CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Private Schools in Hampton Roads are seeing a huge uptick in calls, as many parents look to keep their kids in the classroom this fall.
Montessori schools are known for their hands-on education and school leaders said their phones continue to ring off the hook.
The Chesapeake Montessori School owner and head of school, Shanna Honan, said teachers and staff are ready to welcome students back into the classroom.
We are going back face to face because we feel we feel we can do it in a safe manner," Honan said.
Teachers are adding extra tools in the classroom to keep students safe. One of them being plastic shield dividers.
“Physical things we have in place are everything from a lot of sanitization processes to hand washing to mask-wearing for children who are three years and older,” Honan explained.
Honan said as many Hampton Roads public schools announced online learning amid the pandemic, parents started looking to private schools for face-to-face instruction.
“Our phones are blowing up,” she explained. “People calling from every age, from infant all the way through sixth grade saying I need a place for my child to go, I’m a working parent. What are my options?”
Despite the increased interest, Honan says the school doesn't have enough room to accommodate more students. She said government regulations only allow so many children in a classroom at once.
“I had to disenroll 16 three-year-olds because I did not have any space. It’s very tough but we have no choice, we follow government regulations,” she said.
Parents are still scrambling for options less than a week until the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Honan wishes she could be more of a help to them.
“I feel. I very much feel for the situation, but like I said there is only so much I can do,” Honan explained.
While her hands are tied there, she said she’ll do everything in her power to keep her students and staff healthy and safe at Chesapeake Montessori School.