Education

Big day: Thousands of students back in classrooms for 1st time in a year

Five school districts are sending thousands of students back to classrooms Monday morning for the first time in one year.

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WRAL News

Five school districts are sending thousands of students back to classrooms Monday morning for the first time in one year.

In Wake County, fourth and fifth graders will return to full-time in-person learning, although some students have been attending classes on a rotating basis.

In Durham County, students in pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade at 30 elementary schools are back in school for the first time since March 2020. About half of families chose to make the switch from all-virtual instruction to all-in-person learning. The other half will continue in a virtual academy.

In Cumberland County, elementary schoolers will return to classrooms five days a week, while older students will attend in-person classes on a Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday rotation. It's also the first time students have been on campus in one year.

The district said just over half of the county's students, about 29,000, decided to return to school Monday, while others opted to stay in virtual learning.

In Halifax and Northampton counties, students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grades are moving to full-time in-person learning, although middle school and high school students in Northampton have the option to choose part-time in-person learning instead of full-time.

In all counties, families with students who choose all-virtual classes will remain learning from home.

Durham school leaders are asking parents to prepare their children for changes before they leave home on Monday, saying they will have to wear a mask at all times, even at recess, and follow new social distancing rules.

It's the first time many students have seen their classmates and friends in-person in one year, like wearing a mask and new rules in the classroom and during recess to maintain distance. School leaders are urging parents and students to be patient as everyone readjusts to the changes.

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