As Covid-19 cases decrease and vaccinations are being distributed to the public, a variety of businesses ranging from restaurants to movie theaters begin to open their doors. Recently, the Placencia Yorba Linda Unified School District announced the reopening of schools. As of April 19, Travis Ranch families were given a choice Middle were forced to choose between online school and hybrid school. Students can either opt for in-person instruction (4 days a week) or 100% remote instruction. Though there are benefits and drawbacks to each choice it is important for each student to choose the path that suits them.

ONLINE SCHOOL
Online school is an option for students who want to remain Covid safe, and learn without stepping foot from their homes. 

Pros

1. Food – Instead of settling for a cold sandwich or standing in the lunch line, 100% remote students can gorge on delicious homemade dishes. 
2. Relaxation- Students can get much more sleep, and peaceful moments in the mornings. With hybrid schooling, students have to wake up earlier, and spend more time getting ready.

Cons

1.  Increased cheating – According to teachers and students, there have been several cheating scandals . Without a teacher holding you accountable, students are more likely to show academic dishonesty. 
2. Lack of focus and concentration – When you are at home you have more around you that can be used as a distraction. Phones are distracting as well as family members, and Ipads.

HYBRID SCHOOL

Hybrid school is much different than online school because students are in public and surrounded by their fellow classmates. Instead of being alone in a bedroom, hybrid students sit in rows of desks with plexi-glass shields. But that hardly stops them from learning and socializing! 

Pros

1.  You can communicate with your friends – Social life is a important aspect in the growing of a child. “I’m curious to see how school is going to look like now that both cohorts are mixed,” said seventh-grader, Alexa Gonzalez. 
2. Hybrid school caters to different learning styles – According to The Best Schools, hybrid schooling works best for diverse learning styles. “A hybrid class adapts better to student learning styles than an exclusively online or in-person class”

Cons

1.  Technology can be challenging – More often than not, technology ends up failing us. Teachers also can have trouble starting Zoom sessions and managing both his/her in-person and online classrooms. 
2.  Classmates can be a big distraction – When you are constantly surrounded by friends, it is easy to get off task and find yourself talking to them rather than of focusing. 

Although there are positives and negatives to both hybrid and online schooling, students should choose the instruction type that suits their learning style the best.