'Second first day' of school goes smoothly

St. Mary Parish Superintendent Teresa Bagwell spent Monday morning visiting campuses around the parish, looking at how things were going on the first day when most students returned to their schools for a five-day-a-week schedule.
“According to all reports, the second ‘first day’ of school has been quite smooth,” Bagwell said in an email. “Students who have been in an all virtual setting returned to on-campus learning as though they had been attending that way all along.”
The school system has been working for six months to keep up with the changing demands presented by the COVID-19 epidemic.
After a state proclamation suspended K-12 classes in March, the system went to work on virtual learning options and feeding programs for students who relied on school for a healthy meal each day.
The resumption of classes, originally set for early August, was eventually postponed until Sept. 8. Classes resumed with students in grades 6-12 splitting their weeks between online instruction and on-campus classroom time.
Then, after Louisiana moved into less restrictive Phase Three coronavirus rules, the system decided to return to a five-day, on-campus schedule with an option for parents concerned about the COVID risk.
“There were no bus issues in transporting students for on-time arrival,” Bagwell said Monday. “Additionally, the arrival procedures for wellness (i.e. temperature recording, hand washing, etc.) were conducted within a timely manner and students reported to their first class where they ate breakfast and began learning.
“I am really exceptionally proud of how our kids have managed through these protocols, particularly the wearing of face coverings that they are unaccustomed to. School personnel spent many hours preparing for this unusual school year and now for a second ‘first day’ with sincere enthusiasm as they welcomed students back to school.”