LOUISA COUNTY, Va.-- Louisa County Public Schools began their 2020-2021 school year in person and virtually Thursday morning.
"I told him do not take his mask off." said mom Veronica Spellman. "I told my son, we're the guinea pigs, but I think Louisa will do it right."
Spellman says getting her 10th grader ready for the first day of school was a bit different this year.
"They gave us a cardboard list of questions and screening questions we have to do in the morning," Spellman explained.
LCPS Superintendent Doug Straley says the School Board has spent the past five months working hard to re-imagine what school would like and to reopen their doors.
"It was so encouraging to see our families and our students happy to be returning to school, whether it be virtual online with Zoom or whether it be walking into the school building," said Straley.
Students going into their school buildings, have been divided into groups A and B.
Depending on their group, students will either attend school on Mondays and Thursday or Tuesdays and Fridays.
On the other hand, more than 1,500 of LCPS' 5,000 students are participating in their virtual academy full time.
"I assure them you know its like we will be in on your Zoom meetings," said Anita Roane, Principal of Moss Nuckols Elementary. "You'll see our faces. We're gonna pop in."
Moss Nuckols Elementary teaches pre-K through 5th grade.
With students inside of the buildings, school officials said they will deep clean the school every evening and in between classes.
"We want to do this in a way that is going to be a safe environment that's going to be safe for all of our students, all of our staff, and all of our families," said Straley.