COVID-19 mitigation was a challenge for school districts across the country and especially in elementary schools.

Greene County Elementary Principal Scott Johnson tells Raccoon Valley Radio this school year is starting out more normal. They no longer can require masks, students are able to enjoy recess and lunch without being split up into small groups and with legislation against having an online remote option, most of the 40-45 students that began last year remotely are back this year. Johnson points out ways they are continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, even though the pre-kindergarten through 4th graders aren’t eligible to receive the vaccine.

“Those things that we talk about: washing hands, covering coughs, and anything like that, regardless if we’re talking COVID, I mean, it’s just good hygiene as far as keeping colds down and the regular flu down too.”

Johnson talks about not having to change their procedures and programs to help those students who may have had a learning gap because of the pandemic.

“So really for us here at the elementary, it was not a big paradigm or a shift for us to work with kids that came back that were behind because we have kids that are behind no matter what grade level it is. So we just take them where they are at and move them the best that we can.”

Finally, Johnson is excited to bring back parent-child events such as family tailgate night, jingle bell read and muffins and math.