ROANOE, Va. – More than 4,600 elementary students returned to school this week with their pencils, crayons and masks.
Due to the pandemic, the Roanoke City School Board approved a two-days a week hybrid schedule to start this month.
But in October, schools started to show an uptick in cases.
Roanoke City School Superintendent Verletta White said COVID-19 is still on their radar.
“But we also know we are looking at those five health mitigation strategies," White said. "We are better positioned now they we were even this past summer.”
However, 2400 elementary students still remain at home, along with other middle and high school.
“Because we have greater numbers, we do have to be very careful," White said. "We are just excited to be able to offer a high quality virtual program at the moment. But we are looking at ways to bring more students back in sooner.”
In the meantime, students are spread out. Not only on the bus but in class.
Tape lines the hallway floors to guide students and mark the distance of six feet.
Lunches are delivered outside of classrooms to be distributed later to students at their seat.
With winter approaching soon, White said similar tactics will be used to battle both the virus and the flu.
“Many of those prevention strategies that we are using for COVID-19 will also be prevention strategies for the flu. And we just have to watch it very, very carefully.”