Prior to the 2nd nine weeks, students and staff members were given a fall break from October 12th to the 18th. With the students given the option to return for the 2nd grading period many took that option instead of staying remote. Students returned on the 19th and are beginning to get back into their school routines. The percentage of students who decided to return to school is the highest in NCISD, as Porter crossed the 50 percent mark.

“Roughly about 50% of students returned this Nine Weeks,” Assistant Principal Mr. Bart Miller said. “It continues to fluctuate each day.”

Some students continued to come to school during the fall break due to sports and other activities.

“Coming back after the first nine weeks wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” senior Lauren Kasel said. “Volleyball was still in session over the break so, it still felt as if I was doing school work.”

With the increase in students this nine weeks many students have to adjust to returning in person and the safety measures that returning entails. Choir for instance, is spacing out students to allow them room to sing without risk.

“Adapting to wearing masks inside our classrooms and hallways isn’t as bad as it seemed, ” senior Jaissen Ferreira said. “However the lack of students present has been very surprising.”

While some students are adapting to the new in-person environment, others like the flexibility of going in-person on certain days of the week.

“I do all my work online whether I’m in a classroom or not,” junior Emma Klitus said. “I go back and forth, but I’m excited to have time to do school, work, and extracurricular activities.”

Students returning after the first fall break of the year are learning to adapt and adjust to the quarantine requirements.

“One thing I fell back on is keeping up with work once school had started again,” Kasel said. “What can I say, senioritis is slowly but surely getting to me.”