ASCENSION – Teachers and staff in Ascension Parish have had a busy week. They are adjusting all of the classrooms to align with COVID-19 guidelines ahead of Monday’s first day of school.

A lot of those adjustments include spacing the desks 6 ft. apart.

“We’ve seen teachers move their classroom desk out of the way to make sure the students can interact together but remain safe,” Chief Instructional Director Edith Walker said.

In the hallways there will also be new signage letting the students know which way to walk, and where to stand. The insides of the schools will though. For primary schools all kids who want to return to campus can, so the classes will have around 15 students.

"They will be in staggered groups,” Walker said. “We will make sure we schedule when they use the restroom, when they have water breaks, when they go to the cafeteria."

Middle and high schools will be a little more lax, as the students will be returning at an alternating schedule: some days on campus, some at home virtually.

“Because of that we've reduced the number of students who are in our middle and high schools so they can have a little more autonomy and freedom as they move about the schools,” Walker said.

At St. Amant High, the cafeteria has been transformed into separate "rooms" so teens can eat together in smaller groups. There are adjustments around every corner all made to get kids back in the classroom.

“We're always going to be alert around the safety of our kids. But we are excited to see their faces again and getting them back into our schools and having some sense of normalcy with all of the things that are going on across the country,” Walker said.

Before entering the school every student and staff member will get their temperature checked.