Orcutt Union School District welcome back K-6 students

ORCUTT, Calif. - It’s recess time for kindergarteners at Joe Nightingale Elementary School in Orcutt.

“I had one of the little kids come in this morning and a kindergartner walking with me and he said, this is so much better than zoom," says Principal Kate McInerney at Joe Nightingale Elementary School.

From Racing across the lawn, to playing on the swings, or just sticking a Barbie doll and a pony into the sand box, administrators say everyone seems glad to be back.

“We are very excited. Our students are starting to come back. So we are beginning with our kindergarten and our TK students,” says McInerney.

It’s been nearly a year since students last attended a class in person due to the COVID-19 shutdown.

But now they’re back for partial days.

"It was an exciting morning to have our youngest students on our campuses for the first time. None of them have been here before. That is, for the most part. So it was an exciting morning to see the smiles on the kids faces, even through the masks," says Superintendent Dr. Holly Edds of Orcutt Union School District.

As students return to campus, administrators say they’re working with them to make sure everyone is following health protocols including wearing a mask, washing hands and keeping a physical distance.

Different grade levels will return gradually over a two-week period.

"Our first and second grade students will be starting on Thursday. They will be coming either on Tuesday Thursday or Wednesday Friday," says Edds.

School administrators look forward to eventually having everyone back on campus.