SUMTER, S.C. — When and how will schools reopen?
It's the question on every parent's mind, after the coronavirus led to early school closures across the state.
In Sumter, school district leaders are asking parents, students, employees and community members to have their say in a new survey on the district website.
How comfortable are parents with their kids returning?
What are their primary concerns and would they like to see schedule adjustments or continue school from home?
These are just a few of the topics addressed.
"I want them to stay safe and I want them to feel comfortable, but I also feel like these kids need normalcy in their life," Rebecca Koenig said.
Her daughter Lilly is a third grader in Sumter Schools.
She remembers the moment they switched to remote learning, as part of a statewide mandate to curb the spread of the virus.
"There was fear when we first started, absolutely," Koenig said. "We didn't know what was going to happen. We didn't know what all this was going to entail."
She's planning to fill out the survey Monday, hoping to now move closer to a sense of normalcy.
As for the summer, district leaders say they still haven't made a decision yet on when summer programs will begin, as they continue to gather feedback and develop a plan.
The survey closes Wednesday, June 24 at noon and can be found on the Sumter School District website.