LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — The Leander Independent School District welcomed students back at 25% capacity.
Leander ISD’s plan comes in 3 phases with students in select grades returning to in-person classes on Tuesday.
“We got to build stuff, and then I liked learning about it… and then I forgot what it was called,” said Larkspur Elementary student, Jack Crabtree.
A first day of school experience is best described by a 5-year-old. Crabtree’s walk from home usually bears the question his dad has missed asking for months — what did you do at school today?
“It was a drastically different feeling. There were far fewer kids compared to last year,” said James Crabtree. “It was a good feeling, and a sense of normalcy.”
Jack’s three other siblings weren’t included in the first round of Leander’s phased-in approach. Larkspur Elementary only welcomed back kindergarten and first graders Tuesday.
“We’ve had to remind him not to rub it in, because his sisters get jealous,” said Crabtree. “They’re missing the fact that he gets to see some of his friends. They’re eager to do the same.”
Jack’s first day of school came with physical barriers.
“They had to tell you what place to be in at lunch, and it was like yellow dots,” Crabtree said.
At the elementary level, story time looks drastically different. Leander ISD sent KXAN the photos below. You’ll find students in pods, wearing a mask and listening to their teacher’s story from a distance. In high school, students are virtually learning from their desks while their teachers sit in the corner guarded by a plastic shield.
Despite being six feet apart, dad said they “didn’t have any doubts that it would be a good day for him (Jack).”
Parents reached out to KXAN concerned with delayed bus routes, or a bus not picking up their student. Leander ISD says the district did not see any widespread issues, with only one bus being delayed Tuesday.
District leaders also say parents are being notified through the Remind portal for changes to pick-up and drop-off locations due to a changed bell schedule this year.
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