CHICOPEE, Mass. - In Chicopee, students in grades K to 3 are back in-person four days a week and grades 4 to12 are hybrid -- being remote three days and in-person learning for two days.

Chicopee Public Schools Superintendent Lynn Clark says having students come back safely has been their priority.

"We are concerned about their social emotional health. We are concerned about them being in a routine and we want to have them back in," said Clark.

Students and staff at Bowe Elementary School were on track to return next week, but the school building isn't ready because the energy recovery ventilation unit didn't arrive when it was supposed to. 

"It was a ten week delivery time. The unit was ordered January 7. Then it was delayed 13 weeks. Then now another 16 weeks," said Scott Chapdelaine, director of maintenance.

The manufacturer is in Texas and coronavirus issues led to the delay. School leaders said it wasn't fair for students to not have the ability to back, so they come up with a way to allow students to return in person still. Students in grades 2 and 3 will be able to go to Chicopee High School starting April 5. Fourth and 5th grade students will be attending classes at Fairview Elementary School beginning April 12. 

"We have the locations available on our sites so we will be doing that," said Clark. "But we did reach out to outside sources in case we did not have the space."

There isn't a set date when students will be able to return to Bowe. Since it is an older building, the City of Chicopee paid to upgrade the ventilation amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Everything else at the school is ready, but it will take about two weeks to install once they receive the proper equipment.

"When the unit arrives here, which I do not have a delivery date yet, but the unit will be installed into the mechanical room which we already have the bracing in the outside to bring it right in from the outside, and it will be installed to the duct work that is already in place," said Chapdelaine.

The teacher's union recommended to have three air changes per hour in each room. HEPA filtration units were already installed and school leaders say the health and safety of students and staff is at the forefront when bringing them back in the schools. 

"We have HEPA filters for every single classroom. We have sanitation stations, enough PPE, pulled testing, we have all the layers of protection and all different strategies that were rolled out," said Clark. 

Clark added that she will continue to keep parents and staff in the loop and let them know of any changes that may come. Bus lists and specific details will be coming to parents soon.