JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Jefferson Parish students don't begin the new school year until Aug. 12, but teachers returned to the classroom Monday for professional development, to set up their classrooms and go over safety plans.
Teachers were masked up, with their temperatures checked for their first day back. Rosamund Looney is a first grade teacher at a Jefferson Parish school.
"I felt safe at my school because we did our meetings over zoom today and we had the options when in small work groups to meet over zoom or at a distance," Looney said when asked how she felt about safety protocols. "That part of the day felt safe to me. I'm much more concerned about how we get together all of our safety protocols when students return."
Kesler Camese-Jones is president of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers. She spent the day visiting schools and observed safety guidelines being followed.
"So far yes, I've gone in, everybody has required masks, and definitely temperature checks so I've seen that so far. I've seen social distancing signs on the floors," Camese-Jones said.
Jefferson Parish teachers have been voicing concerns about reopening. Last week, teachers rallied outside the schools administration building asking for a later start date.
"This year, I have seen a lot of anxiety about some of the safety concerns, so where there is that excitement, there still is that fear," Camese-Jones said.
The Jefferson Federation of Teachers is still waiting on some responses to 165 questions they want the district to answer before students return to class.
"The district stated a lot of those safety guidelines would be explained today," Camese-Jones said.
"We have more questions to add to the list," Looney said after the first day.
To answer some of the big questions, Jefferson Parish Schools has a new FAQ page on its website.
"I feel like everyone at my school is working super hard with everything they can do. The problem is for example, I set up my classroom and I set out the desks and I know my projected enrollment for the class and they cant be six feet apart. The desks are 2.5 to 3.5 feet apart and that's what scares me," Looney said.
If and when someone tests positive for COVID-19, they will have to self isolate for 10 days. Those in close contact will be notified. Rolling closures of classes or schools may be necessary depending on clusters of cases.
As of Monday, 18,000 of the K-12 students have enrolled in Virtual Jefferson for the first nine weeks of school. This is roughly 40% of 50,000 students.
Superintendent Dr. James Gray sent this statement Monday about the first day back:
"Our teachers returned to their classrooms today, and I have personally been making rounds to offer support, guidance and encouragement. Back to school looks different this year: smaller class sizes, socially distant activities, masks. However, I noticed a familiar scene as I walked the halls today. Teachers were excitedly preparing their classrooms, decorating their walls and sorting through materials. Despite the pandemic, one thing holds true - our teachers are passionate about education and providing the best possible learning environment for our students."