A big question for students and families is when or if extra-curricular activities will return to our schools, and thus far, Southeast Cornerstone has come out with a plan to gradually phase these activities in.
For a big majority of students, especially in the junior and senior high grades, extra-curricular activities are extremely important for a well-rounded education.
The sports and arts activities are a vital outlet of expression and athletics, and it is crucially important that they be allowed back for students to take part in.
The glitch in the whole affair is the same glitch that has caused the lives of every person to be adversely affected, namely the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is quite clear that the coronavirus is not going away anytime soon, in spite of the futile claims of certain leaders located to the south of us. What’s needed is, first, some common sense (which is unfortunately not very common these days), and secondly, learning how to live with this reality without letting it ruin our lives.
There are some basic practices in place that purport to keep us safe, such as physical distancing and frequent hand-washing. The practice of wearing masks is a tough one, because it mainly should only be needed if physical distancing is not possible.
For someone doing physical activity, like say playing volleyball or soccer, masks are not practical nor are they really necessary.
What ought to be the focus here is, how to get extra-curr activities back into the schools and allow students to play sports, be in a drama or play in a band. Believe it or not, there are ways to do choir and band that are safe, but many schools are simply opting for the easy way out and are simply outlawing these activities.
The benefits of these sorts of activities not only include exercise and artistic expression, they also provide valuable life lessons, socialization and promotes good mental health.
This in turn helps keep students growth and development as young people at a healthy and well-rounded level, and helps our boys and girls have a positive frame of mind.
