Welcome back: PCSD, ILS begin school year

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Are students ever ready for the start of another school year? To properly answer that, it probably depends on who is asked.
For Christina Barr, interviewed Monday morning in the parking lot of the Perryville Elementary School, at least one of her kids couldn’t wait for the 2021-22 school year to kick off.
“Super excited,” Barr said of her daughter’s interest in beginning the school year. “My daughter on Saturday was like, ‘Can I just sleep in until Monday?’ She’s very excited. She started fourth grade.”
Elizabeth is starting fourth grade while Watts is beginning sixth grade.
They attended an open house Aug. 18 to drop off school supplies. This event wasn’t required but allowed an opportunity to visit the school before the first day.
Students in first through 12th grade at Perry County School District No. 32 had their first day of class Monday, Aug. 23. Kindergartners had a couple more days of vacation as they weren’t scheduled to begin until Wednesday, Aug. 25.

The PCSD No. 32 Board of Education announced earlier this summer it wouldn’t be mandating the use of masks by students, a developing is a minor concern to Barr.
“There is a little bit of concern,” she said. “The schools decided not to mandate the mask, not to require them, and to let parents decide. I told my kids, ‘This is what the school decided, so you guys get to make the decision.’ Both of my kids had their masks, of course, because they ride the bus to school. They’ve both said they’re not going to wear them all day.”
Going from the summer schedule to the school year routine is an adjustment, Barr said.
“It’s a huge change,” she said. “They are a lot of work to get (ready). We have to get up at 5:30, 6 o’clock in the morning just in the hopes of making sure they’re ready.”
Barr, who babysits two 18-month kids, acknowledges she misses the kids.
“It’s going to be different,” she said. “I always miss them throughout the day. It’s good for them and good for me. It’s a relief.”