COVID Reopenings: 'Zombie Hands' Social Distancing Greets Students Returning To Cupertino Classroom
CUPERTINO (CBS SF) -- After more than a year of remote learning, students returned to classrooms in the Cupertino school district on Monday.
Sedgwick Elementary Principal Erin Lindsey was at her school hours before students were scheduled to return.
"Little kids are really social creatures and we want to provide some of those social interactions at a safe distance," Lindsey told KPIX 5 as she stood in front of the a large welcome sign at her school. "So our teachers are getting really creative in terms of what 6-feet looks like. Whether that's Zombie hands or hula hoop spacing. So they are really trying to get creative and make it developmentally appropriate so our kids are successful."
Students will initially return to in-class instructions two days a week -- a schedule that will soon be expanded to four days a week.
Families were also given a choice between the hybrid schedule or remaining in a totally remote teaching setting. District officials said there has almost been a 50-50 split in the option selected.
School Superintendent Stacy Yeo said that on April 26 the hybrid model will be expanded to four days a week for students in grades 1-5 for 5 hours a day of in-class instruction.
On May 3, the four-day model will be expanded to middle school students.
"As we shift to... balancing the demands of concurrent teaching, I want to remind parents and families that this shift is an entirely new way of teaching for our staff. Teachers will take time (to adjust to the new schedule)."
