“Until we actually turned in that [registration form], I went just back and forth because you do also worry about the health aspects of it, obviously,” she said. “But I just feel like my kids are also at an age where they understand, they can social distance, they will wear the masks appropriately. I think when it’s safe, it’ll be OK for them.”
Among parents in the region, the opinion is split on whether or not teachers will be able to adequately reach all of their students in a virtual learning environment. Some skepticism dates back to how the process worked in the spring.
“There was no learning that went on from March, April, May, nothing, not in my house,” Boon said. “It happened too fast, and the teachers weren’t prepared for it. The children certainly weren’t prepared.”
Other parents are worried about the lack of a classroom atmosphere that promotes discussion and group learning.
“A lot of times when the teacher is teaching a lesson, someone may ask a question and they can get more detail and they can learn more from that,” Bradley said. “Mostly I’m just worried about not being able to help them as much as all three of them need to be able to get all their schoolwork done to a good level.”
Other parents believe, ultimately, that teachers will still be able to help children learn regardless of the educational set-up.