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Students return to full-time, in-person instruction at some Monroe County schools

Northwood Elementary School, Hilton School District
Max Schulte
Northwood Elementary School, Hilton School District

Monday was the first official day of full-time, in-person instruction for students at some Monroe County school districts since the start of the pandemic. Pre-K thru 6th grade students at Hilton, Fairport, Greece, Holley and Spencerport school districts will remain five days-a-week in-person for the rest of the school year. Brighton students have already started in-person classes for grades K-5.

This is also a big week for students in grades 3-8 who will be taking New York State ELA tests.

Hilton Central School District Superintendent Casey Kosiorek says both parents and staff are excited to return to in-person instruction because students have suffered emotionally during the pandemic.

“The whole interaction with other students and staff, the social emotional piece, this whole pandemic has really weighed on them. The opportunity for them to get back with their peers is really important,”said Kosiorek.

Hilton students are starting in-person instruction less than a week after Northwood Elementary Principal Kirk Ashton was arrested and charged with sexually abusing nine students. Kosiorek said the district is heading in the right direction and getting back to normal.

“We continue to work with Bivona Childcare Advocacy and are continuing to support our community as we heal from this situation,” said Kosiorek.

He adds that the district is looking forward to bringing back their middle and high school students once the county’s seven-day rolling average of the COVID-19 positivity rate lowers.

April Franklin is an occasional local host of WXXI's Weekend Edition.