By  Kathryn Elizabeth Jones | [email protected]

School has started! As of Aug. 24, public schools in Taylorsville and surrounding cities have opened their doors, welcoming in masked students for the first time in history. 

Along with the masks there was a bit of fear and hesitancy, plenty of hand sanitizer and more than one reminder from Mom to keep socially distant from others.

With most parents working, it’s no surprise more students than not are returning to school. Sixty percent of students within the boundaries of Jackling Elementary in West Valley are returning to school in the fall; about 80% as an average for all schools in the Granite School District. Still, having working parents is not the main reason students are returning, say some parents.

The Robison family, who will have a son in first grade at Hunter Elementary in West Valley this school year, are sending their son for other reasons.  

“Keeping his attention is difficult,” Keva, a stay-at-home mom of three children, said. “[Our son] needs other school-aged kids. He needs teachers to work with him. It was hard online.”

Keeping her son focused in the spring was difficult, if not impossible, Robison said. 

Her son, who will continue in special education this year, will meet regularly with a speech therapist. “This is a big help, and we’re not high risk,” she said. “We have been social distancing and don’t feel like we’re putting anyone at risk.”

She and her husband have talked with their son about the differences he will see this year. “We told him he had to wear a mask and keep his hands to himself. Everyone else is going to do the same; they’re all on board.”

A younger sibling won’t be attending preschool this school year, however.

“This is a school we have to pay for, and what if it gets shut down again?” Robison said.

Still, Robison is willing to look at things again at the end of the term to see if things are working for her son. If they aren’t, she will consider the option of bringing him home for the next term—an opportunity available to all parents within the Granite School District.

“I don’t really know how it’s going to affect his learning,” she said. “How it will be with the teachers masked. But I have a feeling it’s going to work out. We weighed the pros and cons. I think going back to school is a good choice for us.”

Jaimie Haydock is a single parent. Her son, Bronson, will be in seventh grade this year at West Lake Jr. High in West Valley. She is a literacy coach at Copper Hills Elementary in Magna.

When COVID-19 hit, like most parents she began helping her child at home. But her son soon “floundered.”

“He really needs someone, other than myself, telling him what to do. He’s not self-motivated, and loves being around people, particularly his friends. He learns best in his environment, not mine,” she said.

In a nutshell, she prefers the learning schools provide over the learning she would do at home. 

“If kids go back to school, it will bring things a little more back to normal,” she said.

As for her son, “[We] knew there was no other choice. We talked about it. Even if I was at home and could teach him, we are not a good team [when it comes to education]. Though he was fine in Spanish last spring, he struggled in math. Besides, he loves school.”

Though Haydock admits that she’s “a little scared” about putting herself back in the school arena, she also sees herself as an essential worker. “I just have to go to work.” She is worried about her son getting the virus. “But,” she said, “life goes on.”