ZACHARY - The Zachary School Board has decided to send students in grades Pre-K through sixth back to in-person school full time.

It comes after the initial start of the school year was pushed back one week after some teachers tested positive for COVID-19.

Classes officially started on Aug. 17 with 55% of Zachary students following an alternating hybrid model, with two days of on-campus classes and three days of virtual learning. The rest of the students opted for an all virtual option to complete this semester.

Superintendent Scott Devillier says their transition plan allowed the school system to work on its in-class instruction and online learning systems simultaneously.

"Just bringing in half the students at a time, we were able to put in to play the processes to make sure our kids stayed safe," Devillier said.

Now, students in kindergarten through 6th grade will be back in the classroom five days a week starting the day after Labor Day on Sept. 8.

Students in 7th through 12th grade will remain on the hybrid system except for students with severe learning disabilities.

All students on-campus will have to follow the same coronavirus policies put into place by the Louisiana Department of Education. Zachary school officials also want teachers to continue to assign online assignments. 

"Because if we ever have to send kids home or shut school down, again, we are able to do that," Devillier said.

Devillier says parents of younger students will be contacted in the coming days. They'll be asked if they want their child to stay on their current learning plan, or if they want to switch to all in-person or all online classes depending on their situation.