Welcome back: anything but common and normal

Meghan Gannon, Editor-in-Chief

The 2021-22 school year is rolling and there are some changes that have been made since the end of last school year. To start, there is new administration that has been introduced to the building.

Jason Bettin has been moved from being the principal at Roseville Middle School to being the new principal here at RHS, as well as the new assistant principal, Katherine Reith. They are replacing Pat Adams, who retired, and Dennis Borse, who is now the principal at Eastland Middle School.

“I had forgotten how much I missed the way the adults and students can interact with each other at the high school level compared to middle school, and am excited to be able to do that again,” Bettin said.

Last school year, masks or facial coverings were required to be worn for everyone who entered the building unless you were eating lunch in one of the cafeterias. This year, masks are not required for those who are fully vaccinated and enter the building; however, they are still required while riding the bus.

Students are still required to sign in when they take their seats in the cafeteria and have assigned seating in the classroom in case it is needed for tracing of illness.

“I’m excited to not have to wear a mask, but it is a little scary knowing I could get sick, even though I am vaccinated,” junior Paige Guinn said.

Students are also expected to clean their desks before and/or after class, which was also something that was expected of students last year as well.

“There aren’t masks, which is different. I guess we just have to see how that works out,” social studies teacher Zachary Rohde said. Changes will be made as the number of cases and quarantines fluctuate.

Another change has come in the way the school year is set up. In previous years, RHS has used trimesters to divide the year into different marking periods. This year, RHS introduced semesters. The semesters have split the year into two periods; however, there will be four marking periods used to submit grades and send out report cards.

“I think going from trimesters to semesters allowing students to not move from teacher to teacher as much allows students and teachers to build relationships, which I think is really important,” assistant principal and athletic director Keith Marzec said.

During these irregular times here at RHS, students and staff continue to embrace change. Have great year, RHS!