On Wed., Sept. 23, the school year is finally kicking off with parents, teachers and students tuning into a virtual Back to School Night. 

This school year has started off in a weird direction, however teachers are still trying their best to comfortably introduce themselves and new material. 

Back to School Night this year will consist of the same information and will conclude with a similar end goal. The purpose of this night is equivalent to any other year: to give parents and students the information they need to be successful in this upcoming school year. Despite the efforts, the uneasiness from parents still lingers. 

“I’m not sure if many parents will come due to it being virtual and a little confusing,” sophomore Eleanor Stenberg said.

This new school experience is different for both teachers and students. For parents, it might feel a little unsettling because of the unsure nature of what their child will be learning and how that information will be taught. 

“I’m still a little nervous about how my daughter will learn this year, so it’s good that there is a virtual Back to School Night,” junior Dalal Moura said. 

Teachers are also feeling certain pressures of introducing themselves and their learning materials through a Flipgrid. 

“I had flaws in my video, but if I was speaking in front of the parents, I would have flaws as well. It’s who I am.” Topics teacher Jonathan York said. “Most importantly, the parents want to know who you are as a person. I told them I grew up in Fairfax County. I went to ODU. I worked at UPS.”

Most students feel indifferent about the situation.

 “It feels weird not being able to directly interact with teachers this year.” junior Sefat Fatema said.

 Connecting virtually is something most students are a little more used to at this time of year. However, the distinct difference between Back to School Night last year and this year gives people a feeling of slight uncertainty.

Regardless of the unpredictability of this year, teachers are committed to giving reassurance to parents about their children’s schoolwork. 

Back to School Night is meant for teachers to introduce themselves and their class to parents. This will give parents a better understanding of how their children will be learning. 

The success of virtual Back to School Night will help determine what is to come in the following year.