Back to learning: teachers, parents and students prepare for the first day of school in Colombia

COLOMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public School students and parents prepare for Return to Learn Tuesday.

A few parents of students in Colombia say they feel safe knowing everyone has to wear masks in school buildings right now, but a new school brings new challenges.

Mackenzie Blakeman’s daughter is entering grade six at Warner Middle School in Colombia. She says she feels good knowing that everyone must wear masks when entering the building.

Columbia Public Schools begins its year on a declining trend in COVID-19 cases.

The district tracker shows 50 cases of COVID-19 per 10,000 people in the district. This is the lowest for a month.

Jessica Wright, the mother of a seventh grader at Warner Middle School, says masks are a good choice.

Teaching Jessica is very excited to have a good first day of school after the district chose to start last year remotely.

People exposed to someone with COVID-19 and fully vaccinated or wearing a mask properly will not have to self-quarantine. The quarantine times are the same this year. It’s 10 days if you’re exposed, and seven days if you can show a negative test at this point.

Based on last year’s figures, 45 percent of the district’s enrollments are elementary age. They are not yet eligible for a vaccine.