After almost a year of learning from home, thousands of middle school and high school students in Marin County are returning to modified classrooms.
"We’re going to have like a small class you know, but I think it will be better than just staying at home. I think it will be a better opportunity to learn, too," said Redwood High School student Ashley Martin, speaking to KPIX-5.
When Marin County rose to the less restrictive red tier of reopening last week, it allowed them to bring many more students back to campus.
By next week, all 17 high schools in the Tamalpais Union, San Rafael, Novato and Shoreline districts will have in-person learning in some form.
Some schools are erecting large outdoor tents on campus to hold classes in.
But teacher Morgan Agnew at Terra Linda High School in San Rafael told KPIX-5 that students, teachers and parents should not relax completely.
"We need to recognize teachers are being asked to take a risk. Everyone who’s going into the building is asked to take a risk and we need to acknowledge that and not act like it’s 100% safe."
Teachers with health issues have the option not to return to in-person teaching.
Marin County has led the region in getting younger students back to school, who are at much lower risk of getting a serious case of COVID-19 and some public health experts believe that younger children may also be less likely to transmit the virus.
But the risk is higher with high school students, who react to the virus more like adults.
County officials say that at least 25 percent of teachers have had the chance to be vaccinated, with more signing up for their doses every day.
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