Riverside elementary students return to classrooms for in-person learning

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Elementary students welcomed back to class in Riverside

On Wednesday, Riverside Unified School District elementary students returned to school for in-person learning five days a week.

"I am so happy," parents echo as they wait to pick up their kids at Pachappas Elementary. 

That’s about 12,500 children, as Riverside County’s second-largest public school district moves forward to set a complete return to campus teaching.

RELATED: LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner to step down when June 2021 contract expires

School principal Erica Square says that parents got a choice, at the beginning of the school year, whether to have their children return full-time, part-time, or stay in remote learning.

About 80% of the parents at her school picked the full-time option.

Some parents say it's not only a matter of it being better for their kids, some parents were about to lose their jobs, staying at home full-time with their sons and daughters.

RELATED: Four school districts set to reopen for in-person instruction in Riverside County

Check out what the students say about the experience in our piece.

Middle schoolers go back to five days a week, starting Wednesday, April 28 and high schoolers return to classes the first week of May.

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