One of the first schools in Buffalo is welcoming kids back for the year Wednesday.

Students were welcomed back to Nardin Academy where in-person classes are being held. The academy welcomed back kindergarten through 4^th grade students.

Grades five through eight return Monday as well for in-person classes and the high school starts next Thursday.

The high school will run on a hybrid schedule.

President Marsha Joy Sullivan says they’ve spent months getting their safety plan ready. She adds this is the earliest they've started the school year.

"We feel it’s important to get back to school, we’ve been out of school too long," said Sullivan. "And that our community infection rate is at a very safe level right now. And of course the weather is conducive to being able to be outside and have windows open as much as possible. We are taking advantage of a very healthy time of the year.” 

Along with increased cleaning, supplying PPE, providing hand sanitizer, wipes and more, the academy will conduct health checks each morning.

To provide the space needed to meet social-distancing standards, they will repurpose classrooms and rooms throughout the campus to ensure kids are six feet apart.