Loretto Academy is back with all of its known traditions and customs after one year of remote learning caused by the worldwide pandemic, COVID-19.

Loretto Academy has always been a school filled with popular traditions that excite students year-round including; field day, little sister big sister picnic, spirit week, deck the doors, pumpkin decorations, SHOUT week, etc.

Traditions

Students are not the only ones who are ready for the tradition commotion, teachers are involved as well!

As Oscar Nieto, Loretto Academy science and fitness teacher said, “It’s pretty cool because a lot of schools don’t follow traditions… but it’s neat to see an actual school that follows them.

A lot of schools just have a pep rally every once in a while but you guys make a big deal out of it and all the girls kind of contribute, get into it, and support one another.”

Hannah Marshall -social studies and sociology teacher at Loretto Academy- said, “It’s what makes Loretto great and why a lot of people are drawn to Loretto.

We can have these traditions and customs that make us unique and let the students come together and create some type of culture.”

Marshall shows a particular preference for field day, pumpkin decorating, and deck the doors.

James Causey, Loretto Academy history teacher said, “I think it’s awesome, necessary, and part of the Loretto tradition and becoming part of the Loretto family.

There are certain customs that you do to bring these people into the fold.

As a teacher, it’s pretty cool too because with all of these traditions it makes the school year more meaningful.”

Linda Hall, Loretto Academy math teacher said, “It’s a nice thing for us all to be able to participate in and to get to know each other.

From the beginning of the year when we have field day… at the end of the year it’s a way to kind of say goodbye to our seniors we have Ring Rose and it’s a beautiful ceremony.”

Traditions will always be a big part of the Loretto family.

Online vs in-person learning

After one year of remote learning and relying on technology to teach students, returning has been a relief.

From the end of the 2019-2020 school year, lockdown began and lasted the entire 2020-2021 school year which caused teachers to get creative with their teaching methods.

Nieto was teaching online classes for students with autism and he describes his challenges as he said, “It was different…it was harder to keep them focused…they had a few more challenges.

I enjoy being back in the classroom just because I get to interact with the girls more and get actual conversations going.”

Nieto also specifies how although there are some positives to online, he prefers face-to-face learning. Marshall prefers in-person learning as well because she said, “The students are actually here, less distracted and they can focus more in class.”

Causey said, “It’s hard to monitor student behavior… and some students don’t get much from online education.

When the whole student body is online, there is a tendency to not focus.”

In agreement with all teachers interviewed, Hall gives her opinions on why she believes in-person learning is the way to go.

Hall said, “I can be more hands-on with the students and through there, on the online school you really can’t help individuals or anything to that effect, they have to pretty well be on their own lot.”

Overall, a repetitive pattern of difficulties can be seen which has caused teachers to teach more effective lessons face to face.

Technological impacts

Technology has made improvements for many teachers in making learning exciting and easy.

Nieto wishes for more technological advancements and he is excited for future tech incorporations at Loretto Academy.

Marshall still uses Google classroom for turning in assignments which facilitates work for both the students and teachers.

Causey sees the positives for some teachers with a variety of methods as he said, “It taught us to use online resources more.”

Hall said, “Yes it [technology] did in a lot of ways and through there because now I can use google classroom into the regular classroom and incorporate it into your teachings.”

Although there are positives and negatives to technology, there are more advantages that facilitate assignments and projects during in-person learning.

School Schedules

After controversial opinions about school schedules, the four interviewed teachers agree that block schedule is less confusing.

Nieto can view positives and negatives from both sides but he ultimately said, “I think the schedules fine but I do like a more traditional A B or every class everyday kind of thing.”

Marshall said, “I like the block schedule because I like the hour and a half because it works if teachers know how to break it up properly and not try to lecture and put too much work on the students.

The rotating schedule is very hard to plan for as a teacher and it gets very confusing…and so I do like having the block schedule.”

Causey admits that the schedule is puzzling as he said, “When you don’t get to see all of your students every day, it throws you off.

Sometimes I think all my students have this information and then I find out one class didn’t get it.”

In contrast to the rest of the Loretto Academy teachers, Hall prefers a rotating schedule because she says “It gives everyone a small break from a class that they may not like as much or a class that they like, it still gives them some time to be free and also catch up on homework and everything.”

This question can be based on personal preference, but it can be inferred that a routine does help both teachers and students.