At St. Mary's School for the Deaf, time has stood still since March. The word of the week is still Leprechaun in Mrs. Camp's First Grade class. 

What You Need To Know

  • St. Mary's School for the Deaf has created small cubicles for students

  • Students begin Tuesday or Thursday depending on their grade

  • The staggered hybrid-model leads to a mid-October fully in-person model 

  • Educators telling parents to talk to their kids about the challenges they're facing 

"It's been so quiet, walking through the halls and seeing things that have sat hers since March is such an eerie feeling," said Joy Higgins, Associate Principal - Elementary at St. Mary's School for the Deaf. 

Boxes of hand sanitizer, masks, other PPE line the halls as staff prepares to let students back in on Tuesday and Thursday. 

"The first day we are really just expecting to get the students back, lower anxiety with the staff, with the students, make sure everyone feels safe," Higgins said. 

Keeping everyone safe is a little more challenging. Masks are a barrier for learning for their deaf or hard of hearing students and those with high needs. They need to see faces and read lips. So, over the summer, work has been underway to build a different sort of barrier in the name of safety. Higgins says there will no doubt be challenges for young students. 

"We are going to have to explain you know, we are going to have to keep distance from our friends," Higgins said. "Before, our culture was high fives and hugging." 

Most classes will have six students. There are extra spaces for snack time, lunches, and periods are extended for cleaning. The other challenge educators here are preparing for is the regression in their students. 

"Our teachers are tremendous and they are equipped to deal with what will probably be the first few months of devoting time to get students back to where they were in late winter," said Aimee Bell, Associate Principal- Secondary at St. Mary's School for the Deaf. 

Bell some advice for all parents on how help their students if they are struggling. 

"Just talk to your student, ask them how their day has been and keep up those conversations," Bell said. 

Looking ahead, Higgins says they can't wait to see how their relationships continue to grow with their families. It's been a silver lining during the pandemic.

"The relationship we've had between our parents and students has always been good, but now, it's next level," Higgins said. 

The school is opening under a hybrid model and students will eventually phase into the classroom just about full time by mid-October. There will still be one day a week built-in for virtual learning.