More than a dozen schools in Marin County reopened Tuesday with a waiver allowing them to return to in-person teaching for the first time since March.
Behind the white picket fence of San Rafael’s All Children’s Academics Private School was what would’ve been a normal sight six months ago.
No Zoom classes, no computer screens in sight, just a teacher face-to-face with her students.
Shana Kenney, who owns the school, also wears the teacher hat. On Tuesday, the county allowed her to open school for 12 students gathered outside beneath a giant redwood.
“Nothing is like in-person, especially with our students who have learning disabilities. How we teach, has to be done in-person,” Kenney said.
School began with a temperature check and a roll call of handwashing.
For parent Ruby Pratt, dropping off her son brought a bit of relief.
“He learns better when he’s at school and he’s actually excited to go to school,” said Pratt.
It didn’t take long before kids fell back into the routine.
“We’ve had to adapt and bring our classroom outdoors and just embrace that this is the new way of teaching,” said Kenney.
But the same excitement was absent at Sausalito’s Martin Luther King Academy. The school was also set to reopen Tuesday, but a staff member’s COVID test came back inconclusive so it’s now delaying opening a week.
“Feeling incredibly disappointed, teachers and staff are feeling disjointed and uncertain,” said principal David Finnane.
At All Childrens, there were lessons and camaraderie — a familiar frenetic energy playing out behind a white picket fence.
“I’m happy to be surrounded by my little friends who make my job so special,” said Kenney.
Source: NBC Bay Area
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