LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio — Many local school districts have been back in the classroom for about two weeks. Schools are also seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases and are having to quarantine students.
Educators say that's expected and it's not their top concern.
Last year, students and teachers were faced with so much change and uncertainty. This year, the focus is on being cautious and consistent.
So far, educators are doing what they can to make sure students remain in person five days a week.
"This year, certainly there have been pieces that we've had to make adjustments with, but generally, it's all within a narrow scope compared to what we were doing last year," said Dan Greenberg, an English teacher at Southview High School.
Local teachers say they are so glad to have students back in the classrooms full time because nothing is better than face-to-face instruction. But as COVID-19 cases continue to increase, being cautious is a top focus.
"We're always being cautious and making sure we're taking all the precautions that we can and the district has implemented policies that follow the CDC guidelines, which is what our members are adhering to," said Kevin Dalton, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers.
Since there isn't a statewide mask mandate anymore, masking up has been one of the most debated topics since the school year started.
Dalton and Greenberg agree that masks are what's going to keep your kids learning in person.
"That's not been a real big issue at all. The kids wore them last year. It's disappointing to have to put them back on, but it's keeping kids safe and keeping them in our classrooms," Greenberg said.
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"We know it's an inconvenience, but we also know that it's reported that it helps mitigate COVID cases and it's our goal to help make sure students stay in school," Dalton said.
In just the short time back, both say they've already gotten positive feedback from students and teachers on how much easier it is to participate and learn in a classroom setting compared to Zoom.