The Virtual Classroom: The Curious George

The Curious George student newspaper is responding to the challenges of the pandemic by making its digital edition more widely available than ever. It is now possible for parents, grandparents, and friends of George School’s community to stay up to date with Curious George. The most recent edition boasts multiple articles related to the coronavirus, while also maintaining its International, Sports, and Arts sections.

When social distancing measures went into place, Curious George moved to a digital edition, produced on a new platform—Microsoft Sway. The publication has adapted to this new style while maintaining its strong sense of community. The staff holds weekly meetings and has grown to forty members this term.

Kyle Abbott, Curious George facutly advisor and English teacher, says that the Curious George staff has “met each challenge as an opportunity, and even at the end of the term they continue to listen, to innovate, and to create. More than ever before, I find myself supporting a truly student newspaper.”

Julia Carrigan ’20, current editor-in-chief highlighted how the writers felt the urgency of the current moment. “We put our upcoming edition on hold and switched gears to write articles based on the prompt, ‘what does our community need to read right now’,” said Julia.

Topics covered by articles since moving to the digital edition have included “what it means that sports were cancelled, how racism related to the pandemic is affecting our community, what it is like for small businesses in our area.”

While those involved do miss seeing the newspaper in print, they are grateful to publish the paper on the user-friendly platform and to be able to continue to distribute the news to the school community.

“Within twenty-four hours of the official move to online instruction, the editors were meeting and devising a way to keep the community together through a truly ‘newsworthy’ moment,” said Kyle about the enthusiastic adaptability displayed by the students, who join the staff and commit to work on top of curricular commitments. “I’m beyond impressed not only by their efforts, but also by their character.”

Read the recent issue.