MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - The Archdiocese of Miami has resumed their on-campus learning for students.
In-person learning for 49 elementary schools and eight high schools resumed on Wednesday morning.
7News toured the Monsignor Edward Pace High School located at 15600 NW 32nd Ave in Miami Gardens where they spoke with students who shared what their first day was like.
“I wanted to come to school, so my mom was all right with that,” said freshman Brianna Garcia.
Garcia is one of about 100 freshmen on campus for the first day of face-to-face learning.
“I think it’s been pretty good,” she said. “I got lost, obviously.”
The students and their parents had the option of continuing virtual learning or going back into the classroom.
“It’s kind of weird wearing a mask everywhere the entire time. It gets hot,” said Joseph Dubon, “and it’s even weirder when you expect to see a full classroom, and it’s like you and three other people.”
Dubon said the choice to learn in person rather than virtually was easy.
“I think human interaction is very necessary,” he said.
“We are ready for the ones that are coming face-to-face. You know, we’ve made a lot of preparations to the campus and to the school,” said school principal Ana Garcia.
Plexiglass dividers have been installed between desks and in the school’s cafeteria. Six feet distance markers as well as one-way hallway stickers were also placed on the floors.
Touchless doors were also made available to get into bathrooms.
Students receive daily temperature checks and a wellness survey.
“Once they take a survey, it shows either a red X if you need to stay home, or a green check that says they are good to come on the campus,” explained the school’s principal.
“I think it’s a necessity because when you be safe, that’s the number one priority,” said Brianna Garcia.
“It’s successful,” said Dubon. “I’m working fine.”
Moving forward, these measures will stay in place until the end of the semester.
“We’ll do a new survey, probably sometime in November or early December, to see how many would like to then come back on the campus starting January, which is the new semester,” said the principal.
The freshmen have the campus to themselves though Friday.
Slowly, the upperclassmen will be phased in.
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