TAMPA, Fla. — As public schools have pushed back school starts dates in recent weeks, teachers and administrators at Hillel Academy in Tampa have been prepping to reopen classrooms.

Hillel Academy, a K-8 private school, reopens Wednesday for students with strict guidelines in place for staff and students.

Kindergarten teacher Maritza Patet says the past few weeks have been busy as teachers collect supplies and get student supplies ready.

"Getting all their binders ready, their work ready, their journals, their writing journals, their reading journals and just getting ready to get together again.  We are excited," Patet said.

Students will be greeted with a Wizard of Oz Theme as they arrive at school today, complete with a yellow brick road guiding them to their classrooms.  

It's an effort by teachers and staff to keep students mind off of the drastic changes now in place due to Coronavirus.

Social distancing will be strictly enforced which means classrooms and movements throughout the school will be different than previous years.

Masks will be worn by all students and staff.

And temperature checks will be performed for everyone on campus three times a day, as people enter campus, midday, and before they leave campus.

Hillel Academy also has a 4-tier plan in the event of any positive coronavirus cases at the school or a spike in the numbers in the community.  

That plan will allow students to learn from home, if needed or ordered by the Governor, at any point during the school year.