time to read my opinion!! And I know learning from home is different but please act like you are in real school, take it seriously, and be calm. This is hard for everybody right now. Think about the teachers and first responders and everyone who lost their job because of Covid. Don’t just think about yourself. Because the whole world needs you to help them by staying safe and being careful. - Lauren Blake