Blessed Trinity Catholic School Teachers Prepared To Welcome Students Back For Hybrid Learning
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The upcoming school year will look a lot different, as many schools adopt a hybrid plan with a mix of in-school and remote learning. Blessed Trinity Regional Catholic School in Mayfair is one of them.
"I think it's going to be fun," said Maureen Pfeiffer, a kindergarten teacher. "I'll have the microphone, webcam. It's going to be a learning process, but it'll be a positive one."
Families at the Pre-K through eighth grade school were able to choose all virtual live-instruction or a hybrid of in-person and remote.
Pfeiffer spent her summer coming up with ideas to keep her in-classroom students safe. She will be wearing a special mask with a window so the children can see her mouth during lessons.
"Each of the tables is now six feet apart," she said. "They are boxed in so I know they stay there, and each table will have a barrier."
Students will also eat lunch at their desks and because they can't use water fountains anymore, Pfeiffer is providing fun, colorful buckets right at their seats to hold their water bottles.
"Wash your hands and say your prayers because germs and Jesus are everywhere," seventh-grade teacher Bridget Horgan tells her students.
Horgan is also making noticeable changes to her classroom, ensuring that there's plenty of space between desks.
"I know that we're taking the right precautions here," she said. "Everybody has to wear a mask and a face shield as a teacher. We have the hand sanitizing stations, hand sanitizer in every room."
While younger students will be split into a morning group and an afternoon group, second grade and up will do two full-days a week in-person. Everyone is virtual on Fridays.
"I'm nervous about it, but I'm excited about it because it's different. We live in a digital age now," Horgan said.
The first test comes Sept. 8, when the first group of students returns to school.
"I'll be teaching live in the classroom and on the computer. It's going to be a little coming from Mayfair live, it's Ms. Horgan, seventh grade!" Horgan joked.
Blessed Trinity still has spots available at certain grade levels. Financial aid is available. Find out more here.
