WOODBURY — It is just past the one-year anniversary of the closing of Region 14 Schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Nonnewaug is finally beginning to see a sense of normalcy.

This April marked the third month of full-time, in-person learning for students at Nonnewaug. 

On Jan. 19, 2021, students returned to school for in person learning at NHS. Students had previously been faced with full-time distance learning during the holiday season due to an anticipated spike in coronavirus transmissions. 

Although this wasn’t the first time NHS students returned to in-person learning during the 2020-21 school year, it was the first time all students returned to school together and at the same time since Mar. 11, 2020.

Additionally, school is now full-day for NHS students. 

On March 8th, school moved to full-length days, from 7:25 a.m. to 2:05 p.m., for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Wednesday schedule remains the same as it was over the last few months, ending at 11:55 a.m., to provide time for faculty development.

There are potential benefits and disadvantages of the students’ return. One advantage is how students get to have hands-on learning experiences with their peers on a daily basis. This is a huge step forward for the Ellis Clark Agriscience program, which is a very hands-on, student-centered learning environment. 

NHS Junior Aiden Barry, an agriscience student at NHS, said that he prefers in-person learning over distance learning.

A disadvantage of the return of students is the risk of a spike in COVID-19 cases. However, COVID-19 vaccines are gaining in numbers, and Connecticut’s positivity rate has remained stable. Positivity rates in CT were under 3% in March. 

While many things at NHS are going back to pre-pandemic norms, mask-mandates, social distancing, additional sanitation measures, and other Covid-19 precautions are still in effect.