By Sam Wildow

TROY — Wednesday was the start of the 2021-2022 school year for a number of local students.

“It’s the first day for most of our students,” Troy City Schools Superintendent Chris Piper said.

Troy City Schools is having a staggered start for kindergarten students in order “to get them acclimated and ready to go,” Piper said. The district also had a freshmen focus at the Troy High School with only freshmen starting classes on Wednesday and upper class students starting on Thursday.

“It’s been a great start,” Piper said, who spent Wednesday visiting the district’s nine schools. “I’ve heard nothing but good things.”

Gov. Mike DeWine’s press conference on Tuesday did not change the status of COVID-19 protocols at Troy City Schools. On Tuesday, DeWine asked schools to require children wear masks at school, but the state did not issue any mandates.

“We’re still recommending face coverings for anybody’s who unvaccinated,” Piper said, noting masks are still optional. Piper said the district will continue to work with health professionals, like Miami County Public Health.

A number of students are also returning to in-person learning after a year of online learning. Piper said Troy City Schools had approximately 750 students who were fully online learners at point last year, and approximately 700 of those students are returning to in-person learning this school year.

“We are kind of re-emphasizing what being in school means,” Piper said. He said they are going over their expectations for students in the schools, adding they typically do this each year at the beginning school, but there is particular attention on those expectations this year.

“I appreciate all the hard work our teachers and our support staff put in,” Piper said. He said it takes a lot of work to prepare for an upcoming school year, adding their hard work has paid off.