CAITLYN M. MAY In December, as the holidays creep closer and the first half of the school year comes to an end, teachers and students usually breathe a sigh of relief at the closing of the doors and the chance to spend two weeks at home. That was in the before times. Now, hardly anyone has seen the inside of a classroom since last spring and nearly everyone has spent months and months at home. For kindergarteners, it meant no first bus ride and nervous parents at drop-off. Elementary kids havenât been spending recess on the playground, and middle schoolers used to spending afternoons practicing with their school bands or rehearsing for plays have seen the stage lights go dark.