Franklin Elementary prepares teachers and students for classes online, for weeks

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The staff at Franklin Elementary School on Santa Barbara's Eastside is in overdrive this week, moving classes online.

Teachers started off Thursday morning gathering in front of their computer screens at home via Zoom for a crash-course in online development for their class lessons.

Later in the day, students with a parent or relative stopped on campus during a designated time slot to pick up iPads, and the student curriculum.

Principal Casie Killgore said the goal was to keep students and teachers away from school from here-on out. 

"We're worried that if we go under some kind of citywide mandate not to leave the houses, that they'll have everything they need, definitely for the next 2 to 3 weeks," Killgore said.

A couple of students, who were a little shy, said they think working at home on their iPads and doing virtual classwork online will be "fun." But, some of them admit, they're missing their friends and classmates.