Sage Hill Campus Reopens to Students After 6-Month Closure

Sage Hill School officially opened its campus to students on Wednesday, September 23, more than six months after it initially closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ninth grade and transfer students were invited to come to campus a day early for a New Student Campus Visit to take yearbook photos, get a campus tour from a Student Ambassador and meet with their advisor and fellow advisees in person for the first time. 

Freshman Ryan Choi was one of the new students who attended.

“The tour really helped me find all the classes that I’m taking, and I got to meet my advisor,” Choi said.

He said he chose in-person learning because of the bonus features students get by coming back. 

“Not just meeting friends and meeting teachers in real life, but also, like especially for [Winds Ensemble], it’s more effective when we come into real life and play together,” he said.

Sage Hill students were given the option to come to campus for in-person learning or remain in distance learning. This choice will be given every 30 days for the rest of the fall semester. For the first 30-day period, almost 60% of students opted to return to the Sage Hill classroom. 

Students who returned for in-person learning are now able to join their Athletics teams for in-person sports practices. These practices are all socially distanced and follow safety guidelines set forth by CIF and local and state public health officials. 

“We have been waiting a long time to have our Lightning student athletes back on campus and it was well worth the wait! The energy and excitement at team practices is palpable. The work ethic is high, the smiles are huge and the atmosphere is electric!” Director of Athletics Megan Cid said. “To see our athletes in the pool, working out on our fields, and conditioning on our courts is just how it is supposed to be. It feels right. It gives me hope for an amazing 2020-21 and although it may look just a bit different right now, the feeling of pride and enthusiasm is still the same.”

Many of the students who opted to continue distance learning didn’t quite feel comfortable coming back just yet. 

Junior Riya Gupta said that she believes Sage Hill has taken all the right steps and precautions to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak on campus, but there is still risk. She and her family decided she would continue with distance learning for now. 

“More than myself falling sick I am worried that if I caught the virus I will be a carrier and spread the virus to my family and other members of my community. That is why I am not only going to campus but refraining from going to public places in general,” Gupta said. “I am hoping to go to campus next month, and I am excited for the possibility of seeing my friends again and meeting some of my teachers in person for the first time.”