ANN ARBOR – The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education is expected to decide this week whether school remains remote for the rest of the year.
Students in the district have been remote since last March. It is one of the few districts in the state with no announced plans for any in-person options.
Three Skyline High School seniors spoke to Local 4 about their hopes for an in-person option.
READ: Ann Arbor School Board releases statement on upcoming vote to stay virtual
READ: Ann Arbor School Board will vote next week on plan to continue virtual learning through end of year
“Since last March, I honestly feel like I haven’t really learned anything with this online learning and it’s taken such a toll on so many kids’ mental health,” said Skyline High School senior Grace Hescheles.
Grace was one of the students who organized a rally at Skyline over the weekend advocating for an in-person option. Students like Grace are carrying heavy coarse loads.
“I’m also taking chemistry, calculus, AP computer science and Chinese,” senior Eli Hendricks said, in addition to his pre-med magnet program. Eli is worried he cannot compete with students who have had in-person instruction.
“We’re one of two school districts in this state that don’t have some kind of hybrid option,” he said.
Fellow senior Parker Ward said he is struggling with his online AP stats class.
“If I’m not able to learn and get a good score, I’m going to have to take it all over again in college instead of being able to save money by already completing it,” Parker said.
All three students are hopeful the district will offer a hybrid in-person learning option and commit to a start date.
READ: Ann Arbor students, parents rally at Skyline High School to demand return to hybrid learning