St. Elizabeth Regional School, 433 Pershing Blvd., Whitehall, expects only 15 families to attend virtually this fall, leaving a majority of the student body present for in-person classroom learning.

The Diocese of Allentown school will welcome students in grades 1 through 8 Aug. 31, while students in kindergarten will follow two days later - Sept. 2.

The students will return to 8 a.m.-2:40 p.m. days, with extended care offered until 5:30 p.m.

The school has added new preventive measures during this COVID-19 pandemic. As staff members arrive, they are required to have their temperatures screened and must complete a COVID-19 symptom questionnaire. Students will be held to the same standards; however, their parents will complete this checklist for them at home before they head to school.

Classrooms have been modified to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, such as desks spaced 6 feet apart, a mask-covering requirement and routine scheduled cleanings. Teachers will be equipped with facial shields that allow for their mouths to be visible, creating a comfortable dynamic between student and teacher.

Lunch will be served in the classrooms, and the students will have their open airtime scheduled, intending to limit the amount of contact the classrooms have with one another.

The current class size ranges from 12 to 15 students, with an exception for one large class coming in at 17 students. Principal Kimberly Kocher praised her staff, saying that “while it was challenging (to work with the larger classroom), our wonderful and creative teachers have been able to get desks 6 feet apart to meet current CDC guidelines.”

Those participating in the virtual classroom will receive the same lesson as those learning in person, thanks to Google Suite. The classroom will be livestreamed via Google Classroom or Zoom, depending on the teacher.

The school was awarded a grant that affords 75 Chromebooks, which will be available for students to borrow, if necessary.

“Once our hallways are filled with our students, we will see the fruit of our labor,” Kocher said.

St. Elizabeth’s serves students in Catasauqua, Whitehall and Allentown.

For more information regarding the school opening, visit sercc.org.