Some Columbia Public Schools students to return to classrooms full-time while others remain online
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Teachers are getting ready to welcome Columbia Public Schools students for a full week for the first time since last spring. However, not all of them will be returning to classrooms, as some have opted to stay online as the pandemic rolls on.
The Columbia Board of Education voted Monday to have all students return to classrooms five days a week starting April 2. Students enrolled in CPS Virtual or CPSElementary@Mizzou will remain virtual for the remainder of the school year.
Ariel Schwarting, a CPS third-grade teacher, says she's looking forward to having students in her classroom full-time.
"I had one student come up to me this morning, first thing, as soon as she walked in she's like 'I'm so excited that after spring break we get to come back to 5 days a week' and I was like 'Yep, me too!'" Schwarting said.
Schwarting said teachers are preparing and expecting to return back to the class schedules they had before the pandemic. However, some things will remain different, such as the requirement that all students wear masks and changes to lunch and recess.
CPS parent Jennifer Roberts said her daughter is a high school student who will continue virtual learning this semester. Her daughter only attends one class in-person as part of a career center curriculum. Even that one class presents a risk, Roberts said.
Roberts said she's grateful for the job CPS has done and allowing for a virtual option, as she and her daughter didn't feel safe returning to the classroom yet. She says this experience has allowed her daughter to become more self-sufficient with learning and gave her a taste of what her college experience will be like.
The school board made its decision after Superintendent Peter Stiepleman said data show now is the time for a full return. Coronavirus case rates continue to drop in the school district and are now at about a 10th of the rate at the peak of the pandemic. Meanwhile, vaccinations continue to increase in Boone County and statewide. More than 21% of Boone County residents have received at least their first shot.
Another factor influencing the decision is that state eligibility for teachers and staff to get the vaccine opens up Monday.
Roberts is hopeful that as COVID-19 case rates within Columbia continue to decline and as vaccinations become available to school staff members her daughter will be able to return to the classroom. She said for now her daughter will remain in virtual classes and socialize with others during activities such as cheerleading and social clubs.
"Now that the numbers are low in Columbia we feel a lot safer doing things like cheer and clubs, so just because she's virtual, she can still meet with clubs. Columbia's a safer place right now and I woke up to Dr. Fauci saying the worst is behind us," Roberts said.
Some parents such as Roberts are concerned about a case spike once kids return to classrooms full-time. Roberts said some parents are concerned that families will travel for spring break to highly populated areas with poor safety precautions and could possibly spread the virus within the school.
"Our numbers are very good in Columbia, so I do feel like it's a reasonable risk at this time for the benefits that come with in-person school," Roberts said.
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