Independence students return to class

It was the first day back to school Monday for thousands of kids in the Kansas City area.

Parents have mixed feelings about the mixed learning models.

ITS A DAY THAT'S BEENPLANNED FOR ANDDEBATED FOR MONTHS --THE FIRST DAY OFSCHOOL.TODAY THOUSANDS OFLOCAL KIDS WENT BACKTO CLASS AMID RISINGCORONAVIRUS CASENUMBERS ACROSS THEMETRO.STUDENTS IN THEINDEPENDENCE SCHOOLDISTRICT RETURNED WITHA HYBRID MODEL.AND IT COMES DESPITETHE JACKSON COUNTYHEALTH DEPARTMENT'SRECOMMENDATION TOWAIT TWO MORE WEEKS.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER EMMA JAMESSPOKE WITH PARENTSABOUT HOW THE FIRSTDAY WENT.EMMA JAMES, REPORTING"As part of the district'shybridplan some students are backin person and some arelearning virtually, I spoke withseveral parents today some ofyounger students and some ofolder, both telling me the firstday back was a little rough."KELLIE RUIZ, PARENT,INDEPENDENCE SCHOOLDISTRICT"They didn't prep us, and it'sjust been a hot mess allmorning long."KELLIE RUIZ OPTED FORVIRTUAL LEARNING FORHER TWO ELEMENTARYSTUDENTS.SHE SAYS DESPITE THEZOOM OUTAGE MONDAYMORNING - SHE DIDN'TFEEL PREPARED FOR HOWTHE ONLINE LEARNINGWOULD GO.SHE SAYS THEINFORMATION THEDISTRICT SENT OUTWASN'T AGE SPECIFIC ANDCAUSED SOMECONFUSION.SUPERINTENDENT DR.DALE HERL TELLS ME THEDISTRICT PUT IN A LOT OFWORK TO GET PARENTSREADY FOR VIRTUALLEARNINGDR. DALE HERL,SUPERINTENDENT,INDEPENDENCE SCHOOLDISTRICT"Leading up to this we sentout multiple emails to parents,we've sent out tutorial videosboth from us and from Canvasour platform we use."HERL SAYS THE DISTRICTALSO SET UP A PHONEBANK MANNED BY TECHSTAFF WHO WEREANSWERING QUESTIONSLATE SUNDAY NIGHT.PARENT AND STAFFMEMBER JANA CORRIESAYS SHE FELTCOMFORTABLE SENDINGHER ELEMENTARYSTUDENTS BACK TO INPERSON CLASSESBECAUSE OF THEDISTRICT'S SAFETY STEPS.JANA CORRIE, PARENT ANDSTAFF MEMBER, INDEPENDENCESCHOOL DISTRICT"They do temperature checkswhen they walk in the building,they have hand sanitizerseverywhere, they have sociallydistant they way they have thedesks."SHANNON MILLER HASKIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOLAND HIGH SCHOOL.SHE TELLS ME SHEWORRIES ABOUTSTUDENTS BEING INPERSON ONE WEEK ANDONLINE THE NEXT.SHANNON MILLER, PARENT,INDEPENDENCE SCHOOLDISTRICT"For working moms, workingparents, single parents, thekids aren't going to get up andthey're not going to get onlineand they're not going to dotheir school work."MILLER SAYS SHE WISHESHER KIDS WERE INPERSON FULL TIME - BUTTHINKS THE DISTRICT ISDOING THE BEST IT CAN.IN INDEPENDENCE, EMMAJAMES, 41 ACTION NEWS.WE ARE JUST GETTINGSTARTED WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL SEASON.STUDENTS IN LIBERTY ANDCENTER SCHOOLDISTRICTS WILL ALSORETURN THIS WEEK.THEN AFTER LABOR DAY,STUDENTS FROM SEVERALOTHER DISTRICTS