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Two St. Johns County mothers, two different decisions about how their children should attend school during pandemic

Parents are grapple with choosing online learning or classes in a brick-and-mortar school

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — "We really grappled with between sending her or keeping her at home," Lynn Nickel said.  

She ended up opting to have her 15-year-old daughter attend St. Augustine High School online from home. It will be for the first nine weeks, "to see how it goes."

Students started school in St. Johns County on Monday. It’s one of the last districts on the First Coast to start school.

"She’s loving being home," Nickel laughed.

The reason to keep her daughter home is that the COVID-19 numbers were "too high" when she had to make a decision a month ago.

"I was worried about the group setting," Nickel said. "The kids in the hallways. I wondered if they would really wear masks."

Halfway through the first day, and Nickel said, "Internet wise, everything’s running smoothing."

Tricia Booker is also concerned about COVID-19, but she chose to send her two school-aged children to a brick and mortar classroom.

"My son is into musical theater. My daughter is into band," Booker said, "and St. Johns County made the decision that if you’re not going to brick and mortar schools, you can’t do extracurricular."

According to numbers provided by the district, 68 percent of St. Johns County students attended classes in a brick and mortar school Monday while the other 32 percent are learning from home.

"I think on an individual level, schools are doing a good job," Booker said. 

Students at St. Johns County schools have to wear masks. Desks also have plexiglass dividers.

Booker feels parents, schools, and students would not have to work with all of these challenges now, had the country taken a faster, more focused approach in dealing with the coronavirus.

'"I wish we had clamped down on the need to wear masks and be vigilant for a good 6 to 8 weeks. I think this problem would have been eradicated," Booker told First Coast News. 

Both she and Nickel are watching what happens next.

"I think the next two weeks are going to be crucial," Nickel said. 

    

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