Smooth reopening for ORR high school, junior high

The return to full in-person learning at the Old Rochester Regional High School went off “without a hitch,” Principal Silas Coellner said.

The principals of ORRHS and ORRJS gave the ORR School Committee updates on school operations following the return to full in-person school last month.

“It’s been a great month,” ORRHS Principal Michael Devoll said.

He said it’s “been awesome” to be back to school in person, with sports and clubs operating.

“It feels like we’re back to normal,” Devoll said.

Despide some changes, like altered lunch schedules and seating arrangements, that had to be made in order to bring junior high and high school students to the classroom full time, both principals said students have adapted well.

“They’re adjusting, I would say, very quickly,” Coellner said.

Devoll said at the high school, the focus has shifted to “tests, tests, tests,” with MCAS and AP exams coming up and ongoing.

Coellner said “it really was just a great show of collaboration and cooperation” among those involved with the return to school that helped make the full reopening happen.

“I’ve worked on a lot of things over the years,” committee member Tina Rood said, noting that the reopening and return plan was “one of the most remarkable.”