HENDERSON (KTNV) — Students at Lamping Elementary in Henderson returned to distance learning on Aug. 17 after multiple positive COVID-19 cases were reported from students and staff.
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Classes are back in session after 10 days of at-home learning and students we spoke with are happy to be back with friends.
"The first day back to school was good! I hated it when it was online because you had to do like 10 tests," Olivia, a 3rd grader told us.
Parents are happy too but they question why Clark County School District is leaving them in the dark about COVID-19 cases.
Shelley Irons, Olivia's mother said, "They need to tell us as parents because it’s our right to know how many kids have COVID or if there are really cases and who was exposed. We don’t need to know the names. That’s personal information we can’t get but we need to know what are the numbers. They’re not telling us. They’re just saying COVID issues."
The back and forth between in-person and distance learning has taken a toll on some students, according to Irons.
"They went one or two days and then boom they’re out again. It was hard on the kids. Not only with academics but it’s hard emotionally. It’s hard mentally and they really need to be around other kids," says Irons.
As of Aug. 29, CCSD has reported just under 1,500 cases district-wide and less than 10 cases at Lamping Elementary. However, parents say the website where you check these numbers is confusing.
Lamping Elementary Parent Teacher Association President and parent Justin Weathersbee explained, "I think there is a disparage between the school closing and the site getting updated. I think that process could probably be fixed."
Still, he praised the school's administrative staff for how they handled it.
"It’s an abrupt thing. I think the kiddos suffer the most but our administration and our staff was prepared for it."
MORE: What goes into temporarily closing a Clark County school for COVID-19 mitigation?
We reached out to CCSD and they told us that they will continue to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and the Southern Nevada Health District.
As for parents, the school district is asking to make sure you’re doing health checks with your children and keep them home if they are showing any symptoms.
