LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Just like the first day of school again. That’s the feeling of some Clark County School District (CCSD) teachers as they return to campus for the first time in about a year, preparing to welcome back some of their students to the classroom.
“I’m really happy to be back, but there’s so much work ahead of me this week.”
Work that’s cut out for Kristan Nigro. She’s returning to Schorr Elementary School for the first time in almost a year and will have a brand-new classroom. Nigro is welcoming back 16 kids in her kindergarten class.
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“Just putting up the bulletin boards and making sure the desks are six feet apart. Making sure there’s a walk-in path for them to line up,” she said.
Nigro had spent much of the last 11 months at home teaching her students. She tried making the best of her situation, engaging with them, but some had wandering minds in the virtual classroom.
“Sometimes they go off and wander off to whatever they’re doing in their house,” she said.
She feels having her kids seeing each other for the very first time will encourage positive peer pressure.
“I think that’s going to be really good for not only their mental state but also the academic piece as well,” she said.
A Clark County Education Association survey showed about 70% of its members were willing to go back to campus for hybrid learning after an agreement was reached to have pre-K to 3rd-grade students return.
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However, some teachers are choosing to stay remote for the rest of the year, feeling this isn’t the time for them to return yet. Nigro says she respects the choices of her colleagues.
“You’ve got to do what’s comfortable for you and for me, that’s being back in the classroom,” she said.
She hopes this is a small step toward eventually getting back to full-time classroom instruction safely. Nigro’s priority remains with helping her students succeed.
“This is important. We know what this has done for the kids and we know what this is doing with the families, and trust me, we’re here for you guys,” she said.
Nigro says she plans to meet with the parents of her students coming back. Pre-K to 3rd graders return to campus on March 1.
