Back To Old Routine For 357,000 CPS Students
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It was back to the old routine for 357,000 Chicago Public Schools students and their parents Wednesday morning, with the teachers' strike that kept them out of school for seven days now over.
CBS 2's Courtney Gousman was there as a Logan Square family prepared to return to class Wednesday.
At Funston Elementary, 2010 N. Central Park Ave., more than 600 students, 38 teachers, and a number of staff members were back in the classroom together for the first time in nine days, and everyone seemed to look forward to this day.
But before all that, at 6:30 a.m., in the Alfaro household, mom was about to be surprised. Daniel Alfaro, 8, was up before his wake-up call, dressed in his school uniform, patiently waiting on his bed.
"It's the first time that I go in and he's not in pajamas. He's excited to go back to school," said Gloria Alfaro.
Daniel Alfaro and his sister, Melissa, both attend Funston Elementary.
Gloria Alfaro tells CBS 2, she kept her 2nd and 3rd graders in their school routine, during the nine day strike.
"I was like being the teacher all the time. I was like working with them, trying to work with reading, math with both of them," said Gloria Alfaro.
As much as the Alfaro kids loved staying home with mom, Daniel and Melissa say they're glad to head back to school today.
"It's kind of happy to go back to school cause then you get to do some work, have some fun, some science projects," said Daniel, a third grader.
"My teacher will be here and then all my friends will be there too," said second grader Melissa.
Funston Elementary principal, Nilma Osiecki, says staffers at her school were prepared to welcome students and teachers back Friday.
"We are very ready to take all the questions that we can and make it a learning experience," Osiecki said. "I feel happy that they're back in school, that they'll be there with their normal schedule. That they'll be learning," said Gloria.
Osiecki tells CBS 2 time has been set aside to discuss the teachers' strike with students, but they are also focused on getting back to the business of learning.
