This Just In: A most unusual return to the classroom in Rhode Island

Also, how lumber is like toilet paper [View email with images]( [Providence Journal] Monday September 14, 2020 [Subscribe Now]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Providence Journal]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Good afternoon and welcome to This Just In. I'm Mike McDermott, managing editor of The Providence Journal, and today I was in the middle of a work call when I nearly strolled right into a wild turkey that had wandered into my yard. Stuff that doesn't happen at the office. Today is the first day of class for public school students in Rhode Island, and our reporters fanned out across the state to see what it was like. As the sun rose, [the mood was decidedly upbeat]( at the First Student bus yard in Lincoln, where drivers, monitors and aides reported to work for the first time in months. State Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green kicked off her day at Central High School, in Providence, where she proclaimed that Rhode Island was "[ready to learn]( -- a point she made in detail [in an op-ed in this morning's Journal](. In Bristol, parents dropping off their children at the Rockwell elementary school [were relieved]( that an attempt by the teachers union to delay the return to class had been rejected by a judge. At the D'Abate Elementary School in Providence, children in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten [arrived in masks decorated with frogs, puppies and caterpillars](. In Cranston,[a first-grader's smile could be seen from behind her mask]( as she noticed a friend. In East Greenwich, an elementary school principal [excitedly welcomed youngsters back](. Meanwhile, [there was no return to class]( -- in person, anyway -- at the Blackstone Valley Prep charter schools, where one staff member recently tested positive for the virus and 13 others are now in quarantine. In Pawtucket -- one of three communities where learning will take place almost entirely online, despite getting the state's green light for in-person instruction -- parents who will have to juggle work with supervising their children's learning stopped by school [only to pick up information packets](. And the Providence Teachers Union [is asking for a federal review]( of whether school buildings in the capital city are safe to reopen. Much of the success or failure of the return to in-person school will come down to the ability to quickly identify COVID-positive students and teachers and isolate both them and their close contacts. The state today unveiled [details of its designated K-12 testing system]( with 14 different testing sites and a hotline open seven days a week for people to schedule tests. [Subscribe to The Providence Journal]( Meanwhile, the state [reported four coronavirus-related deaths and 225 additional cases]( over the last three days. Because the state did not report data on Labor Day and instead reported four days worth of data on Tuesday, the seven-day new case average jumped to 127, but that spike should only last for a day. A Buddhist temple in Cranston kicked off its 15-day celebration of ancestors -- the first significant event held in person at the temple since the arrival of the pandemic -- [amid grave concerns about finances](. Reminiscent of the toilet paper shortage that we all remember from the early days of spring, [lumber is hard to come by these days]( -- and very expensive. The success of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party in last week's state primary election [could have far-reaching legislative impact](. It was a surreal scene at Gillette Stadium yesterday, as the Patriots opened their season with a win [inside an empty stadium](. And they did it with an offense, directed by quarterback Cam Newton, [that looked nothing like]( what Patriots fans have gotten used to seeing over the last two decades. Have a great night. And remember, if you enjoy This Just In, please [encourage a friend to sign up](. providencejournal.com [Facebook]( [Twitter]( You are receiving this communication as a member of the Providence Journal. Providence Journal values your online privacy. For more information, view our [privacy policy]( now. Please do not reply to this message. [Manage Preferences or Unsubscribe]( Providence Journal 75 Fountain Street Providence, RI 02902 © 2020 Providence Journal. All rights reserved.