“It’s the perfect iceberg analogy,” says freshmen dean Jen Vance, when discussing online school. Instead of seeing each other’s full selves, students and faculty are now seeing each other through rectangles on their computer screen, often muted, with a corner of their house in the background. Online school has brought new challenges, but despite these, students recognize its effectiveness, as well as the faculty’s efforts.

“It’s the perfect iceberg analogy,” says freshmen dean Jen Vance, when discussing online school. Instead of seeing each other’s full selves, students and faculty are now seeing each other through...