The East Lansing directors, excited like a puppy about the college students, are returning tomorrow

EAST LANSING, me. (WLNS) – It has been 353 days since students from East Lansing High School roamed the halls of the building they call home.

That will change tomorrow when the school welcomes freshmen again as part of a gentle reopening. Sophomores have their own day on Wednesday, juniors on Thursday, and seniors on Friday, with the entire group of students returning the next Tuesday.

Masks are required, hand sanitizer is everywhere in the building, social distancing is implemented in classrooms, and one-way street signs line the hallways.

These are all the arrangements to get the students back.

“We want to make sure everyone is completely safe in this building,” said Andrew Wells, director of East Lansing High School. “We have held a number of meetings over the past few weeks … voices have been heard and structure put in place that we believe will provide the best situation for all of us at East Lansing High School.”

And the school district believed that “the best situation for everyone” is giving students and families a choice of how to deal with it.

“Students, parents and families could choose to come in person or be online,” said Allison Denisco, math teacher at East Lansing. “We believe we can offer solid training either way.”

The school estimates half of its students will return – approximately 550 of their 1,199 students enrolled.

Denisco spent much of her Monday setting up her classroom for socially distant learning. Her daughter was in the corner of the classroom with her, going to school on her iPad. It was just a glimpse of the teachers’ lives as we near the one-year mark of the pandemic.

“I’m very excited, I keep telling my students that I’m as excited as a pooch to have the kids back in the classroom,” said Denisco. “It was a long time ago.”