Tomorrow, students in Vermilion Parish join several other Acadiana parishes in going back to class.
As parents, students and school employees prepare for that first day, we sat down with the superintendent to answer all the big questions.
Here's what Superintendent Tommy Byler tells us:
Elementary students will go back to school five days a week, and stay in small groups.
Middle school and high school students will go to class on alternating days.
No matter how small the class, most students will have to wear masks.
"Grades 3 through 12 have to wear masks. We're allowing solid color masks or masks that have the school emblem," he tells us.
Masks must be worn on any school grounds -- including the bus.
Safe distancing will be enforced there as well, with one child to a seat.
"We're not putting more than 34 kids and a bus driver would make 35. If thats the case we'd open up a second route in some situations," he said.
The buses and classrooms will be cleaned thoroughly up to cdc and department of health standards... but if a covid case does arise, parents will be notified right away with instructions on what to do with their child based on exposure.
"I think being transparent with parents is going to be a big deal but we also don't want the message getting out there - hey there's been a covid case and then everybody starts trying to figure out who it is. there's hippa laws, there's privacy laws," he said.
And whether your child is home for virtual learning, or in school, they will be fed.
"We have about 2200 kids in our virtual vermilion program. those kids have the ability to pick up lunch. also on each given day, if I'm not at school and I'm doing distance learning on the hybrid model, I still can pick up breakfast and lunch," Byler said.
Right now the last day of school is set for May 30.
Here's the info we received from the Vermilion Parish School System about their return to 2020-21 school year.
The school system approved to send students back to campus using an A/B schedule with different groups reporting to school physically on certain days.
Girls in in grades 1st-5th will report on September 8. Also on that day, group A for middle and high schools student will report to school. On September 9, boys in grades 1st - 5th will return to school.
Information on groups will be sent in a letter to students at a later date.
All students in grades 1st - 5th will report to school on September 10. The School Board says that Kindergarten and Pre-K students will have a different schedule.
BELOW ARE THE UPDATED BACK TO SCHOOL DATES BARRING ANY FURTHER ISSUES:
Pre K
September 8 - Parent Orientation
September 9 - Parent Orientation
September 10, 11,and 14 - 1/3 of Class attends.
PRE-K Orientations and First Day of Class given by Pre-K Teacher.
September 15 - All Pre-K Attend
Kindergarten
September 8 - Testing Day 1
September 9 - Testing Day 2
September 10- Testing Day 3
September 11 - 1/2 Kindergarten Report
September 14 - 1/2 Kindergarten Report
September 15 - All Kindergarten Report
Kindergarten Teachers will provide this information to parents.
Grades 1-5
September 8 - All Girls Report
September 9 - All Boys Report
September 10 - All 1-5 Report
Grades 6-12
September 8 - B Day Students
September 9 - A Day Students
Virtual Vermilion
September 9 - HS Orientation
September 10 - HS Virtual Start, MS Orientation
September 11 - MS Virtual Start
September 14 - Elem. Orientation
September 15 - Elem. Virtual Start
Nearly 1000 students have been enrolled in the Vermilion Parish schools virtual program. The schools system believes the program will help greatly with social distancing.
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