COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Students in Columbus City Schools were already several weeks into the third quarter of the year, but Monday felt like the first day of classes for many K-3rd graders.
“They’ve been in school for months now, but now they get to physically come inside to see each other, to see our space,” said Emma Corbin, the principal at Ecole Kenwood French Immersion School.
Corbin and her staff, along with district leaders, stood outside on a snowy Monday to welcome back close to 225 students transitioning back to hybrid learning at the school for the first time since March 2020.
“We have no family in Columbus. We haven’t been away from our kids in 324 days,” said parent Jen Field. “It’s been hard.”
The first cohort of K-3rd grade students began the transition Monday, along with those with complex needs and students in Career and Technical Education programs at Columbus Downtown High School and the Fort Hayes Center.
“In-person learning is the best mode of learning for our students. So, I wanted to make sure my students had that opportunity, just like their peers from around the county,” said superintendent Dr. Talisa Dixon.
Dixon explained one of the biggest challenges has been with transportation logistics, with health restrictions limiting the number of students allowed on buses.
She said, “We have been monitoring and hiring as necessary, so that we make sure we have the proper number of drivers for our students.”
The district currently has enough buses and drivers to welcome back 26,000 students, including the next round of 4th and 5th graders next week. 6th-12th grade students will remain in remote learning until more transportation can be arranged.
Inside the school buildings, school staff said they’ve been preparing for months to accommodate in-person learning.
“My custodial team, my nurse – they have walked the building with me, looked at every nook and cranny. We’ve gone through all kinds of scenarios, making sure we’re up to speed with all health and safety protocols,” Corbin said.
The principal explained rising to meet new challenges has become a regular practice for educators over the past year. She does not expect the transition to in-person learning to go perfectly, but said she’s confident in her teachers’ ability to adapt.
“We have been in uncharted territory since the beginning of this pandemic. Teachers are resilient. Students are flexible and resilient,” she said.
CCS teachers and school staff will begin receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. Dr. Dixon anticipates all of those signed up will have received their first dose by February 18th.