(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Schools Superintendent Mark Francesconi says the start of the school year is going better than expected despite the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic.  He said there have been no major issues with students or staff not wearing masks and social distancing in the school buildings.

Normally, Francesconi said about 35-percent of students ride the buses.  He didn’t have statistics but fewer students were on the buses early on which means more space for students transported to and from school, he said.

Currently, school buildings in La Porte are open for in-person learning five days a week because just 5.3 percent of people tested for COVID-19 in La Porte County are coming up positive.  A positivity rate of 6 percent or higher will mean schools opening anywhere from one to four days a week.

Several La Porte High School students, after classes were dismissed Monday, said they were glad to be back after learning strictly from home during the final 10 weeks of the spring semester.  The students also said they felt safe with necessary safety precautions like masks and band practice outdoors being followed.