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'We have a plan for everything' | Hardin County students back in the classroom

Students returned to school Monday in Hardin County, 5 months after the pandemic sent them home.

HARDIN COUNTY, Ky. — Students are back in the classroom today in Hardin County, more than a month before the state recommends in-person classes start.

Of more than 14,000 students within Hardin County Schools, close to 3,500 decided to learn from home for the first nine weeks of the semester. The district decided on a hybrid approach earlier this month. Students will be in school 2 days a week based on the first letter of their last name. When they aren't in the building, they'll be working on assignments from home.

RELATED: Debating back to school plans for Kentucky districts

Rineyville Elementary School Principal Stephanie Breeding is confident this plan will be a success.

"We have a plan for everything," Breeding said. "We have a plan for car riders, buses, the cafeteria, when we're in the hallway, mask breaks. We have black lines down the hallway, where we're doing traffic 6 feet apart. Masks will be worn at all times. They are going straight to their classroom, where teachers will be following social distancing and allowing mask breaks as needed throughout the day. We're going to try and do business as usual."

Credit: Hardin County Schools, John Wright

Principal Breeding said what she needs most right now is everyone's patience as the schools integrate new procedures. Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria, facing the same direction. When it comes to Art, Music, P.E. and science labs, teachers will come to them to decrease traffic in the halls.

"My excitement is, we are ready to see faces and love our children. We have missed them since March, being face to face with children. We are very excited to have them and love them and teach them," Breeding said.

Teachers aren't expecting everyone to come back to school on the same level as they left, so they'll be assessing students very quickly, which Breeding said should be easier with the smaller class sizes Rineyville is looking at for the first few weeks of schools.

Contact reporter Brooke Hasch atbhasch@whas11.com. Follow her onTwitter (@WHAS11Hasch) andFacebook.

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