On March 20, the Head of School Robert Hill announced suspension of on-campus classes for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year, and many strong emotions and reactions were expressed by the student body. With social distancing and isolation orders in many countries, students are now coping with loneliness, heightened stress levels, and grief.

As of April 15, COVID-19 has infected nearly 2,000,000 people across the globe, has been found in 185 countries, and has lead to 128,011 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. In the United States alone there as over 600,000 confirmed cases and 26,000 deaths.

Though the US was not the first country effected, the first case being reported on February 26, 2020, the country has become the current epicenter of the virus. Schools, parks, and businesses are closed in hopes to, “flatten the curve.” Children, teens, adults, and the elderly are forced to accept and cope with the new normal.

Sara Schieffelin, Director of Physiological and Counseling Services at Williston, said it’s been tricky to be at home while still working, especially with her young son.

“It’s a big adjustment. I think the hardest part for me is being at home with my six-and-a-half-year-old son,” she said. “He’s really sort of interactive all the time … it’s hard to get time for myself to process.” Schieffelin said she “tries to get outside every day … I’m lucky; I live in a place where I can get outside every day; I can exercise, where I’m safe.”

On hearing Williston’s decision to close campus for the remainder of the trimester, Schieffelin quickly put together an email of encouragement for the student body. “I think, especially initially there was just that shock value, like what is going on? The world is turning upside down,” she said.

Her email included support resources such as an article from the Harvard Business Review and local crisis hotlines.

Similarly, the CDC has released a page of mental health resources and  question-and-responses for United States citizens under lockdown.

“The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children,” stated the CDC. “Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.”

Naomi Simpson, an eighth grade student at Williston, believes accepting the challenges now will have a positive outcome in the coming months. Though she longs to see her friends, she knows the virus will pass sooner if we all do our part and stay at home.

Schieffelin, though not knowing everyone’s specific situation, thinks people are having varied levels of challenges due to the pandemic.

“I’m in touch with some teachers, some advisors, and some students and I think it really depends on everyone’s unique situation,” she stated. “Some people are doing okay, and some people are having a much harder time.”

She is very happy with administration’s response to the whole situation, “I think Mr. Hill has been really communicative and transparent and really supportive and acknowledging what a hard time this is,” she remarked. “I think that helps people feel sort grounded and safe.”

In his address to the school on March 20, when the school announced the closure of campus for the duration of the third trimester, Hill sympathized with students and parents, offering resources and updates to come.

Hill kept in contact with students and families quite consistently as the pandemic began to advance in the United States. Every few days he sent out messages to families to update them on Williston’s developing decisions regarding the situation.

“At its core, Williston is a community of passionate and caring people — students and adults. For the “in-person” year to suddenly come to such a jolting end denies us the rituals we—and especially our adolescents—rely on to navigate transitions from one school year to the next, one stage of life to another,” he stated.

Every peer school to Williston made a similar decisions to Williston in late March, closing up campus for the remainder of the academic year.

On March 31, Deerfield Academy closed their campus for the remaining weeks of the 2019-2020 school year. In a letter to the students, Dr. John Austin, Head of Deerfield Academy, acknowledged the disappointment and grief many students were most likely feeling.

“I wish I had better news to share. I made this decision with great reluctance and in full sympathy with the disappointment it will bring—most especially to our seniors.”