DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – While many schools in Metro Detroit will start their year after Labor Day, others kicked off the fall semester on Monday.
For families who were given a choice between in-person and remote learning, Monday was a big day. Most parents who spoke with Local 4 said their decisions were mainly based on how their children would best learn.
Pardee Elementary School in Dearborn Heights is one of many schools welcoming students back Monday, but not before their coronavirus (COVID-19) screenings.
Every single classroom is filled with partitions, and masks are mandatory all day. Special classes, such as art, will be in classrooms, was will lunch. The idea is to limit contact between students, just in case the virus sneaks its way into the school.
The district gave parents an option to send their children back to school or continue with online learning.
If a teacher or student tests positive for COVID-19, the entire class will have to quarantine for 14 days. Then, they’ll have to check for other interactions.
The district also decided to allow children to have recess, but only with other children from the classroom. The goal was to try to keep students in small groups and avoid interaction with other classes.
That’s obviously much more difficult in high school, but block schedules have created smaller groups to try to limit the spread.
You can watch Nick Monacelli’s full story in the video posted above.