‘They want to be here because their friends are here’: Fabens ISD welcomes back 1st group of students to campus

FABENS, Texas (KVIA) -- Fabens Independent School District welcomed back its first group of students to campus this week.

Families in the district were given the chance to select between in-person and remote learning for the first grading period.

Parents will be sent another survey next week to make that decision again. District officials say the next group of students selecting in-person learning will be allowed to return on October 12.

The district expected 30% or fewer of its students per campus to return this week. Now, district officials are working to find ways to better connect students learning in classrooms with those learning at home.

Fabens ISD Superintendent of Schools Veronica Vijil said she's happy to see students back in the hallways.

"They want to be here because their friends are here, and they want to be able to communicate with them," she said. "It's important for so many reasons: for socialization, for their social emotional health. It's difficult to be at home learning remotely."

Another challenge? Allowing students on campus to socialize while keeping them physically apart.

"We're going to have to look for some ways where they can socialize right now," Vijil said. "I think that we're talking about how can we use the Chromebooks, the devices they have, so they can socialize. We don't want them to come back into the building and not have an opportunity to talk to their friends. That's the whole point."

Monitoring students will also ramp up as more return, Vijil said. The principal of Fabens Middle School said each hall on campus has someone assigned to ensure students are wearing their mask and adhering to social distancing guidelines.