Lowell Joint School District reopens

Students returned to classes in the Lowell Joint School District (LJSD) in early March. Lowell Joint consists of five elementary schools and one junior high school.

LJSD explained in its message posted on each school’s websites that students are assigned to groups A or B, or the parents can keep the students on virtual-only instruction. Students in groups A and B switch between in-class and online participation. This reduces the number of students in class at a time and enforces social distancing between students.

On Feb. 22, Olita Elementary School, one of the six schools in LJSD, posted a video on YouTube demonstrating how its reopening will work. It shows all the school changes, like clear shields around desks, two students in the bathroom at a time, and new water bottle refill stations to replace water fountains.

Superintendent Jim Coombs explained in an email that students don’t usually pass the virus to other students or adults, according to the latest studies. He said the schools, however, are taking all necessary precautions.

Barbara Castillo, a third-grade teacher at El Portal Elementary School within LJSD, said in an email that online teaching has been challenging. She wrote, “Teaching has been very challenging. There are many factors that play into the challenge such as, excessive planning time, new technology, parent communication, and keeping tabs on classwork.” Most of her students don’t like online learning and had missed in-person instruction, she said.

With most of her students being back on campus, she was surprised she didn’t have to remind them about the campus regulations. Castillo said she isn’t worried about catching COVID-19 while being back on campus since she already got her vaccine.

One of the schools in Lowell Joint District: El Portal Elementary School

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains on its website that while there have been fewer children sick with COVID-19, they can still catch this virus and even spread it. They explain that while they want children back in school, they advise parents and guardians to consider any health concerns and if in-person learning is safe for them.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, there are no primary links between school settings and this virus. The organization does report as well that “research has shown that children can become infected, and can spread the virus to other children and adults while they are infectious.”