Students and parents quickly move to get vaccinated ahead of return to school classroom
The countdown begins as Palm Springs Unified School District prepares to bring elementary students back into the classroom on April 12th.
News Channel 3's Dani Romero with a look at how families are preparing.
Its less than week to go before PSUSD opens their elementary schools for in-person learning.
“We are ready," said Eric Antuna, Principal of Agua Caliente Elementary School. "We’re excited its been a year, well over a year. Its time for us to come back, super excited to have our kids back with us.”
Now that elementary students and staff head back to the classroom on Monday. PSUSD’s plans for in-classroom learning for middle school and high school students start on April 26th .
Some high schoolers couldn’t wait and got vaccinated at Agua Caliente Elementary School.
“I have been waiting cause my parents got the vaccine already so I was ready for it to be my turn," said Galilea Rodriguez, a student at Rancho Mirage High School. "Now I am glad its open to alot more people my age because I get to do more things with my friends.”
For Rodriguez, her second year of high school was different than the typical sophomore year experience given the pandemic. She’s anxious to get back to school.
“I feel like it already been over a year of this online thing and it can get really hard for alot of students," said Rodriguez. "Frustrating so just being back in a school environment with your friends with sports, with school events and getting the vaccine is a step closer to that so i am excited to go back.”
Perla Rodriguez has the same mindset thats why she got her COVID shot.
“I feel much better," said Perla Rodriguez. "I am glad i got the vaccine.”
Parents of younger children also showed up to get vaccinated as their kids return to the classroom. They say they wanted to be safe.
While there’s still time for high schoolers to prepare, some are concerned about how they’ll be able to manage the hybrid schedule.
“Just learning in general because sometime we pick up somethings online and other things," said Sandra. "When we go back to school we’ll be a bit behind so its gonna be a little bit behind.”
Families still have the option to continue virtually learning if thats something they want.
Class sizes will be reduced to at least half their usual size, the district set a maximum capacity of 14 students and staff in a classroom in order to ensure social distancing can be maintained.
Students in all grade levels K-12 are required to wear face coverings at all times while in the classroom, on campus, on the school bus, or any school event, unless there is a written medical exemption.
