Parents grateful for traditional learning option

Parents grateful for traditional learning option

The past 7 days.

Thank you for joining us tonight -- i'm dan shaffer.

And i'm najahe sherman.

Instead of going the all virtual route like schools in madison county will be doing for the first nine weeks -- some are committing to traditional learning.

Waay 31's will robinson-smith is live in athens.

He spoke with school leaders and parents to learn their thoughts on the decision.

Will?

Administrators say they heard from a lot of parents saying they were concerned about not being able to let their kids return to the classroom.

Some parents i spoke with say they're glad they still have a choice.

It was a quintessential summer evening at athens elementary school.

As the night cooled down... players with the east coast sox club team were warming up on the diamond.

Coach jeremy eslick watching his son, charlie ray, there on third base, along with the rest of the team.

He noticed his son became much happier when he got the chance to start playing again.

Jeremy eslick, parent i think he's even happier now because it gave him something to look foward to.

He actually likes going to school.

That's why he and many other parents were relieved to hear 11 school districts, including those here in limestone county, would allow their kids to go back to the classroom.

Jeremy eslick, parent i know that they've done everything that they possibly can because nobody wants to see a child possibly lose their life to something like this or be sick or anything like that.

Administrators like anthony hilliard who sits on the board of limestone county schools says he personally heard from a lot of working parents worried about losing the option to send their kids to school.

Anthony hilliard, vice chair, limestone county board of education a lot of people work and they can't be home to do the online classes with their students, with the child.

And i think that's going to handicap some students in some ways because there's no one there to reinforce the content, besides the virtual teacher.

Beth patton is the interim superintendent for athens city schools.

She says so far, only about 35 percent of all of their families have chosen the virtual route.

A number of the parents that spoke with her had similar concerns.

Bett patton, interim superintendent, athens city schools we have parents who are really struggling finding someone to keep children during the day and to be able to provide that education during the day while they are at work.

That seems to be the major concern that we're hearing.

Both she and hilliard say if the numbers in limestone county and elsewhere continue to increase, they will re-evaluate if necessary.

But for now, parents like eslick say these school systems are giving them the best chance for their kids to have a homerun semester.

Jeremy eslick, parent i just hope people show people respect and love and understanding because it is a difficult situation for many people.

Parents of athens city students have until tomorrow to decide whether they want their kids to be in the virtual academy or head back to the classroom next month.

Reporting live in athens, will robinson-smith, waay