LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville’s elementary schools are on the brink of returning next week, but the district-wide rollout will be slow.
What You Need To Know
- Jefferson County Public Schools is staggering the reopening of in-person classes
- Elementary schools return next week, but middle schools don't return until April
- Meyzeek Middle School is ready to reopen as Superintendent Marty Pollio toured the facility and its new safety measures
- All families have the option to remain in NTI if they choose
Meyzeek Middle School will return to in-person classes on April 5. Even then, more than half of its 1,000 students will remain on Non-traditional Instruction (NTI), according to Principal Dr. Ronda George.
George said some families are remaining on NTI because they chose to remain remote for the rest of the school year. She toured her school Thursday with Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio with the new health and safety measures ready to go.
"It’s middle school; there are always unique challenges with students," she chuckled while speaking with reporters in a hallway. "I think the biggest hurdle will be that middle schoolers are super social, and they haven’t seen their friends in a very long time. And, so, a lot of reminders about social distancing and mask-wearing; that really is going to be the challenge."
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill, signed into law Thursday, includes aid for schools. We asked Pollio what his expectations were for incoming aid to the district. He said he hasn’t read specifics yet but anticipates any aid headed to Jefferson County Public Schools will be used long-term to help the slow process of mitigating any lost learning from the past year.