It’s hot and slow moving as an entire half of West’s student body treks down to the auditorium. Small steps and loud voices saunter into their seats, and the presentation begins. In-person assemblies are starting up again, and the student body and staff have some mixed feelings about it.

During the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years, there was a noticeable lack of in-person assemblies due to COVID-19. However, the restrictions that prevented these assemblies and rallies from taking place are starting to loosen and discontinue altogether. Two large assemblies took place in the Aud on Friday, August 26th, about school rules and expectations, both of which housed around 700 students, grades 9 through 12. 

Although there have been questions and concerns about whether students would be ready to have such a large gathering again, associate principal Charles Driscoll believes it is best if he keeps his expectations for student behavior high. 

“We were cautious, but we were cautiously optimistic. And, because we had high expectations, kids came through for us…They behaved well.” Driscoll said.

Although the administration is happy to be back in person with their announcements, they aren’t the only ones. Some students are also pleased with the return to normal. 

“I was online for two years, so I’m glad everything was in person again,” senior Rylee Daniel said. Daniel thinks the assembly went well, although she did hear some talking during the presentation. “It was to be expected, and at that point it was towards the end of the day, and everyone was just getting really antsy.”

Not everyone is fine with the talking, however. Although junior Morgan Ford is definitely happy about COVID restrictions loosening up, she greatly dislikes in person assemblies. 

“They’re really loud. People do not really like to listen when whoever is speaking and it’s hard to focus when there’s so many other people, like, chatting, I guess,” Ford said. 

She believes that getting all of the students together is a hassle that the school could easily do without. 

“We can spread the information that we talk about in assemblies just through announcements because we already do that.”

Driscoll, however, doesn’t see it that way. 

“If we did it over the announcements, we can’t control what the different classrooms are doing. They may or may not be listening, the teachers might have them doing something else while the announcements are being made. This way, everyone can hear exactly the same message from the people who need to deliver the message.”