BATON ROUGE - While Baton Rouge is on-alert and preparing for possible damage from Tropical Storm Sally, some of its youngest locals are taking on their first day of in-person classes under a hybrid learning model.

On Monday, East Baton Rouge Public schools are opened to students in Pre K through sixth grade for a shortened day of in-person classes.

This will be their first time on campus since March. But Monday will not be a full day of school for students as classes are scheduled to end early, at 12:45 p.m. due to the bad weather Tropical Storm Sally is expected to bring Tuesday. 

That morning, EBR Schools Superintendent Leslie Brown spoke with WBRZ's Rae'ven Jackson about the return to in-person classes.

When asked why officials decided to keep schools open on Monday despite the approaching storm, Brown replied, "We believe that this shortened day gives us an opportunity to really work hard at welcoming students back face-to-face, getting them back with their teachers."

Brown described that during this shortened day, students would have the opportunity to become comfortable with their teachers and their new environment after being away from in-person instruction for so long. 

But not all students will be on campus Monday, Brown explained. She clarified how the hybrid schedule works, saying, "The hybrid schedule actually is split. Actual school enrollment is split at 50 percent."

"So we have students today that are coming in with the last names A through K. And then another group of students will be coming in to the schools with the last names L through Z. What this allows us to do is create these cohorts of students that actually stay together, that are static. And so that they're not moving around in between different groups of students. Keeps for a great safety opportunit for all the teachers as well as the students."

"The phasing in is we will be going two weeks with a hybrid. And then we will go until October 5, and then bring them back five days a week for full-time, full face-to-face at the elementary level. We've got different phases for the secondary, the sixth through twelfth."

Superintendent Brown explained that safety is a priority and teachers are looking forward to seeing their students again.

"We're really looking forward to having all of our students back as soon as we can," Brown said. 

Click here for additional details on EBR Schools reopening plan.