Coronavirus

Back to school in La Crosse means back to classrooms, as usual

Published

3 years ago

August 31, 2021

Brad Williams

This time, it’s going to feel more like a normal start to the school year in La Crosse.

Students in the district had to learn at home for the fall semester of 2020, because of the pandemic.

For second-year Superintendent, Dr. Aaron Engel, the first day of school Wednesday will be the first time for him, La Crosse students’ will be back literally in the classroom.

“My favorite day of school every year is the first day of school, so it’s nice that this year, it’s a little more traditional,” Engel said Tuesday on La Crosse Talk PM.

Last year, that was something Engel didn’t get to see, as students began the year virtual learning. It wasn’t until January that they were physically back in school.

“When we started second semester with kids in classrooms, getting off of buses, it was awesome,” Engel said of their return to classroom learning last school year.

Two La Crosse public schools, Hamilton and Northside, have year-round classes, so the school year started in those buildings back in July. Those schools, however, did also go back to a traditional calendar year for a time during the pandemic.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.