Students, Teachers Return To Class

As school is starting back up, teachers and mothers alike are making safety their top priority.

State troopers are handling the investigation.

As school started today, one teacher and mother in hartselle told us her top priority this school year.

I want to make sure they know they're loved , that they're safe here and we're going to do our very best to protect them," hailey clark is worried about the children in her classroom and in her home.

Waay 31's alexis scott is live in hartselle after learning how the first day went.

Hartselle city school system welcomed back half of its students today... the other half returns tomorrow.

Inside every school... students must wear one of these, a mask.

Some may even need to eat lunch in their classrooms!

Even though this year is very different... everyone is hoping to make it as normal as possible.

Hailey clark, 8th grade teacher "i want to make sure they know they're loved , that they're safe here and we're going to do our very best to protect them," hailey clark is an 8th grade teacher at hartselle junior high school.

She called the first day back exciting.

The classroom does look a bit different... students now sit staggered across the room and with their face masks on.

She told me the school system also implemented scheduled times for everyone to wash their hands and sanitize.

Mom madison roberts is thankful for that because her son's only in the first grade.

Madison roberts, mother "barkley bridge as a whole is trying to do everything they can to make sure all students are safe and healthy so we're all on board with it," the district told me between each class teachers will sanitize everything... and parents had the option to choose between a virtual or traditional learning style.

Roberts told me her son enjoyed his first day-- and loved being able to see everyone in person again.

She has faith in the system.

Madison roberts, mother "you just have to trust the process.

Trust that the teacher and the school and the staff have the best interest of your child in mind," clark's message is a common one.

Hailey clark, 8th grade teacher "we're going to get through this together and we're going to come out on the other side of even better than before," as far as enrollment goes for hartselle city schools... i learned more than half of the student population decided to return to in-person learning over virtual... and the district believes no matter what happens... itll be a good school year.

Reporting live in hartselle..

Alexis scott waay31 news