www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 54 No. 3
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
East adjusts when faced with surging COVID-19 cases ■ By Bella Levin (‘22) Eastside News Editor
With numbers surging after winter break, members of the Cherry Hill Public School District urged the board to resort to remote-learning, or even a hybrid model. The daily district emails to all members of the Cherry Hill community were simply not sufficient for families. It appeared as though the 30 and 40 new cases a day were not urgent enough to shut down the district entirely. Dr. Dennis Perry, Cherry Hill High School East principal, said that the district was following guidelines from Governor Phil Murphy’s office rather than being able to implement its own. With Omicron and Delta variants overwhelming the district, it became clear: Cherry Hill was in a red zone. Although various schools in New Jersey implemented temporary remote learning after the break or even a shortened schedule, Perry explained how the district has definitely considered a plan but would not enforce it any time soon. In addition, students presented the idea to the board of implementing a hybrid model. According to Perry, it would not necessarily be a good instructional model for students. During the few weeks in the high risk zone, fans were not allowed at indoor athletic events, no visitors were permitted in the building and any in-person school events were canceled. Following this partial ban, it was announced on January 27 that visitors to school were now allowed and all indoor athletic events as well as school events allow for 50% capacity. When there were two separate clusters of COVID-19 cases at East, the school was forced to implement remote learning for the 2020-2021 school year. Perry said the definition has since changed, as having an outbreak does not lead to an online learning environment. “There is a more fluid definition this year,” Perry said. In an attempt to combat a new rise of cases, East set a plan. Perry explained that there are new Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and suggestions about quarantining and testing students. East might begin to roll out weekly or bi-weekly tests for unvaccinated students who
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participate in activities if the threat level increases. Perry said that the Department of Health currently uploads vaccination status of students to East’s system, allowing the nurses to have access to a list of vaccinated students. With about 77% of students vaccinated, East is also hoping to enhance its contact tracing. Perry depicted the difficulty of tracing such a widespread virus in a large high school. Despite this, only some students get the luxury of being alerted if they have come into contact with the virus. “If you’re not vaccinated, you’re contacted,” Perry said. Several teachers have expressed concern over the packed and unmasked lunch rooms during students’ hour lunch break. Perry explained that lunch is definitely an issue, as the entire school is tightlypacked in either the cafeterias or the an-
n e x . Despite this situation, Perry said, East manages the issue to the best of its ability. “We have students all over the place in an attempt to spread them out,” Perry said. Although the guidelines are quickly adjusting, East is attempting to shift along with any new CDC guidelines and New Jersey DOH mandates.
New Amazon store opens in Cherry Hill Mall
Pg. 7
February 2022
East events are cancelled or postponed due to outbreaks
■ By Max Gaffin (‘22) Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Though moving into the new semester and new year, Cherry Hill East looks the same as it did before, only with new variants of COVID-19 surging on the rise and procedures that are
stricter than before. Looking awfully similar to the beginning of the pandemic, events a r e starti n g to be postponed indef-
ing to push the event back from its original January date to March or later as a way to wait out the COVID-19 peak and generate more excitement from the East student body. On another rampant low is the spirit at basketball games after Cherry Hill Superintendant, Dr. Joseph Meloche, had to make the decision to withhold non-familial fans and spectators from attending home games due to state guidelines. This was another COVID-19 safety measure, but after backlash and student-raised concerns, the climate allowed for the decision to be changed. The Freshmen Dance, Frosh, usually held around January, a time for East’s new student body to come together, was the next of the pandemic’s infections to be postponed. The dance is now scheduled to take place in May, similar to last year when both the Sophomore Cotillion and Frosh combined into an outdoor social festival. This year, the Freshmen Orientation was also held virtually. Eighth graders from around the Cherry Hill Public School District were able to watch videos from East administration and the Guidance Department. Then, the middle schoolers and their parents joined live sessions on January 27 to hear from teachers, administration and students about the East atmosphere and activities they can get involved in to determine if they see themselves at High School East or Cherry Hill High School West. Other activities, including FOP and DECA, had problems arise because of the pandemic as well. The DECA South West Regional Competition, which includes around 300 East students, did not take place at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill. Instead, the competition was virtual, with only the test score deciding whether students advanced to States. The DECA States competition, in Atlantic City, is still scheduled for in-person. FOP Holiday Party’s winter festivities were also canceled. The club instead celebrated Valentine’s Day from a distance. Though school is in person, there is difficulty in maintaining a safe environment for students to engage acidemically and extracurricularly.
initely, or in another, more realistic, word: canceled. Students are being pushed further from each other in a way to stop the contagious spread around the school building, leaving the reduction of school spirit as a lasting effect of the school’s actions. And foremost, students again called their bedroom desks their classroom. School events, like Student Government Association (SGA)’s Masked Singer, were some of the first to be postponed. The Masked Singer competition is a new event that SGA hoped to spark an annual competition for years to come, in which staff sing while masked, and entertained the crowd. The event is based on the FOX television series. President Devyn Levin (‘22) said Art by Melissa Vital (‘23)/ Eastside Art Director SGA is hopLayout by Max Gaffin (‘22)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Big Time Rush reunites after eight-year hiatus
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East Boys’ Basketball succeeds
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