SLO Reporter

Brentwood School issued the following announcement on Mar. 11. 

As we all know, next week, for the first time in 2 years, everyone has the option to wear or not wear masks on campus whether they are indoors or outdoors. Talk about the proverbial breath of fresh air! (And yes, pun intended.) Just to add a bit more joy to this moment, earlier this week the COVID Committee made the decision that on Monday, we will also drop the Magnus Screening requirement for both West and East Campus. Hallelujah!

This long-awaited news is welcomed with open arms because finally, as individuals, we have more agency in how we conduct our daily lives. In fact, I would wager that in the long run, this increased agency is nearly as powerful as the mask option. 

We are all aware of the uptick in anxiety and depression that has been well-documented over these past two years. We know firsthand that our community and families were not immune to this. While the source of these increases were myriad, I believe that the common denominator throughout was our diminished agency. The feeling of having control over decisions, actions, and the subsequent consequences is essential to our well-being as people.

Think about it. At the start of the pandemic, students had no choice about who to spend time with as none of us could spend time with anyone beyond family. Students could not follow their curiosity when it came to trying a new activity or sport because that was not allowed. Heck, they couldn’t even banter with their teachers about sports teams, movies, or music. We were all stifled, and our agency was curbed at every turn. With all of that now changing quickly, the choice around masking seems to be a watershed moment in getting back to normal. 

For sure, we are not 100% there yet, though we are much closer than at any other point over these past two years and it is a wonderful feeling. Let’s be sure to thank all of those who supported us throughout, as well as acknowledging how we supported each other at different times. Let’s bring this chapter to a close with grace, gratitude, and joy.

Have a great weekend!

Dr. Mike

Original source can be found here.

Source: Brentwood School