General Brown students head back to school, see how much has changed due to pandemic

TOWN OF BROWNVILLE, N.Y. (WWNY) - Students in the north country started going back to school Tuesday and the pandemic has changed a lot things for them.

General Brown middle and high school students stepped off the bus into a school year like no other with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am really excited because it is definitely a new experience for everybody so we are kind of like the guinea pigs and I am just glad to be back and be social and not be at home, isolated,” said Raeanne Chisamore-Veator, senior.

“It’s definitely scary because of all the cases in New York, but I mean, I’m glad we are back in all honesty because I think education is extremely important,” said Emma-Leigh Gilligan, senior.

To keep kids socially distanced, the school has five entrances students can use in the morning. Kids have to wait in line 6-feet apart until they are called inside to get their temperatures taken at a kiosk.

If they don’t have a fever, they can head to class.

“We hope that students feel very safe. Our first priority through all of this that we can focus on the health and safety of our students and staff,” said Barbara Case, district superintendent.

The students we spoke to say they understand why the precautions are happening.

“It’s to keep you safe, your family safe and your kids safe, so it makes sense to me to get that done,” said Chisamore-Veator.

Another way the district is keeping kids distanced is by having only half the student body in the school at one time.

Our cameras were only allowed access to see the kiosks. The school is trying to set a standard by limiting visitors, including parents.

“Not because we don’t want transparency, but because we really want to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Case.

But what if a child forgets something? School officials say parents can drop off items in the school’s drop box.

As for how the first day went, Case says the district is working to speed up temperature taking, but overall things went well.

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