Collier County schools detail what in-person classes will look like for students

To call plans to return to school a moving target would be an understatement, but as Collier County gets closer to Aug. 31, we’re getting a better and more detailed look at what your child’s experience in the classroom will look like.

When students first walk through the doors, signs of the pandemic are everywhere. Hand sanitizer, one-way staircases, and stickers mark where students should sit to remain socially distanced.

Teachers like Charlene Paula will try to make the class as normal as possible.

“We want to continue to encourage the kids that learning is fun, they are still among their friends and they can smile with their eyes,” she said.

The school district said masks are key.

“The school district is taking masks very seriously,” said Chad Oliver, executive director of communications at Collier County Public Schools.

So much so that they’ve laid out a discipline plan based on the level of the offense.

“Is it willful defiance? Or did they just mess up and forget?” Oliver explained.

Strike one is a warning, and if it’s intentional, strike two could land a student a five-day suspension. Strike three means an administrative hearing where the student may have to move to an alternative school.

School officials say there will be constant reminders of all these new rules as students get used to the new normal. They also say that in PE classes and at recess, students can take off their masks if they’re outside and socially distanced.