Frisco Independent School District (FISD) elementary and middle school students returned back to in-person learning for the second semester of the 2021-22 school year.  This is the first time some of these students have been back to school face-to-face in two years.

School counselor Kellie Greenleaf describes the ambiance of Talley Elementary school as exciting and new, with both students, teachers and staff members feeling the enthusiasm of having every single one of the students back on campus. 

“We had all the feels of a first day of school,” Greenleaf said. “[For elementary students] the first day of school is like the best day ever. So we had all those feelings in January because we were just so excited to have our students back, [some of which] we haven’t seen for close to two years.”

For some students, such as kindergarteners and first graders, this day in January was an actual first day of in-person school; they started their kindergarten year online. Luckily, some of these younger students had the same teacher online as in person.

“There’s just the typical nervous feelings,” Greanleaf said, “especially coming to a school building that they’ve never been to before. [However,] what I think helped is that we had a materials drop off and ‘Meet the Teacher’ [day] where students got to familiarize themselves with the school.”

Talley Elementary School 4th grade teacher Sophia Fluty said “Just being able to talk to the second grade teachers [and] Ms.Greenleaf, and being able to understand just where [the students] came from, as well as talking to the students, and coming together and learning to be all one team” helped connect with her students emotionally during this time was helpful.

Talley Elementary School 4th grader Manoram Marapalli describes his experience with the hardships that came with online school.,

“In virtual it was hard to [work with other students],” Marapalli said. “I was excited to be in person because I was at home for the past two years, [and] virtual really affects learning, whenever teachers glitch, [or] get kicked out.”

 Fifth grade teacher Kellie Long at Ashley Elementary School, reflected on their experience with virtual school, saying it helped see her students in a new light.

“Seeing [the students’] creative side come out was kind of cool,” Long said. “For instance, we were doing this social studies activity and we had set it up so that, after the kids [learnt the lesson material] on their own or in groups, they got to decide how they present the material, [using technology or creating a poster at home].

“It was truly such a great feeling,” Greanleaf said. “Because we felt like a family again, we felt whole again.