OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Classrooms are about to reopen for younger students in the Shawnee Mission School District, bringing another adjustment period for families.
In the Coffey home, Peyton is a kindergarten student at Brookridge Elementary School, with mom Megan playing the part of a fly on the wall as her daughter learns virtually.
"Her teacher already has incredible rapport with the kids. Done all over WebEx," Megan Coffey explained.
It’s not always smooth.
"Sometimes it gets really boring because I get sleepy feet and it kind of really hurts," Peyton said.
Those key kindergarten relationships are already blooming on screen.
"It’s really interesting. She definitely has already developed friends. Friends she’s super excited to play with in person," Megan said.
The Olberding home is also in a remote setup for their sixth grader at Rosehill Elementary School. Mom Jennifer said she's impressed with her daughter's setup.
"Victoria’s class has gotten to know each other and started to develop relationships with each other and the teacher, we’ve had a very good start to the school year in terms of virtual learning," she said.
Change is on the horizon, starting Monday.
"We’re a month in, we’ve been learning, but at the same time we feel like we’re starting all over on Monday," Jennifer said.
Hybrid models for elementary students will begin - with classrooms reopening, and looking very different.
"In the past I know they’ve done collaborative groups and tables. It is individual desks that will be old school. Her teacher says it looks like an old school classroom," Megan Coffey said.
It's not ideal for every age group or school.
"Twenty-six students in a sixth grade classroom? We’re an older building. The district is taking a lot of care to increase air quality, but our ventilation is poor as a whole. We definitely have some challenges in our school that other buildings may not be facing," Jennifer Olberding said.
The Shawnee Mission School District’s plan is affecting every family, in different ways. The Olberdings said they are sticking to remote learning for their student.
"This was a very difficult decision, one we didn’t want to make, but one we needed to make for the health and safety or our family," Jennifer said.
The Coffey’s are excited to see Peyton return to kindergarten. Megan said she’s going with the flow.
"If I don’t make a stink out of it and don’t make a big deal out of it and we do it to help people, that’s kind of the end of the discussion unless she has more questions about it," she said.
