It's really back to school now for state's youngest students - StarTribune.com

The principal, Roberto Cantu, put on a plastic face mask and greeted students when he jumped off a bus at Poplar Bridge Elementary School in Bloomington on Tuesday morning. Each student carries a backpack full of items, including tablets, art supplies and books, which were used for their home study.

Cantu said: "It's just like our fourth day of school." He was referring to the school's switching between distance learning, blended learning and current face-to-face learning so far this school year.

Tuesday was the first step in bringing many elementary school students back to school buildings in Minnesota. In addition to Bloomington, this week also welcomes kindergarten and first- and second-graders from various regions, including Anoka-Hennepin, Osseo, Southern Washington County, Elk River, Robbinsdale, and Wayzata. February.

Such a large number of schools is a major shift in the state, and the state's decision to transfer between distance learning, blended learning and face-to-face learning mainly depends on the spread of the coronavirus in the local community.

Governor Tim Walz allowed all elementary schools to reopen within this week, as long as they comply with the state's safety guidelines.

State officials said they changed elementary school curricula because the first few months of the school year gave people a better understanding of how the virus spreads in school buildings. They also cited the impact of distance learning on the mental, emotional and physical health of scholars and students.

Compared with middle school, elementary school students usually live with a group of students and a teacher all day, so the risk of virus outbreak is lower than in middle school.

Minneapolis and St. Paul’s schools will bring back elementary school students in February, even though the teachers’ unions in both areas are in

And requested that the implementation of additional safety regulations be postponed, and more educators can use the vaccine.

Walz announced on Monday that teachers will be eligible to participate in the expanded COVID-19 vaccination program. However, so far, the supply of materials is limited, and priority is given to teachers in elementary schools or other in-person teaching. For example, Osseo School assigned 47 doses, Anoka-Hennepin School assigned 80 doses, and Bloomington School assigned 18 doses.

Heidi Jo Servaty, a first-grade teacher at Elm Creek Elementary School in Maple Grove, said she would rather be vaccinated before returning to class on Tuesday. But when she saw the whole classroom, she felt very excited and excited.

Sevati said: "I didn't cry, but I feel okay." "It's amazing to get my team together for the first time."

Families can still choose to let their students continue their distance learning instead of sending them to face-to-face classes. Spokespersons for the Anoka-Hennepin and Bloomington school districts estimate that approximately 30% of elementary school students will continue to study online at home.

School districts have also noticed that more parents leave school instead of sending them on the bus.

Crystal's Kari Swenson was one of the last parents to abandon their children at Sonnesyn Elementary in New Hope on Tuesday.

Her son Avery is 4 years old and a preschooler. He did not participate in distance learning. The morning was his first day in the classroom.

Swenson admitted that she did not choose to teach in person at first, but went on after participating in a video chat with the principal.

Before going in, Avery stopped to put on the "first day" photo in the mask. "He is very excited," Swenson said.

On Tuesday morning, many teachers at Yangshuqiao Primary School helped their students understand the new routine and why certain parts of the school might look different.

According to state guidelines, it is "strongly recommended" that teachers and other staff wear masks and transparent face shields at the same time, and install plexiglass barriers in areas where teachers cannot maintain social distance from students. Employees will be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks.

The meals at Bloomington Elementary School are very popular now, and most students eat in the classroom.

In the kindergarten classrooms, a transparent plastic shower curtain is hung from the ceiling to provide a barrier between students sitting on the same table. In other classrooms, students are assigned responsibilities such as "desk checkers" to help ensure that desks are kept 3 feet away from each other.

Nevertheless, the energy for students to return to the building did not become dull by repeated reminders of the epidemic.

When Ruth Haugstad called the kindergarten students to start a new day, one of the boys writhed in his seat and blurted out: "My mother said we are going to class for five days."

Haugstad smiled and assured him that his mother was correct-the class would be able to learn in person on site every working day.

Erin Golden, the writer behind the scenes, contributed to this story.

Mara Clark 612-673-4440

Anthony Langtry 612-673-4109

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