Editor’s note: A week after this story was posted, Fullerton Joint Union High School District superintendent Scott Scambray announced that all students will begin the second semester in distance learning with an anticipated return on Jan. 15.

When the spring semester starts Jan. 4, students in Cohort A of the hybrid learning schedule will be expected to return to campus despite the recent increase in positive coronavirus cases in Orange County that has prompted state officials to move it back to a purple tier.

That color level means the virus is widely spread throughout the county and small businesses will close again. Schools, parks, and shopping centers, however, can continue to stay open.

School officials are also working on releasing students’ spring semester schedules through their Aeries accounts so they’ll know which class to report to at the beginning of the school day.

“We do not have an exact date [for this] as counselors are still working on spring schedules,” assistant principal Melissa Stinson said. “However, when they are ready for viewing, students will receive notice via [school] email.”

In the meantime, students’ parents can continue to send email requests to Stinson to switch their children from one cohort to another during the winter break.

“I will be checking my email over break and making those changes as requests come in, she said. “[Changes] would be immediate — starting on day one of spring semester.”

Once students see their new class schedules, they can contact their counselors via email to address any discrepancies.

“They can email their counselors over break, but counselors will not be available to respond until we return from break,” Stinson said.

Senior Clara Guirguis plans to stick with Cohort A next semester as long as the virus doesn’t get worse.

“I do think it’s benefited me and made me a little more motivated to actually learn since I know I have to physically go to school and see a teacher in person rather than just a screen.” Guirguis said.

This hybrid learning model also balances the time at home and school and has a smaller, more focused class of students, said freshman Ryder Robbins, who is also in Cohort A.

“I think it is a good balance of coming to school and socializing and staying home and keeping safe,” Robbins said. “I also enjoy having a smaller class.”

As a reminder, after Jan. 4, students in Cohort B will attend classes as they have been doing since the Fullerton Joint Union High School District switched to the hybrid learning model.

This story also appeared in the Dec. 14 print issue, which can be read here.