Hand sanitizer dispensers and “Healthy Deerfield” stickers throughout campus buildings serve as a reminder of how Deerfield operated during the pandemic. However, many lingering changes, some less conspicuous, continue to benefit the Deerfield community in a multitude of ways.
Deerfield’s physical campus saw changes during the pandemic, and some of the amenities deserve a long-term spot on the landscape. The addition of the outdoor rink, colloquially referred to as the ODR, encouraged students to go outside more during the winter months of the pandemic. Coordinator of Student Activities Brian Barbato expressed, “We asked ourselves: how do you take something like an ice skating rink, which is cool and pretty, but make it an experience?” The Student Life Office secured 130 pairs of skates to make the ODR more accessible to the general student body, weaving the new installation into a series of fun, COVID-appropriate winter activities in 2020.
Following the resumption of interscholastic sports, the ODR has had an added benefit of reducing traffic on the indoor rink. Previously, the ninety-minute-long daily practices for four varsity and junior varsity teams, along with a shorter practice for the recreational team, meant each team had at least one late practice (8:00-9:30 pm) every week. In comparison, there is now only one late slot per week on the indoor rink for post-COVID hockey seasons. Boys Varsity Hockey Head Coach Tim McVaugh added, “It’s made a huge difference because we’ve got at least one team every afternoon that uses the ODR for practice, which just bumps everybody up.” Additionally, practices on the ODR help break apart the repetitive winter weeks. “[If] we’ve had a bunch of practices [on the indoor rink] in a row, [and the] guys are getting a little low on energy, that’s the time when you can go use the outdoor rink, change it up, have some fun,” Mr. McVaugh said.
Another permanent addition is the beach volleyball court on the lawn outside on the Koch. Mr. Barbato recalled, “I sat down with our students and Teaching Assistants and said, ‘I want to build a beach.’” Like the ODR, the reasoning behind the court was to increase social activities in outdoor spaces. As to whether these additions will be present for future Deerfield students, Mr. Barbato confirmed, “The ODR is going to come back every year, and the Deerfield Beach [Volleyball Court] is going to stay as well.”
The increased awareness towards wellbeing, particularly during the winter term, is also prevalent in minor changes around campus. Pre-pandemic, there were no hammocks and a lot fewer fire pits on the lawns. Reflecting on the “pandemic year”, Science Teacher Rich Calhoun said, “I think one of the highlights for me [was spending time on dorm duty outdoors with students sitting around the fire…There was nothing like that pre-COVID.” Recently, the SLO purchased twenty replacement hammocks for the ones from two years ago to continue the pandemic-induced habit of using outdoor spaces more. Fairy lights also adorn trees next to the Hess, allowing students to feel more comfortable walking around campus during cold winter nights.
Furthermore, many small adjustments to accommodate physical distancing and reduced contact between individuals have evolved as the pandemic comes to an end. In the 2020-2021 school year, 100% of Deerfield admission interviews were conducted through Zoom. Senior Associate Director of Admission J. J. Briones explained, “We did Skype interviews beforehand, so this was a matter of moving it to a different platform.” While in-person interviews and tours have their own charm, the accelerated use of Zoom has proved convenient in admissions for both international and domestic prospective applicants. “As Deerfield opened up, we went a little bit back to the regular visits, but there were still about 50% through Zoom,” Mr. Briones added. “So Zoom is here to stay.”
Similarly, the library’s adjustments in response to limited community interactions are still applicable following the pandemic. For instance, the library adopted a touchless self-checkout system as librarians and visitors were separated by a clear screen. Post-pandemic, Director of the Library Marshall Carroll shared, “The screen went away as soon as we were able to remove it, but the touchless, self-checkout system is [still] used during off-hours when students are not in the building, but adults are allowed access. It is also set up over the summer and during breaks.”
Reflecting on the pandemic-induced or accelerated changes, Mr. Barbato said, “I think that speaks to Deerfield; it’s constantly growing.” COVID-19 may have been a forced reality but remnants of its era represent Deerfield’s flexible and resilient solutions which have proved more beneficial than one could have ever imagined when first implemented.