MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Many students' summer vacations came to an end on Tuesday, as Maryville City Schools welcomed them back to in-person learning. Around half of the student population returned to school, with the rest scheduled to have their first day on Wednesday due to a staggered schedule.
Students with last names between A - K returned to school on Tuesday, with students whose last names are between L - Z scheduled to return on Wednesday. Teachers said they were excited to see students in person once again, after around a year of virtual learning due to COVID-19.
Officials said that Maryville schools said a large enrollment increase this year, with 300 more students compared to the previous year., More than 400 kindergarten students were also enrolled, according to officials.
"We are experiencing a lot of growth," said Mike Winstead, the director of Maryville City Schools. "We got more folks from out of state. We're about at our largest increase ever with student enrollment — almost 6%."
Officials also said there are plans to expand the city's high school in the future. They also said that teachers are prepared to pivot to virtual learning if needed, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.