After the unexpected closing of schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak last March, Lufkin schools have made many changes to ensure the safety of students and staff.

It has only been three weeks since the beginning of the second semester of this school year, along with the return of most online students.

Lufkin High School Principal Brandon Boyd said district administrators spent “lots of time” considering whether to end the Lufkin Virtual Learning Academy.

“I mean, there was a lot of effort put into it to make sure we made the right decision,” he said, “but I believe we made the right decision — no doubt.”

In the first semester, the school district and high school made rules for everyone’s safety, including mandatory face masks, limitations on the number of students in a restroom, and placing COVID-19 informational posters around the school for students to read.

Staff members also have been keeping a lookout on who has tested positive for the virus and sending them home, ensuring that it does not spread. They have also placed plastic shields in the cafeteria.

“We are making sure that our kids are not only being safe, but also making sure that we’re cutting down on exposure and people having to go home,” Boyd said.