The County Chronicle

The online newspaper of Loudoun County High School

Mar
22

By

Procedures for vaccinating the community 

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Liberty Harrison | Staff Writer

A bright sign alerts drivers to the vaccination site on the road near the Brambleton Middle School vaccination POD. Photo by Valerie Egger.

As several coronavirus vaccines were approved by the FDA for emergency use authorization at the end of December of last year they began being distributed throughout the country. In Loudoun County to help with this process, special systems were set up, both for the general public and for Loudoun County School staff in particular.

With pressure to reopen schools and teachers desiring vaccines before returning to the classroom, a main goal for the county was to quickly and effectively distribute vaccines to Loudoun’s teachers. To meet that goal, a building staffed with medical professionals and equipment was set up to administer vaccines to LCPS staff members. Located at Brambleton Middle School, this building is referred to as the POD and was created as a collaboration between the Loudoun County Health Department and Loudoun County schools. There have been several other locations around Loudoun set up to administer shots to other priority populations as well, such as in Dulles Town Center, which as of March was also serving the LCPS population.

Jamie Klucken, a clinical pharmacist who volunteers with the Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps, run by the Loudoun County Health Department, recounts her experiences administering shots. Dr. Klucken works as a Safety Evaluator for the FDA. Any views expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the FDA.

Klucken has worked both preparing and administering the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines, first in a warehouse in Sterling, and now out of what used to be a Nordstroms store at the Dulles Town Center, since January.

According to Klucken, the first step to administering a vaccine is to take it out of storage, and then reconstitute it, if necessary (the Pfizer vaccine requires reconstitution, the Moderna vaccine does not). Reconstituting a vaccine refers to the process of adding a diluent to the vaccine to create the proper mixture needed for it to work properly.

“There are different types or requirements with the storage,” says Klucken. She described the Pfizer vaccine, which must be stored in extremely low temperatures and is unable to be used directly out of the freezer, “We have to set out the Pfizer vaccine and let it thaw. Then we have to reconstitute it, meaning we have to add saline to it. We draw up the saline, add it to the Pfizer vaccine, and then we mix it up carefully.”

After it is prepared individual doses are drawn up from the vial, up to six doses per vial of the Pfizer vaccine and ten doses of the Moderna vaccine, then it is taken to the vaccinators themselves.

Unlike many more traditional the coronavirus vaccines need certain preparation times and have certain expiration times once removed from cold storage and/or reconstituted, so the medical staff also have to plan ahead to have the proper amount of vaccines ready.

“We have a number of people coming in,” Klucken said. “We are currently vaccinating 4,000 eligible people per day at our location [Dulles Town Center], and so when we are planning we have to determine how many people are coming through and whether this is their first dose or second dose. We have to make sure we have sufficient vaccines on hand for the second dose, whether they received Pfizer or Moderna. This, and our current supply, will determine whether people scheduled for an appointment that day will receive one vaccine over another.”

After the vaccines are prepared and proper numbers are provided to each vaccination station, a screening process is done with all patients.

Patients are also confirmed to meet the requirements for the priority groups, 1a, 1b, and 1c advised by the CDC, that they were put in when scheduling their shot. The 1a grouping includes health care personnel and residents of long term care facilities. Group 1b includes people 65 or older, frontline essential workers, which includes teachers, people 16 – 64 with underlying medical conditions, and people living in correctional facilities, homeless, shelters, and migrant labor camps; group 1c includes all other essential workers.

Then the required dosage is drawn into the syringe: for the Moderna, 0.5 mL are needed, and for the Pfizer 0.3 mL are needed. Then the arm is cleaned and the vaccine is injected into the deltoid muscle.

“As we are preparing to administer the vaccine, we are sharing information about what to expect after the injection and when to follow up,” Klucken said. “We are also screening for risk factors for allergic reactions.”

Common side effects of the vaccine, especially with the second dose, which often elicits a stronger response from the body, includes fatigue, headache, fever and body aches.

“Usually people who have reactions, other than an allergic reaction, will have mild flu-like symptoms. This is pretty common after a vaccine because your immune system is reacting to the vaccine: your body is starting to respond to the antigen (the spike protein) and make antibodies,”Klucken said. “That’s pretty normal for some people to have symptoms after any sort of vaccine. I always say that means it’s probably working and doing its thing.”

For the Moderna vaccine patients are asked to come back in 28 days and for the Pfizer they are asked to come back in 21 days.

After the injections, their lot number is written down on their card and put into a log system, so that if anything goes wrong with a certain batch of the vaccine the patient is able to have a record of the vaccine they got.

After the injection the patients are directed to wait at least 15 minutes in the POD to monitor for signs of allergic reaction, as the vaccine has been known sometimes to cause severe allergic reactions in a small number of those receiving it – 2.10 % according to a study conducted by scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

“Luckily we have not seen that [allergic reactions] be a big problem with these vaccines but just to err on the side of caution we have everyone wait,” Klucken said.

Feb
13

By

News brief: PSAT continues in person despite pandemic

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Emily Banner | staff writer

While many elements of student life have moved to distance learning during the current school year, the PSAT must be administered in person, per College Board rules, so no online alternative was possible. The PSAT and SAT were administered this year like every other, with new precautions taken in order to protect students.

The PSAT was administered in the school’s auxiliary gym, where desks were separated by eight feet. Juniors were able to take the PSAT on October 14 and 29. About 100 students attended each day. About 140 sophomores attended on January 26, where two large classrooms were also opened up for testing. Desks were separated by a minimum of six feet.

“All recommended COVID mitigation guidelines were followed,” said testing coordinator Kristina Taylor. “Students and staff were required to wear a face covering (cloth or disposable) at all times.”

Feb
1

By

Officer Buracker, school resource officer, officially retires as a police officer

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January 1 marked 29 years of service in the Leesburg Police Department, community

Jevonte Herron | Sports Writer

Officer Michael Buracker stands next to his first issued police car, a 1989 Chevrolet Impala, in December 1991.

Officer Michael Buracker seems to have been destined to be a policeman.

Young Buracker looked up to his older brother, who was an officer before him. “I have a brother who’s my mentor, he’s 15 years older than I am,” Buracker said. “As a young man at eight years old, I see my brother wear the uniform and drive off in his police car.” It was at that point that Buracker realized, “I want to be a police officer when I grow up.”

After having achieved that dream, Buracker rang in the new year by retiring. In his 29 years, Buracker has had several highlights as a police officer, but among the experiences that stand out to him are his time in criminal investigation and working as a narcotics detective and a patrol sergeant. For twenty years, he worked as part of the crash reconstruction team, reconstructing scenes of accidents.

Even though Buracker enjoyed his career as a police officer, he admits that it does come with being scared sometimes. “Our heart rate or blood pressure goes up,” Buracker said. “We always take that risk. We pray every day that we’re able to go home at the end of our shift.”

Buracker’s accomplishments are apparent in his receipt of several awards, such as the Meritorious Service Award from the Town of Leesburg, the DUI MADD award, the Life Saving award, and the Safe Driving award from Leesburg Police Department.

Despite these awards, for Buracker the highlight of his career came in the last few years. “The highlight of my career has been here at Loudoun County High School, as a school resource officer for the last four years,” he said.

Buracker said that he has met a lot of new people at the school and he had a good time building positive relationships with students and staff members. He has enjoyed his time in the school, “Whether it’s giving to kids fist bumps going down the hallways, seeing the smile on their faces, participants going into the classrooms,” he said. “I like the interaction with the children.”

Buracker was also assigned to Catoctin Elementary School, where he established relationships with students. “He has reached out into the Leesburg community where he has become a recognized figure of kindness,” said Peggy Moats, the library assistant at Catoctin Elementary.

Last year in October, Buracker helped start a program to take students that are less fortunate and have a good holiday. Buracker worked with the school counseling department to come up with two or three students that are in need of help and take them grocery and gift shopping. Buracker raised over $1,000 with staff members at the school to take three students shopping for Christmas and groceries, according to Buracker.

In addition to collecting donations of Target gift cards, Buracker reached out to the families of the students he helped. “With my contacts in the town of Leesburg I was able to get a local jewelry store to donate a necklace for their moms, and also a candle workbook,” Buracker said. “We were able to wrap the presents so these young men would have presents to open up on Christmas morning.”

It was different for Buracker making it his first time working at a school but he made it work the same as he did with his other assignments.

Buracker seems to have a talent for working with those who struggle, as he seems most able to help them. According to Buracker, it is easy to help most of them because he went through similar problems as they went through or are going through. He thinks his stories will encourage them to change like he did. “Me as a young man, I was in the same shoes as they are,” Buracker said. “I’ve helped and still help them.”

Earned through decades of service, Buracker will enjoy his time being a retired officer. He plans to go to the gym and golf often. If he stays in Virginia, he plans to visit Loudoun County High School, where he may continue presenting his presentation for health classes. He has even considered becoming a substitute teacher. “It’s a bittersweet moment for my career to be retired but it’s best for me and my family at this point in time in my career to enjoy things in life that I haven’t done,” Buracker said.

Peggy Moats, who works at Catoctin Elementary School, recalls the positive impact Buracker has had on her elementary students. She remembers an anecdote in which Officer Buracker was “parked at a local store and a little face appeared in the window of his cruiser.” The boy thanked Buracker for his service, and Buracker, taken aback, “got out of the cruiser to shake [the boy’s] hand.” In those kinds of interactions, “a positive influence was made, the children were able to see a policeman in a positive light and one they will hopefully remember,” Moats said.

Jessica Harden, a security officer at County, also recalls the positive impact Buracker had on not just students but the adults in the building as well. “Official Buracker was always willing to help students, staff and teachers in any way he could , while we worked well together in the security office. I mostly enjoyed seeing students drop by to say hello to him and grab candy off his desk. He was very personable and cared greatly for the LCHS family,” Harden said.

Buracker sits at his current desk a few months before retirement.

Jan
15

By

Hybrid Guide: how classes will continue as students switch to hybrid learning

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Alexis Shugars | Staff Writer
Liberty Harrison | Staff Writer

Classroom desks are placed six feet apart as Loudoun County Public Schools prepare for hybrid learning. Furniture has been moved out of the classrooms to make extra space for social distancing.

As students return to the building for in person instruction, new guidelines have been put in place to ensure proper social distancing can be maintained within the school.

According to Wayde Byard, Public Information Officer, each school will feature the same setup, with Loudoun County Public Schools staff directed to design classroom layouts for the second semester with the center of each desk spaced at least six feet apart from the center of adjacent desks.

One measure taken to allow for the regulation of six to eight feet of separation between students and staff, is the removal of excess furniture from classrooms in use. During this time when our custodial staff has increased responsibility for cleaning our school, this measure has the added benefit of reducing the furniture our custodial teams have to clean.

Loudoun County High School has a particular need for this because of its unique layout, due to it being Loudoun County’s oldest school, opening in 1954.

Desks and chairs are stacked in the hallway in preparation to stage classrooms to meet the appropriate distancing regulations for hybrid learning.

“Our building is beautiful,” said Principal Michelle Luttrell . “I love our school, and it has a lot of character, but because it’s a school that’s been renovated over time we have additions with different layouts and floor plans.”

According to Luttrell, our classrooms are not uniform in size, so some classrooms are able to support nine students with social distancing protocols, while others can support 21.

“So any given block, we have such a variance in the number of kids who are in each classroom receiving instruction because our rooms are completely different sizes,” Luttrell wrote.

To ensure social distancing in hallways, new precautions have also been put in place.

According to Byard, markers have been placed in hallways and common areas indicating the space necessary to maintain physical distancing. Staggered dismissals have also been implemented to reduce traffic in the hallways.

As of November 23, 831 Loudoun County High School students signed up for hybrid learning as opposed to the normal 1,505 students.

Hybrid students will attend school one A day per week and one B day per week. They will spend the remaining A and B days learning at home, allowing for more manageable social distancing inside of the classroom

Speaking on the reduced numbers, Luttrell said, “In terms of space, that’s going to open up a lot of space and help us manage the movement of 415 students. So even though the hallways are oddly shaped and not the same width from one part of the building to the next, I think that with the adults being out and about, and safety and security and admin being out and giving students reminders about maintaining safe distancing, I think our students want to do the right thing.”

According to Luttrell, Loudoun County Public Schools have also been provided with new filtration systems by the county, to filter the air as mitigation for COVID-19.

One effect of the implementation of new guidelines is new demands on the budgets of Loudoun County Public Schools.

Anticipating this need, the Virginia state government allocated funding specifically for COVID-19 pandemic-related school costs. According to Byard, on October 8, 2020, the Governor awarded Federal Coronavirus Relief Funds under the CARES Act to school divisions. Loudoun County Public Schools was awarded $14,864,308 as a result.

Specific COVID-19 related budget requirements include things like the filtration systems as well as the enhanced cleaning protocols provided to custodians. These cleaning protocols detail changes to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“The primary changes involve cleaning all of the common area high touch surfaces within the school on a two-hour schedule during the school day and a detailed cleaning of all the classroom high touch surfaces each evening,” wrote Byard.

Byard stated that teachers had no requirement to perform additional classroom cleaning, but were offered the opportunity to volunteer for additional training which would enable them to use cleaning chemicals provided for spot cleaning classrooms throughout the day, as needed and when students were absent from the area.

“We are working very hard to keep the schools clean while also minimizing the chemical exposure to our students and staff in the schools,” Byard wrote. ”LCPS is continuing to use the same hospital grade cleaning chemicals that we have been using for the past six years since we know that they are safe and effective in fighting the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.”

According to Byard, all students will be required to wear face masks during the school day, except for when eating. “Physically distanced individual desks have been placed in some cafeterias, while others have tables with marked seating to keep students physically distanced.”

The excess furniture removed from the classrooms includes desks, bookshelves, and cabinets. This furniture is being stored in either unused school classrooms or in leased shipping containers stationed on the school property. This action, specifically the leasing of storage containers, creates another budget mandate. As stated by Byard, the funding to pay for the storage containers is coming from the Loudoun County Public Schools operating budget as well as the federal CARES Act funding provided to help cover these sorts of additional expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In past years, there has been a very high demand for more bus drivers. With social distancing being taken into account, this demand is being raised.

“The bus drivers are likely going to have to make two bus runs. It’s very possible that in one neighborhood they’re going to have to come through twice because they have to socially distance students on buses,” said Luttrell. As a result, when students arrive at school and pickup time will be affected.

Each school will be provided with a Care Room, which is separate from the Health Office. “The Care Room will be used only for students and staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19,” Byard wrote. “The Care Room will be staffed by a trained, full-time attendant. Parents/guardians will be requested to come to school to pick up their student if they are taken to the Care Room.”

Although students who chose hybrid learning will still be using Google Meet to attend classes with students at home, Luttrell believes that there are many benefits to in person learning. One of these benefits is the connection between students and teachers that simply can’t be obtained through a computer screen. “I think there’s some level of grounding and just peace of mind that it’s going to bring to students who are coming into the school,” Luttrell said.

Unlike students, teachers don’t have the same options as students. “There is no option for teachers to work virtually unless they are quarantined or have a medical condition that precludes them from coming into the building,” wrote Byard. “Teachers who are quarantined or who have a medical accommodation may deliver concurrent instruction from a remote location. When this happens, LCPS will provide a classroom proctor who will monitor behavior, assist with technology, and assist with instruction.”

Although some still express their concerns about students returning to in person learning, school board members continue to express their thoughts that it will all end up working out. “I think we’re going to be okay, moving 415 students through this school every day,” said. Luttrell.

At the time of publication, Loudoun County Public Schools remain in 100% distance learning, as the metrics exceeded the positivity rate of 10% within Loudoun County.

Jan
15

By

School Nurse, District Prepare for Hybrid Learning

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Alexis Shugars, Staff Writer

The new care room at Loudon County High School is prepared for when students resume with hybrid learning. The room’s purpose, to assess students who have reported symptoms of COVID-19.

When and how students return to school is currently a large and controversial topic. Often it’s heard what the parents and students’ thoughts are on this topic, but how would it feel being the school nurse?

Shannon Nerantzis, nurse at Loudoun County High School, is making sure to follow all mitigation policies to accommodate for the small number of students who have been participating in hybrid learning since October 13, and students coming into the building for activities.

A new “Care Room” at LCHS was made with the purpose of assessing students who reported having possible symptoms of COVID-19. There are two care rooms located in the building, the primary one being next to the Health Office.

“I am in the Health office during the day until a student with symptoms is brought to the care room,” wrote Nerantzis. “There is a Care Room Monitor (CRM) who is an agency employee who will check students who are brought into the Care Room.” Loudoun County High School is yet to have a Care Room Monitor because so few students have been in the building. The school will have one once in person classes continue.

To ensure social distancing, only three students and the Care Room Monitor will be able to be in the room at the same time.

In the case of a student contracting COVID-19, contact tracing must be done in order to see who would be the student’s close contacts. According to Nerantzis, a close contact is anyone who is less than six feet away from said student for longer than fifteen minutes, in a twenty-four hour period from them contracting COVID-19. ”All close contacts must self-quarantine for 14 days even if they have a negative COVID test,” Nerantzis wrote. “Staff members who contract COVID-19 report this to the Principal who investigates any close contacts that the staff member may have had at school.”

Parents will receive a mandatory daily symptom survey for their children. The parent can also indicate that the survey be sent to the student via text if they prefer. If this survey isn’t completed, the student will be prohibited from entering the building.

Up to now, temperature checks have been done on every student and visitor that enter, as the numbers have been manageable. Once hybrid learning goes into effect, temperature checks will only be conducted on every fifth student as they enter the building.

Many things will be impacted by more students returning, and anticipation to change is needed. “I think we will need to remain flexible as things change and as we learn more about the virus,” wrote Nerantzis.

Neranzis says that she only has one main worry when it comes to students transitioning to in-person instruction. “My concern is just having students physically distanced throughout the day,” she said. ”We are wired to want to be closer to someone when in conversation.”

Overall however, Neranzis is not worried about students making this transition. “Schools are not superspreaders,” she wrote. “At the high school level, students spread COVID-19 more than elementary students, but nowhere to the extent of spread in the community.”

Jan
12

By

Superintendent Eric Williams’ Announces Resignation During COVID-19 Crisis

Category: News

Michael Scott | Editor-in-Chief

Former LCPS superintendent Eric Williams announced his resignation and began working as superintendent at CCISD on January 18. Williams worked in LCPS as superintendent for six and a half years.

Many changes have occurred since the last school year, including Eric Williams’ resignation from Loudoun County Public Schools while becoming superintendent of Clear Creek Public Schools. Williams officially left his position as superintendent of LCPS on January 6, and began at CCISD on January 18.

“He comes from a much larger school district that was fast growing and I understand CCPS is expecting to grow quickly as well,” said Leslee King, School Board Representative for the Broad Run District. “Williams’ background and accomplishments are well known, and he is well respected by his peers in Virginia and beyond.”

Clear Creek is located in League City, Texas, which neighbors part of the Houston metropolitan area. The school district’s policy is to publicize the future superintendent as the sole finalist and then when the school board members meet again, they announce the hiring.

“I found out the day before it was announced at the Clear Creek meeting,” said King. “I can’t speak for the board, but I was sorry to see him leave because I believe he did a tremendous amount of work moving our schools forward in a positive way with his push for student equity and against racism.”

After this announcement, the details were posted on the Loudoun County Public Schools Facebook page. This caused online feuding between parents and LCPS advocates about Williams in the comment section.

School board members Atoosa Reaser and Beth Barts declined to comment for an interview about Williams; additionally, Brenda Sheridan, Denise Corbo, Harris Mahedavi, Ian Serotkin, John Beatty, and Jeff Morse did not respond to a request for an interview.

“If I could describe LCPS feelings about Williams’ resignation in one word it would be varied,” King said. “Some thought he was doing a good job and others thought he wasn’t.”

King mentioned that many parents became incensed with the COVID-19 shutdown, and that some parents felt that their children were not in school and are still expressing those feelings. She explained that the pandemic seems to bring out the worst in many people because the “ugly emails and phone calls are rampant and a few other parents posted negative comments on the CCPS website.”

“What kind of ‘leader’ is out interviewing and going through the intense process of acquiring such a high level position with his current responsibilities in the middle of a crisis and pandemic?” said LCPS parent Layne Bradford on the LCPS public Facebook page. “Our kids are paying for your ineptness.”

King reported that some other parents felt that he was keeping our students safe and they recognized that LCPS was far ahead of all other school communities in Virginia when the pandemic crisis began. “Dr. Williams is a man of courage as he shut down our schools early and that helped keep our COVID-19 numbers at the lowest in the Washington metropolitan area,” King said.

Williams was among the first of the school districts in Virginia to implement that all K-12 students are equipped with Chromebooks and that hotspots for students needing better Internet connection are accessible across the county. Additionally, the LCPS Nutrition Team provided breakfast and lunches to students from day one of the COVID-19 lockdown. King mentioned that other school systems in the DMV were hacked, while LCPS were not which helped maintain normality in distance learning.

“Dr. Williams hired very well qualified people and presented a good vision; he set goals and actions that he strived to achieve and complete,” King said. “Of course, things are not perfect, but the entire staff worked many hours to make things better everyday for our students.”

After Williams’ announcement of his resignation, LCPS immediately began looking for an Interim Superintendent, ultimately choosing Dr. Scott Ziegler, former senior staff member of LCPS. “Dr. Ziegler was the best for our school system with his cabinet knowledge and excellent background in teaching, administration and he showed innovation,” King said..

This year introduced a series of changes for LCPS, however King is confident that the assets of the school system will help us through the pandemic. “We have excellent staff and teachers, and students who are adaptable; We will all get through this together,” King said.

Jan
11

By

Nineteen seniors from the class of 2021 recognized for academic achievements

Category: News

Olivia DeWan | staff writer

On December 10, nineteen seniors from the class of 2021 were honored by LCPS for ranking in the top five percent of their class academically for the first three years of their high school career.

“I was really proud to have made the top five percent,” said senior Caroline Curtin. “All my hard work paid off!”

During traditional school years, these students are recognized at a banquet at the end of the year, with additional recognition for National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, awarded when a student scores in the top one percent on the SAT.

This is an incredible honor to achieve, and it’s one that is celebrated.

At the Excellence in Education Banquet, seniors and their families are honored with dinner and a presentation, and are accompanied by a teacher of their choice.

This year, due to COVID, the banquet was not held because of safety concerns and governor’s orders.

“I had a feeling there wouldn’t be a banquet this year,” said Curtin. “I’m most disappointed that I am not able to invite and honor the teacher who has made the biggest impact on me and my life.”

LCPS has been honoring the accomplishments of these students through Facebook posts, recognizing the students from Loudoun County along with students from other high schools.

Though it’s not as close to the excitement that the banquet held, it is still a way of congratulating the hard working students.

Along with Curtin, the other eighteen seniors from Loudoun County honored are as follows.

Andrew W. Abbott, Zara A. Ashford, Jackson W. Chinn, Aidan K. Cranfield, Joshua G. Daniel, Adin J. Freese, Christian W. Giannos, Erick E. Gonzalez Jr., Sejal Gupta, Cole Howard, Sarah E. Jimenez, Antia R. Kau, Madeline D. Reece, Elizabeth S. Sellers, Maseel A. Shah, Cameron F. Suttie, David R. Taliaferro, and Samantha K. Welstead.

Curtin now gets to take the next steps in her life with this honor to her name.

“I’m most excited to see where I end up,” she said. “I can’t wait to make an impact in my college community.”

 

The photo above is the post that LCPS put out on their Facebook page to honor the students and their academic achievements. Nineteen students were honored.

Jan
11

By

Snow days continue despite online classes

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Alexis Shugars | Staff Writer

Snow and ice cover leaves, the aftermath of the snow day on December 16. Photo by sophomore Lauren Kirk.

During the winter season, one of the things students and staff look forward to the most are snow days. With most teachers and students working from home, many thought snow days would be a thing of the past. An announcement from Loudoun County Public Schools on November 13, explained that this is not the case.

On December 16, with snow predicted in the forecast, LCPS called for their first snow day of the school year, followed by December 17 after the county saw several inches of snow and ice. All Loudoun County Public Schools and Administrative Offices were closed, as well as food pick-up and deliveries being cancelled.

In the case of past years, or snow days are usually called because of transportation. To learn more about the in depth decision for snow days, click here.

Although the excitement from the snow day announcement was very clear, it also left a lot of confusion as to why snow days continue in the current online learning environment.

As stated in a message from Assistant Superintendent, Kevin Lewis, “While it may seem that continuing with the school day through remote instruction is feasible, many other factors also have to be considered.”

One example of these factors include public utilities affected by weather, which may limit students’ ability to participate in or attend their online classes. Another concern is staff members who chose to teach remotely from their classrooms. The regular food deliveries, normally delivered via buses or picked up by parents at schools, are impacted by severe weather and dangerous road conditions, further contributing to the district’s decision to close.

Jan
6

By

SCA’s Friday challenges bring levity during virtual learning

Category: News

Liberty Harrison | staff writer

Chloe Beal, freshman, poses here in her ugly holiday sweater, as part of the virtual SCA December ‘Friday Challenges’. Due to distance learning students now take part in SCA events by sharing pictures of their participation through social media.

For the month of December the SCA decided to build their Friday Challenges around a traditional wintertime amusement – wearing tacky holiday sweaters.

Each Friday of December until winter break, students were invited to wear their holiday sweater, and share pictures of it with the SCA  and student body by tagging their twitter and instagram accounts, @lchs_sca and lchssca respectively.

With students out of school during the pandemic the SCA has been using social media to try to bring the school community together. Friday Challenges were but one of many events for students to participate in.

The idea began with the spirit committee listing what spirit events were successful in previous years and then brainstorming new ideas. Erika Maliska, senior and member of the SCA wrote, “We [then] took that list and debated on what we thought would be doable in distance learning and we voted on which we thought were the best!”

Due to distance learning, the SCA has experienced several new obstacles in regards to their “Friday Challenges.”

Maliska wrote about current challenges faced by the SCA. “Student participation is a big one. Students have to take a picture, post it on social media and tag us, or use the portal in Schoology to post pictures.”

The SCA tracks participation rates and the change from counting who participated in person to counting who participated virtually has posed extra obstacles that have seemed to deter some students from participating.

“The student participation definitely is not how it used to be when we were going to school in person,” Maliska wrote. “I believe that a big factor of student participation is actually going to school in your outfit and having all of your friends, classmates, and teachers see.”

Recording participation virtually has also complicated the process of counting for the SCA.

“All I can vouch for are my friends who participated, but forgot to post a picture and tag the SCA on the day of the event,” wrote Maliska. “But it is hard to say how many people participated.”

Not being able to interact in person has also negatively affected other SCA activities.

“It has been difficult to build enthusiasm without using our traditional hype events,” Maliska wrote. “Without having the daily in person interactions in a normal school year we didn’t anticipate increasing school spirit. Rather we just want this to be something fun students can do with their friends should they like to.”

Even with challenges faced by the SCA, they continue to try to provide positive experiences for students.

Regarding December’s Friday Challenges Maliska wrote, “Our goal isn’t to increase holiday spirit but rather to just give people something fun to do during distance learning,”

The challenges provided by the SCA in general have one main goal.

“We hope to bring a little bit of more joy into students’ lives as we are going through a very hard time.” Maliska wrote, “These challenges are supposed to be enjoyable and fun for students.”

Jan
4

By

News Brief: SCA holds food drive and pies teachers

Category: News Tags: ,

Emily Banner | staff writer

Principal Michelle Luttrell is pied after the milestone of 300 cans is reached.

The SCA hosted a canned food drive between December 1 and 14 to give food to Loudoun Hunger Relief. Students brought food to school and donated it in a drop-off box outside. The SCA set up goals to incentivize the student population, all of which were reached. As each milestone was reached, a teacher was pied. The victims included science teacher Kayla Urban, social science teacher James Carr, math teacher Mel Hefty, PE teacher Joel Caruso, and finally at 300 cans, principal Michelle Luttrell was pied. Each pie-ing was filmed and then shared with the school over morning announcements.

“Mr. Prince asked me if I’d volunteer to get a pie in the face for Loudoun Hunger Relief and honestly I didn’t hesitate to say yes,” said Urban. “It’s a great cause and honestly it was a really fun thing to do for the students. I wanted some of them to be in person to experience it, so I brought my advisory class down to my front yard to experience the entire thing live during the homeroom time. My five-year-old and eight-year-old talked about that for weeks. 2020 has been tough. Pies in the face are funny and bring joy. I’d do that for any cause right now to make the students smile.”

In total, LCHS raised 471 food items for Loudoun Hunger Relief.

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