Due to the uncertainty surrounding this school year, there is still much that remains unknown about social events, homecoming, and other activities that make up a large part of the Pine Crest culture. To get more insight on what we can expect for this year, the Paw Print met with the Assistant Head of the Upper School and Dean of Students, Mr. Glen Pierson. While speaking with Mr. Pierson, he informed us about what he refers to as the experimental process the school is currently undergoing.

“A lot of the sports teams began practicing yesterday. This is just the beginning stage to see whether or not we can move forward to the next level,” said Mr. Pierson after we asked him about the nature of sports this year in relation to the restrictions of the virus.

Mr. Pierson is still optimistic about the future of Pine Crest spirit and engagement through sports games, and he hopes that we can eventually return to a time where students and faculty are able to show their support in-person from the sidelines. If or when a time comes when attending games becomes a possible occurrence, it will of course occur with “guidelines in order to ensure the safety of everyone,” as it is important that we enjoy our school year while still maintaining a safe environment.

As for assemblies, there will not be any “all campus gatherings” during the early parts of the school year, but looking ahead, there is no telling what our school events will be like.

“We juggled around the idea of possibly having smaller gatherings determined by grade levels, but we all agreed that even this solution could be difficult, as it would be a challenge to include the students who are learning virtually,” said Mr. Pierson.

During the last few months, as the Pine Crest community adjusted to new normals, Mr. Pierson notes how “Zoom Kabloom” has made a huge impact on the feeling of connectivity within the upper school, and it has been a “spectacular and really entertaining” way to enjoy the presence of our peers, even while not physically together.

Although there have been many drastic changes to the school year, our faculty has worked hard to ensure some normalcy remains among our campus. Mr. Pierson pointed out that our classes are scheduled so that “the majority of the classes are all in the room, with the exception of the labs in the science department and some of the art rooms.” This is key to ensuring that the Upper School is not completely transformed into an unfamiliar environment, while also making the transition from distance learning to in-person learning a little smoother.

Mr. Pierson provided insight into the minds of the administrative team. He reassured us that we are all in this together and even the people in charge are still feeling their way through the uncertain darkness. He reinstated that “we are still a very very safe school,” assuring all families that their children can be healthy at Pine Crest while easing the tensions many might feel when approaching the new school year.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Pierson said, “We are truly blessed and the planning that went into ensuring that we were going about this as safely as possible has been spectacular, I mean so many people have put their thoughts together.”