It has now been over a year since schools were first closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. All schools in Virginia discontinued in-person classes in March 2020 due to the past uncertainties of the pandemic.

A year later, classes at Brentsville District High School have been occurring through a hybrid schedule. Some students are attending classes online and in-person on their scheduled days, and other students have chosen to attend school through online classes only. For the next upcoming school year, students and teachers are hopeful that classes will function normally in-person.

However, there is something to consider about online school. That is how beneficial online classes will be after the pandemic. Online learning has been one of the only options for schools since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, but online learning may not be as relied on when the pandemic is over, and schools are back to fully in-person classes.

Depending on the class, some online school options may be available in the future. Some classes can be easily taught online, while other classes benefit more from an in-person learning environment. There are also some students who have performed better in school with classes being online, while some students have not done as well with that change.

There are a few options for schools throughout Prince William County when it comes to the continuation of online learning. There could be virtual classes offered, as well as a possibility of using the hybrid model, or having fully in-person classes. The decision with how online school will be used in the future depends on choices that are made by the schools.

While online learning is sometimes not the best option for students, there are ways that online learning can remain useful in the years to come. Online learning can offer students more flexibility in their schedules, which gives students more time to participate in other activities outside of school. There are still some downsides to remote learning, however. Many students must learn how to use new software and online applications to be able to participate in online courses, which can be challenging.

For online learning or hybrid learning to continue alongside in-person classes as options for students, virtual classes would have to be able to provide the same quality of instruction that is available for in-person classes. If online classes can function as well as in-person learning, then virtual classes could still be an option in the future and when the Covid-19 pandemic ends.