DCSS high schools students are logging into the first week of school

ALBANY, Ga. – This week marks Dougherty County School System’s (DCSS) first week back. But instead of having students in classrooms, students are online.

Ninth grade teacher at Monroe Comprehensive High School Vanessa Simpkins-Richardson

“I never imagined teaching online high school so this will definitely be interesting but it’s exciting,” says Ninth grade teacher at Monroe Comprehensive High School Vanessa Simpkins-Richardson.

Dougherty County High School students aren’t sitting in classrooms, but they are logging into class.

The school system decided to go virtual for at least the start of the school year and this teacher is saying it went smoothly.

“I think I smiled more today than I have all week, it was definitely exciting to see the students, to actually interact with them and to just find out what they thought about it.” 

As exciting as it might be, there are quite a few changes from the regular classroom setting.

Students are home, if they have questions they have to unmute themselves and not being able to interact with classmates in the traditional sense might feel alienating. One of the main arguments for going back into classrooms is that students need social interaction.

DCSS spokesperson LaKisha Bryant Bruce

“One of the things that we’re trying to do with this virtual learning platform is make sure we are capturing the social-emotional learning piece for each of our students. We haven’t seen our students since march and for a lot of them that key of building a relationship with their teachers is necessary but it’s also important for us to check in with them beyond just academics,” says DCSS spokesperson LaKisha Bryant Bruce.

Until COVID-19 cases subside in the county, DCSS officials say virtual learning is here to stay.

Simpkins-Richardson says, “There are a lot of unknowns so I’m just looking forward to seeing the progress.”