Since returning to school, new rules and restrictions have been placed on clubs, making it difficult for some to meet.
Activities director Mitch Lefkowitz said that most clubs used to only be allowed to meet online, with exceptions.
“We originally only allowed clubs that were co-curricular or those tied to an ECA stipend to meet while we were doing all virtual learning. Those included things like newspaper, yearbook, band, robotics, NHS, and STUCO,” Lefkowitz said.
These ECA clubs mostly chose to meet via Zoom online as opposed to in-person during virtual learning. However, clubs are now moving slowly to more in-person meetings as they are now allowed to do so.
“Now that we are back to in-person learning, we are allowing other clubs to meet in person after school if their sponsor schedules them,” Lefkowitz said.
If clubs do choose to meet in person, they must follow the regular guidelines of staying six feet apart from each other, wearing masks, etc. Due to these guidelines, Falcon Players has been meeting via Zoom since the beginning of the year, but drama teacher Lyndal Willis said she finds it difficult.
“There are a lot of moving parts that can’t really come together when everyone is phoning in from their own homes. But I think the biggest things that myself and the students are missing is the sense of community during meetings and shows. It’s harder to connect with new students and friends when you are on a video call rather than in a classroom for a meeting or rehearsal,” Willis said.
Despite these hardships, Willis has chosen to continue meeting mostly online with an exception of needing to come in person occasionally to do some construction for a show.
With the new concerns and rumors of possibly going back to all virtual school, Lefkowitz sees clubs being more limited if it comes to that.
“I would anticipate that if we go back online, that clubs would be limited in meeting. As mentioned, if the activity is tied to a paid ECA stipend, we have tried to find ways to keep those teachers and kids engaged with each other through in-person or Zoom meetings,” Lefkowitz said.
As of now, it seems most clubs are not meeting regularly as they usually would be, but as club sponsors start to get more used to these new regulations, they are beginning to think about setting more regular meeting times in the future.
