Teachers and administrators at Brewer Community School are preparing for most students to return full-time next week.

I first learned of the full-time return on Thursday, when my granddaughter ran from the school and excitedly declared that the 'B' students would be joining her class on Monday. (classes have been divided into 'A' and 'B' groups, attending schools on alternating days) When I asked her about it, she explained that they were going to be there every day, and that she and her sister would be going to school every day, starting on Monday. I can't express the level of joy in her voice that school was getting back to normal. She's in the 3rd grade and has missed seeing her friends every day.

It's been such a challenging school year, for everyone involved. Teachers and administrators have had to adapt to teaching remotely, as well as leading smaller in-person classes with students who were only attending a couple of days a week. Personally, I think teaching elementary students must be especially challenging, with young children being required to wear masks and follow stringent guidelines. But the folks at the Brewer Community School have done it very well.

In a letter, posted on the department's website, Administrators confirmed what my granddaughter had reported. Students in Pre-K through 6th grade are returning to class full-time, beginning on May 3rd. Students in grades 7 and 8, however, will be continuing with the hybrid model combination of in-person classes and remote learning. At this point, the letter states that arrival and dismissal times will remain the same. That could change over the coming weeks, however, as administrators get used to fuller classrooms and what it will take to keep everyone safe. Stay up-to-date with any changes on the website for the Brewer Community School.

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