At most times and places throughout history, the arrival of a cadre of masked Marauders would be a distinctly unwelcome sight. But the fall of 2020 is no ordinary time, and (of course) Grand & Warren is no ordinary place. After the halls of Prep stood nearly empty for six full months, classes began on Monday, and the sight and sound of students on campus signaled a return to something like normalcy. Even amidst some understandable anxiety—both about the logistics of this new way of being at Prep and about the uncertainties of the broader world—the sights and sounds of the school day were long overdue!
Monday and Tuesday saw roughly half the student body (the Pride cohort) filling the well-spaced seats in the classrooms while their counterparts in the Glory cohort joined remotely from home. These groups then switched places for Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday (this week) being devoted to faculty meetings and an assembly for freshmen. Wednesday programming will vary from week to week, and will continue to evolve as the school year continues. (A third, Spirit cohort comprises students who have opted to attend all classes online for health or other reasons).
As discussed extensively both in the opening faculty/staff meetings and during student orientation, the year ahead will bring unique challenges, as students and adults alike are called to re-learn old habits in a familiar, but changed, setting. But for now, a new journey has begun, and the spirit of cooperation that is so central to the life of the Prep community will be an invaluable asset along the way.
