With the school year nearing its end, school districts have still been trying to get their students back into classes after dismissing students more than a year ago when the pandemic began.
Anthony Traina Elementary School in Tracy reintroduced students to campus. “We have had a lot going on in recent weeks on campus, and the hustle and bustle around campus has been nice to see,” said Principal Ken Silman.
Traina Elementary went back to campus on March 3.
“This is obviously an unusual school year, and we appreciate the flexibility and the efforts of our community and staff in creating the best learning experience possible during this challenging time,” said Silman.
One of these ways that the school has had to be flexible is inside the classroom. Students are now expected to bring their school-provided devices to class every day for work, something not done before.
Another change that came to the school is the shortening of the school day and going for a hybrid approach. The school is now having students start at 8:15 a.m. as normal, but students leave school at 10:45 a.m. to go home for break.
Traina has also removed a traditional lunch period in favor of a “Grab and Go” lunch style as the students leave.
Students then switch to online learning at 11:45 a.m. and finally finish their day at 1:20 p.m.
Other districts such as Manteca Unified School District, Lodi Unified School District and Stockton Unified School Districts are also returning to campus with similar modified scheduling and safety procedures.
The schools still require all safety standards such as masks, social distancing, sanitizing stations in every room, hourly sanitization of the classrooms and closing of public drinking fountains.
With all the uncertainty around students and if they should go back or not, preparation and stability are something that is needed to alleviate concerns. Traina School hopes to be able to have that level of preparation necessary.
“We are preparing ourselves for a stretch run to the school year,” said Silman. “We are excited to see our students in person again, and we are committed to their safety and their learning.”