LIVINGSTON PARISH - Some students went back to school in Livingston Parish Wednesday for the first time in months. Superintendent Joe Murphy says more students will soon follow suit.

"The governor put Louisiana in Phase 3 last Friday. Because of the guidelines in Phase 3, we're now able to bring all of our children back to our campuses," Murphy said.

Students from Pre-K to 5th grade are already on campus, but on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6th through 9th graders returned to in-person classes.

Other students in middle and high school will return on a staggered schedule over the next few days.

"I can not tell you how excited we are to get our kids back on campus. This allows us to deliver what we think is the best instruction, and that's face-to-face instruction in our classrooms," Murphy said.

But life on campus isn't quite the same as it was before the pandemic hit. Murphy says protocols are in place, so students and teachers can remain safe and healthy.

"We just recently provided another safety measure. We're checking our schools on a periodic basis. If they do not meet hospital-grade cleanliness, we're addressing those schools right off the bat," Murphy said.

More than 2,000 students have chosen to remain in virtual classes. Murphy says he expects that number to drop as more students return to their classrooms.

The district will continue bringing students back according to the following schedule:

- Grades 7 and 10 will return to campus full time beginning Thursday, Sept. 17
- Grades 8 and 11 will return to campus full time beginning Friday, Sept. 18
- Grade 12 will return to campus full time beginning Monday, Sept. 21