by Nicolas Ngo and Janice Wong
Staff Writers
Students back on campus, senior plans
TCHS welcomed seniors back onto campus on April 5. Grades 9-11 were allowed to return on April 12.
Students returning to campus attend a social-emotional learning period in the afternoon. There will not be additional classes or homework during this time. Students will be grouped into cohorts and will focus on interactive activities and socializing with other students.
“We are really looking forward to having students back on campus,” Assistant Principal Elena Li said. “The goal is to ease back into in-person learning and let our kids see their friends and teachers again.”
The yearly graduation ceremony and Grad Nite will take place on June 11, the last day of school. Grad Nite will be held at the Golf N’ Stuff amusement park in Norwalk. The attraction features miniature golf courses, go-karts, bumper boats and rides. The ticket price is $135 per student starting April 16 but will increase to $145 in May.
With the permission of the county, the district also aims to hold an in-person graduation ceremony for the class of 2021. Last year, the district postponed the drive-thru ceremony until August due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“This year’s seniors had nothing, and I feel so bad for them,” Li said. “I’m hoping they come back to just be with people again without the added pressure of tests and homework. That social aspect is so important.”
OH! My Essay begins in April
OH! My Essay is a three-part writing workshop designed to familiarize juniors with essay writing during the college application process. Students will learn how to properly express their personalities and stories through essay writing as well as understand what colleges want in an essay. College and Career Center Coordinator Amy Sisson is in charge of teaching the workshops.
The writing workshops are broken up into hour-long sessions on April 6, April 14 and April 29. The first session focused on brainstorming and structuring of college essays. In the second session, Sisson taught revision techniques that students will apply to their personal essays. Juniors who want their completed essays critiqued with live feedback can do so in the third session.
Sisson assigns homework after each session to reinforce what is taught in the workshop, ranging from brainstorming activities to writing and revising essays.
Students must attend all three sessions and complete the homework to receive priority college essay reading in the fall.
As a result of COVID-19, Sisson shortened the workshops from four to three days. She plans to read and provide feedback to all essays submitted through OH! My Essay.
“As a mom who has been through this college admissions process and has watched my students grow and go through it, I feel personally invested,” Sisson said. “My role is to do anything that I can to share what I have learned to make the process less scary and guide my students through it.”
Elementary schools reopen
TCUSD elementary schools allowed TK through third grade students on campus starting on April 5. Schools also invited fourth through sixth grade on April 12. L.A. County entered into the red tier last month, which allowed schools to reopen for all grade levels.
Before entering campus, each school requires students and staff to complete a daily questionnaire on ParentSquare that confirms whether the individual is symptom-free and safe to be around others. The schools will not permit entry unless the person completes the screener before 12 p.m. the day they intend to enter campus.
Everyone must remain six feet apart, and each classroom will have approximately 15 students. The school provides all faculty members with face masks and plastic face shields. There are hand sanitizer dispensers at the front gates.
Students on campus will not learn new material from core curriculums. From 12:45-2:45 p.m., they will socialize with peers and participate in hands-on activities. In addition, there will be discussions focused on improving emotional well-being.
“The silence of the campus was really hard for me,” Emperor Elementary Principal Myra Ruedel said. “The playgrounds aren’t supposed to be quiet. Bringing the kids back feels like we’re really getting back to normalcy.”