After a few months of complete remote learning followed by a full year of hybrid learning, Ramaz Upper School students are back in school this year with hopes for a return to relative normalcy. According to Ms. Krupka, Ramaz’s Dean of Faculty, fewer Covid restrictions and a mandatory vaccination for all Upper School students may allow for a more normal experience with revamped academics and student activities. 

Most importantly, Ms. Krupka explained Friday treats will be back. She added, “I can’t promise cookies but there will definitely be a treat!” Ms. Krupka also expects a return to normalcy on more prosaic matters. Classes will return to their normal classrooms, and not in multipurpose rooms like the gym or auditorium. The art room is back to hosting art. Lunch will also return to something approaching normal. If all goes well, she also expects that there will be a retreat in May and grade-specific shabbatons throughout the school year. 

These will come as welcome developments to many students. Raquel Dahan (’24) expressed excitement and a sense of feeling “safer in the building with [her] friends now that everyone is vaccinated!” 

Although much will return to the way it was pre-Covid, Ms. Krupka pointed out that there will also be some changes this year. The alternating six day schedule — the pride and nemesis of generations of new Ramaz students — will not be back, apparently gone for good. Instead the schedule will be a simpler five day schedule, similar to last year’s schedule. Ms. Krupka didn’t downplay the significance of the change. “Ramaz’s alternating schedule has been a tradition forever, so it’s a big deal that the schedule will no longer be alternating.” 

Another Covid innovation that will stick around is test periods. Test periods will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays, listed on each student’s schedule. When asked about her feelings on the new schedule Rebbeca Kalimi ’23 said that “Although I like having a more strict routine and the alternating schedule might have been confusing at times, it was almost fun to have to figure out where I needed to be every day. I think the alternating schedule kind of woke us up every day and reminded us to stay quick on our feet.” 

Students can also expect some other changes. There’s a new health teacher and many new additions to the faculty. The student activity team has also expanded. Ms. Benus will take charge of senior programming. Additionally, Ms. Deeni Hass will focus on facilitating chesed activities. Ms. Krupka says some of these changes were overdue but held up due to the pandemic. She explained, “Due to Corona, we were not able to do some of the [programmatic] expansions we really wanted to do but now we are able to.”

However, Ms. Krupka says the biggest change this year will have nothing to do with programming. “Covid aside, there’s an energy that was missed with only two grades in the building. I miss the students’ noise. This year overall is a year to expand and grow.”