Health

In-person learning returns for 90% of MA elementary school students Monday

SHARON, Mass. — Starting Monday, 90% of school districts will send elementary school students back to in-person learning five days a week. Many parents say remote learning for more than a year has been challenging to say the least.

“I mean he was having gym through a screen,” said Jesse Berman, who has a kindergartener.

Many students agree learning through a screen hasn’t been easy.

“It’s sort of hard doing remote because she usually has to do all this, you know, send links and all that stuff, and sometimes computer stuff, devices can be difficult,” said Amelia Ulmer, a third-grade student in Sharon.

Amelia said she can’t wait to see her friends and teacher in person every day now. Her mother is excited too.

“I’m hoping that will help in terms of catching up, I think they are probably a little bit behind,” said Laura Frakey, Amelia’s mom. “But I think it’s good socially and I think it’s good educationally, I think it’s going to be great.”

Returning to in-person learning five days a week also gives parents more time to get their schedule back to normal.

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“Being able to send them to school and not have to have even just with childcare and that layer, it’s allowed us to kind of free up our schedules and be more available in other areas,” Berman said.

Although there are many benefits to this return to school, parents say it’ll be a big transition for many kids after spending most of this year at home.

“We will have to get out of our PJ’s a little quicker in the morning,” Frakey said. “She did mention she was a little nervous about going back, it is a change.”

While elementary students return full-time this week, middle and high school students will return full-time on April 28 in Sharon. Plus, parents in Sharon can also choose to keep their kids learning remotely if they’d like.

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