Since the beginning of the school year, all CESJDS sports and certain clubs have held practices and meetings on school grounds so that students can interact in person. 

Dean of Students and Interim High School Principal Roslyn Landy coordinates the specifics of where and when clubs and sports can meet at school and the safety measures taken by all students and faculty.

“Students need to adhere to the physical distancing guidelines and must wear masks at all times. We have had JSA and the Dimensions staff on campus and that worked out fine. The hiking club is sponsoring two hikes in the next couple of weeks and any club that wants to come in will be allowed to come in as long as they clear it with me,” Landy said.

In addition to the mandatory wearing of masks and physical distancing, there is a limit to how many kids can be on school grounds at one time due to safety precautions. 

“The athletics program has as many as 150 kids at school but no more than 25 in a group, spread out over many areas of the campus,” Landy said. “If the entire 11th grade wanted to come in for an activity, we would divide them into groups so that we did not go over the allotted number allowed in one group.”

Scott Wertlieb, the father of junior Zoe Wertlieb and freshman Sela Wertlieb, agrees with the safety precautions in place but wonders what will happen as it becomes winter and it is harder for students to meet outside. 

“I’m happy that they’re doing [activities at school] now in the fall, but I’m a little concerned how they’re going to continue doing this as winter approaches and the sun goes down sooner and the weather becomes colder,” Wertlieb said. “It is extremely important for you kids to have that social interaction,”

While all current activities being held at school are outside, there are science labs with up to 10 people being held inside the school building that started Oct. 18.

Junior Oren Swagel is excited about the upcoming labs and has already signed up for one of the sessions.

“I really enjoy the social aspect [of going to school for activities]. I really get to see my friends more than I have recently, and I also get to leave my house, the place I’ve been for the past seven months cooped up,” Swagel said.

Swagel also participates in in-person soccer, tennis and Junior State of America every week, and he hopes for more activities and hybrid-learning at school in the future.

Landy also wants to have more in-person social opportunities for students in the future but believes that JDS is doing a pretty good job right now.

“There are challenges to everything, positives and negatives to everything, … but we miss being together,” Landy said. “…We are providing our students not only a fine education but are offering them outside programming so they have an opportunity to get together.”