SAN ANTONIO — School is going to look a little different this year for students who decide to go back to campus during the ongoing pandemic.
At Briscoe Middle School, those changes start right at the front door. A sign reminds people to put on their masks, while stickers on the floor tell advise them to stay six feet apart. Hand sanitizer is readily available.
Principal Christina Rather said the school has made plenty of adjustments to discourage students from gathering in groups.
"We want to limit the temptation of not social distancing," Rather said.
Once parents drop their child off at school, they'll head straight to their first class. Rather said lockers are off-limits this year.
In the cafeteria, seats are spread out. Chairs are only on one side of each table and they all face the same direction.
"So (what is) typically a table for 16 is now a table for four," Rather said.
Rather said their projected enrollment for this school year is a little more than 1,600 students. As of now, just about 500 of them plan on showing up to campus.
"That's roughly 175 per grade level, which is absolutely more than manageable," Rather said.
In the classroom, students will have to skip rows and desks when they decide where to sit. At least one desk will be between each student at all times.
Custodians will also clean classrooms between each period. They'll be on campus throughout the day to stop the spread of germs.
"They'll be walking the halls, they'll be cleaning handrails, they'll be disinfecting doorknobs," Rather said.
The principal, who has been at Briscoe since it first opened 11 years ago, says she understands the "new normal" will take some getting used to for everyone. But her excitement to welcome back students outweighs the anxiety that's come for most of us in 2020.
"When the children come in, they know I stand right here in the foyer, so I get to greet them," Rather said. "Even if I get 10 kids, 10 smiles, 10 11-year-olds—that'll make a difference!"
Rather said the pandemic may have forced them to remodel, but it hasn't changed the foundation at Briscoe Middle School.
"We're going to teach them," Rather said. "We're going to care about them, we're going to make relationships and we're going to help keep them safe."
Northside ISD will welcome all students back virtually on August 24. The tentative start day for in-person instruction is Sept. 8.
For more details on changes and safety procedures at Briscoe Middle School, click here.