As the era of COVID-19 diminishes into another piece of history, society begins the chapter of life in the aftermath. The “new normal” has lost its newness, replaced with the simple acknowledgement of monotony and a feeling as if it has always been there. Technology is the big one: a tool brought about to support and guide both educators and students alike as they had to navigate through the unknown. As the time moves to today, the territory and challenges become more familiar. Schools are going back to what they know – tests, grades, learning. 

Despite a reversion to many old policies from pre-COVID 19 times, such as the reimplementation of old standards of strict academic integrity, the technology remains. Whether in administering exams, communication, or even presenting notes, technology has become a staple in the classroom; creating a dependency we may or may not have realized we had. 

Suddenly, a greater dependence on technology has become a great liability for Commack. This is emphasized in the recent ransomware attack that has occurred. As of November 8, the networks within Commack High School were compromised. Lesson plans, access to Wi-Fi, and virtual classrooms, became closed off within the school building creating a disruption in classroom activities. 

While there is a great deal of irony that this situation presents after being technologically dependent for three years, it also manifests several concerns regarding the safety of Commack’s data. If hackers were able to accomplish this, what is stopping them from exposing the information of Commack students and staff for personal or monetary gain? 

In classrooms, Commack’s resilience shines as teachers quickly adapt to provide the best possible education for students, utilizing strategies and techniques from pre-technology times. Classes began trading Smartboards for dry erase and Chromebooks for pen and paper, in which many students are noting that these methods of learning are preferable to that of technology.

Though Commack once again finds itself in uncharted waters, full of challenges, its resilience and strength can provide a great deal of assurance and resolution is quickly pushed forward. Perhaps, as a school and community, we may learn the value in taking a step back from technology to discover that pen and paper may still be of value after all.🔳