LEXINGTON, Ky. — The wait is already over for some students. Fayette County Public Schools (FCPS) opened its doors for those in Kindergarten through Second grade.

What You Need To Know

  • Kindergarten through second grade students return to class in Fayette County

  • Third to fifth graders are tentatively scheduled to return to class March 3

  • Parents are excited to have kids back in classes

“I'm really happy today because I'm going back to school,” said Lily Glass. She loves reading and since March 2020 she hasn’t seen her best friend in school. “When we were not in school, we had to get out of school I was very sad because I didn't get to see my friends and I actually got out of school when I was in first grade.”

Now she’s in 2nd grade. The 8-year-old explains it’s like the first day of school, except her two older sisters, Addison and Savanna, are still in virtual learning.

“I feel like it's good for her (Lily) to go to school because she's been kind of not feeling like the best with school because it's online and everything,” Addison said.

The two older sisters spent Monday learning online while waiting to learn their fate of when they can go back into the hallways.

“I honestly think that the children online are getting way more homework, than the people that are going to go back to school. And also I feel like students learn best whenever we are, like, in front of the teachers,” Savanna said.

It’s a fine balance. The winter weather pushed back the date for kindergartners through second grade to return in person by a week. Before that, the number of COVID-19 cases pushed back the start day. But FCPS Board Chair Tyler Murphy says classes resumed smoothly Monday.

“I think a lot of our families, a lot of our children and our staff were eager to get back into something that resembles normal, resembles much more than our previous situation,” Murphy said.

With school buses back in neighborhoods, the Glass parents, Scott and Alena, are hoping, wanting, and anticipating the announcement of when all students will return to school.

“You know, I understand that there's got to be a gradual getting these kids back in class but these older kids, they need to be there too. And it's, it's difficult but you know they've been really successful, this year. We've had really good teachers,” Scott said.

FCPS is tentatively planning to have students in grades 3 to 5 return on March 3. District officials will finalize their decision on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Murphy said lessons learned from this week will be applied toward future returns.

Related Stories