Students arrive at Rex Bell Elementary School on the first day of in-person school, Monday March 1, 2021.
Published Monday, March 1, 2021 | 11:51 a.m.
Updated Monday, March 1, 2021 | 12:13 p.m.
Seven-year-old Christopher Jones woke his mother up on his first day back to school today after nearly a year of online learning.
"Mommy, today is the day,” Jones told his mother, Nikki Daniels.
The second-grader at Rex Bell Elementary School was so excited that he skipped breakfast and kept looking at the clock.
"Is it time to go? Is it time to go?" he asked Daniels.
Clark County public schools opened today for the first time since they were closed last March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Students have been taking classes at home via computer.
Pre-kindergarten through third-graders were allowed back today under a hybrid learning model — two days a week at school and three days of remote learning. By April 6, all students will be back at least two days a week, with elementary students back full-time.
Parents who want to keep their children at home will still be allowed to continue with distance learning.
Daniels said she was a little worried students wouldn’t follow social-distancing guidelines and wash their hands. "Kids are going to be kids," she said.
But she was happy to leave the teaching up to the teachers, she said. Daniels won't have to remind her son to sign in for his next class or make sure he's paying attention to the lessons on the computer every day.
Jaymes Aimetti, principal at Rex Bell Elementary, greeted students this morning on the steps of the schoolhouse.
About half of the 190 students normally on campus are coming back to the classroom, Aimetti said.
Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara and Jhone Ebert, superintendent of public instruction with the Nevada Department of Education, were also on hand to welcome students back. Districtwide, some 41,520 students will be coming back this week, while about 5,500 children eligible to return are continuing online learning, officials said.
"As a superintendent and as a father, what I'm going to do is what needs to be done for the safety of our staff and our children," Jara said. "This is the best way to start doing things. We have to go slowly, carefully and protect our kids. The last thing I'm gonna do is put the health of my 310,000 children at risk."
Once other parents see safety protocols are working, they'll be more eager to send their children back to school, Jara predicted.
At Cyril Wengert Elementary School, parents begin dropping their children offabout 8 a.m. today. Kids hopped out of cars and held their parent's hands as they walked to class.
Munazza Saleem, who took the day off work so she could drop her second-grade son off at school, said she wants him to get used to coronavirus safety protocols. "COVID is not going anywhere," she said.
Students were separated by grade as they entered the school at one of four doors, lining up at orange cones spaced out on the ground. Two large speakers played upbeat music, like "Happy" by Pharrell Williams.
About 55 students returned to school today and roughly 60 will return for in-person lessons on Thursday and Friday, Principal Kimberly Swoboda said.
Shelby Mazza, a new third-grade teacher, has 11 children in her class. She said they would be painting self-portraits and getting to know each other the first day, but she'll also go over safety protocols like wearing a mask and staying six feet apart.
"We've been saying walk with zombie arms" to maintain the correct distance, she said, demonstrating a move with outstreched arms that made her look like she was in Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video.
Mazza was the only third-grade teacher with students in the classroom today.
"So many families I don't think were comfortable yet," said Valerie Maris, another third-grade teacher who is providing online instruction from her classroom. Maris said she hoped to see students in person next month after parents gain confidence that their children will be safe.
Back at Rex Bell, 7-year-old Ariann Cruz fidgeted with a torn piece of paper that had her classroom number written on it.
She wore a face mask that looked like the type nurses wear. Her parents hurried her toward an administrator holding a sign that said, "Welcome back! We missed you!"
