Challenges to teaching in the post-COVID classroom plagued schools across the globe. This qualitative study followed two middle-school teachers in a charter school located in the Western United States to identify the changes to classroom teaching and their effects on the classroom environment through the first year of teaching after the 2020 shutdown. Changes came from state mandates, local administration, and teachers' own adjustments. Findings identified three categories of changes to schools, all with pros and cons. However, evidence suggest that increased autonomy, resources and support for teachers' work improved their ability to be prepared, focused, and effective. Implications for the profession of teaching are discussed, with an emphasis on autonomy, support and trust of teachers as professionals.