Wake County Public School System welcomed back a portion of its kindergarten through third-grade students on Monday morning.
The back to school efforts come as North Carolina and many other states are seeing an increase in COVID-19 cases. In fact, the United States just reported its two highest daily case counts ever.
Inside a Wake County school as students prepare to go back for in-person instruction
An inside look as Wake County prepares to welcome back students
Still, many parents think it's time their children get back to class. Plus, scientists do believe that young children are less prone to catching and experiencing the worst affects of COVID-19.
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For WCPSS, in-person students will attend classes on a three-week rotating schedule. Plus, parents who did not feel comfortable sending their students back into the classroom were allowed to continue virtual learning.
This means school houses were not filled with the usual hustle and bustle of the first day of school. But educators said the back-to-school energy was still there.
"Online, we can see the work, but being present in that moment, and being able to feel the energy not just see it? There's no substitute for that. There's no substitute for seeing smiles, even behind masks," South Lakes Elementary School Prinicpal Kim Short said.
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What Wake County students riding the bus Monday need to know
There are a lot of precautions in place at all WCPSS schools including health screenings, temperature checks and socially distant classroom setups.
Here are the COVID-19 screening procedures all students will undergo before returning to class
Wake County Schools welcome back students with COVID-19 safety measures
Face coverings are required at all times--starting at the bus stop where students are supposed to wait at least six feet apart. Then on the bus, they're required to fill in the bus starting in the back and allowing for only 1 person per seat.
When they get to schools, students will be given a health screening that includes temperature checks.