LARGO, Fla. — Parents, students, teachers, and school staff are making their final preparations before school starts on Monday in Pinellas County.

On Friday, as bus drivers drove their routes making any final adjustments, Pinellas County parents prepared their children to start a new, unusual school year.

The Bruners’ have three children and chose different learning options for each based off of how they handled distance learning last Spring.

“I’m mostly preparing mentally because I really don’t know what’s going to happen and it’s a mystery until you start,” said Jocelyn Bruner who will be attending middle school online.

While Jocelyn will do distance learning, her mother, Christie Bruner, said her other two children will both be going back to the classroom.

Christie said it was challenging figuring out the best option for each child, and while she is concerned about COVID in the classrooms, she had to do what was best for her kids overall, taking all factors into consideration. 

“The mental health aspect has been the most troubling for my kids and for my family and for parents as well with having so many responsibilities and then adding all of these decisions to be made,” said Christie.