For the first time in over a year, campus is open five days a week for Upper School classes.

Since the School transitioned to remote learning last March, it has been a slow but steady climb back to normal school days. At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, students attended classes in cohorts by grade and learned in-person on alternating days of the week. Later in the year, a schedule was established where most grades would be on campus for four days a week, with 12th grade students being in person for three.

For the second semester, the schedule was updated, with all Upper School students opting to learn in-person coming to school four days a week, learning remotely only on Wednesdays. Before returning from Spring Break, the administration announced plans for the entire Upper School to learn on campus five days a week.

Head of Upper School Joshua Neudel said that the administration aims to start rebuilding normal routines at the School before summer break.

“With the return of tents and nicer weather, we can once again expand our space to be outside,” Neudel said. “In addition, there have been a number of peer-reviewed scientific studies that have been released since the fall that supported the decision to have students on campus.”

Having a greater amount of students on campus will bring more positive energy to the school according to Neudel, as friends drive each other to succeed.

“In just the first few days back, the campus feels more alive and I expect it to continue to feel more like the true Brimmer experience,” Neudel said. 

Neudel is also confident the students will continue to follow safety protocols as he says they have all year.

“I would only remind students to be mindful of their distance with other people, as it can be hard not to gravitate towards each other,” Neudel said.

For Ugo Adiele ‘23, this switch will be bigger than for most of his classmates, as this will be his first time on campus in a year.

“The idea of returning to school full time had me very nervous and excited at first,” Adiele said.

However, he found that his return after March break was met with “a very warm welcome.”

“I’m looking forward to going in person full time,” Adiele said, noting the School’s efforts to keep the community safe.

Grace Kandiah ‘23, like Adiele, feels that it will be a welcome return.

“It was honestly nice to have a day to relax,” Kandiah said. “It will be good to be here and awake and energized with everyone.” 

With the return of fully in-person learning and fuller classrooms, a greater sense of normalcy has begun as the school year begins to wrap up.