What School Reopening Looks Like Around the World

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What School Reopening Looks Like Around the World

By Jaclyn Borowski — May 07, 2020 1 min read

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The majority of school buildings in the United States will remain closed for the rest of the school year as the coronavirus continues to spread. But school leaders have already begun to imagine and plan for the fall when students will return for the new school year in a world still struggling with the pandemic. Here’s a look at how other countries have addressed the challenges of reopening schools in this new reality.

BELARUS

School children play football at their school sports facilities in Minsk, Belarus, Monday, April 20, 2020. Schools reopened Monday in Belarus following an extended spring break, but authorities allowed parents to keep their children at home even though the country specifically steered clear of closures and restrictions on public movement during the coronavirus pandemic. — School children play football at their school sports facilities in Minsk, Belarus, Monday, April 20, 2020. Schools reopened Monday in Belarus following an extended spring break, but authorities allowed parents to keep their children at home even though the country specifically steered clear of closures and restrictions on public movement during the coronavirus pandemic.
Sergei Grits/AP

CHINA

Students wearing protective face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus are reflected on a monitor screen showing their body temperatures as they arrive at a high school in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. — Students wearing protective face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus are reflected on a monitor screen showing their body temperatures as they arrive at a high school in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020.
Chinatopix via AP

Senior students returned to classes on Wednesday in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, after no new cases or deaths were reported from the outbreak that had prompted a 76-day quarantine in the city of 11 million. — Senior students returned to classes on Wednesday in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, after no new cases or deaths were reported from the outbreak that had prompted a 76-day quarantine in the city of 11 million.
Chinatopix via AP

A female student wearing a protective face mask, checks the temperature of her classmates at a high school in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. — A female student wearing a protective face mask, checks the temperature of her classmates at a high school in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020.
Chinatopix via AP

FRANCE

Blue stickers showing a safe distance of at least one meter are displayed on the floor ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary school on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Poissy, outside Paris. Starting from May 11, all French businesses will be allowed to resume activity and schools will start gradually reopening. — Blue stickers showing a safe distance of at least one meter are displayed on the floor ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary school on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Poissy, outside Paris. Starting from May 11, all French businesses will be allowed to resume activity and schools will start gradually reopening.
Ian Langsdon/Pool via AP

A sign asking children to respect a safe distance of at least one meter is displayed on the floor ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary school. — A sign asking children to respect a safe distance of at least one meter is displayed on the floor ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary school.
Ian Langsdon/Pool via AP

Hand sanitizer is available for schoolchildren during the class as part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the Pierre Ronsard elementary school. — Hand sanitizer is available for schoolchildren during the class as part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the Pierre Ronsard elementary school.
Ian Langsdon/Pool via AP

A teacher wearing a mask works with children ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary. — A teacher wearing a mask works with children ahead of a visit of the French President Macron at the Pierre Ronsard elementary.
Ian Langsdon/Pool via AP

GERMANY

Students prepare for end-of-year examinations at the Joseph Koenig Grammar School in Haltern am See, Germany, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Almost six weeks after the closure of schools in North Rhine-Westphalia due to the coronavirus crisis, many of them are now opening their doors again for the first time for thousands of exam candidates. — Students prepare for end-of-year examinations at the Joseph Koenig Grammar School in Haltern am See, Germany, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Almost six weeks after the closure of schools in North Rhine-Westphalia due to the coronavirus crisis, many of them are now opening their doors again for the first time for thousands of exam candidates.
Rolf Vennenbernd/DPA via AP

Students wearing face masks during exam preparation for the Abitur at the JenaPlan School in Jena, Germany, Monday, April 27, 2020. After a compulsory coronavirus break of several weeks, the schools reopened for high school graduates in the federal state of Thuringia. — Students wearing face masks during exam preparation for the Abitur at the JenaPlan School in Jena, Germany, Monday, April 27, 2020. After a compulsory coronavirus break of several weeks, the schools reopened for high school graduates in the federal state of Thuringia.
Bodo Schackow/DPA via AP

A student gets her hand disinfected as she enters the school building of the Q2 upper school of the Heinrich von Gagern Gymnasium in Frankfurt, Germany, April 27, 2020. Six weeks after the corona-related school closures in Hesse, classes are starting up again. Initially, around 110,000 pupils from the final year classes will be returning to their schools. — A student gets her hand disinfected as she enters the school building of the Q2 upper school of the Heinrich von Gagern Gymnasium in Frankfurt, Germany, April 27, 2020. Six weeks after the corona-related school closures in Hesse, classes are starting up again. Initially, around 110,000 pupils from the final year classes will be returning to their schools.
Anne Dedert/DPA via AP

Students of a 4th grade walk at a distance on stairs to their classrooms in the Goldbeck Schoo in Hamburg, Germany, Monday, May 4, 2020. On Monday, lessons began again for more classes at the Hamburg schools, and the fourth graders returned to the primary schools. — Students of a 4th grade walk at a distance on stairs to their classrooms in the Goldbeck Schoo in Hamburg, Germany, Monday, May 4, 2020. On Monday, lessons began again for more classes at the Hamburg schools, and the fourth graders returned to the primary schools.
Christian Charisius/DPA via AP

Schoolgirls observe the rules of social distancing on the playground of the Goldbeck School in Hamburg, Germany, Monday, May 4, 2020. — Schoolgirls observe the rules of social distancing on the playground of the Goldbeck School in Hamburg, Germany, Monday, May 4, 2020.
Christian Charisius/DPA via AP

MADAGASCAR

Masked students sit in their class, after being given a herbal extract believed to protect from COVID-19, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Schools were reopened after being closed for a month due to the spread of coronavirus. Students have to drink the extract as schools resume classes where they now are seated one to a desk instead of two, for social distancing. — Masked students sit in their class, after being given a herbal extract believed to protect from COVID-19, in Antananarivo, Madagascar, Thursday, April 23, 2020. Schools were reopened after being closed for a month due to the spread of coronavirus. Students have to drink the extract as schools resume classes where they now are seated one to a desk instead of two, for social distancing.
Alexander Joe/AP

NORWAY

Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, center, learns a greeting technique by students Celine Busk, left and Rim Daniel Abraham, during her visit to Ellingsrudasen school in Oslo, Norway, Monday, April 27, 2020. Schools reopened for first through fourth grades in Norway after six weeks of closure, due to the coronavirus pandemic. — Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, center, learns a greeting technique by students Celine Busk, left and Rim Daniel Abraham, during her visit to Ellingsrudasen school in Oslo, Norway, Monday, April 27, 2020. Schools reopened for first through fourth grades in Norway after six weeks of closure, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hakon Mosvold Larsen/NTB scanpix via AP

Vikasen school in Trondheim, Norway, as schools opened their doors on Monday, April 27, 2020. All students are divided into groups, must bring their own school equipment, and they are trained to stay one meter away from fellow pupils. — Vikasen school in Trondheim, Norway, as schools opened their doors on Monday, April 27, 2020. All students are divided into groups, must bring their own school equipment, and they are trained to stay one meter away from fellow pupils.
Gorm Kallestad/NTB scanpix via AP

VIETNAM

A student is scanned for temperature before entering Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, May 4, 2020. Students across Vietnam return to school after three months of studying online due to school closure to contain the spread of COVID-19. — A student is scanned for temperature before entering Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, May 4, 2020. Students across Vietnam return to school after three months of studying online due to school closure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Hau Dinh/AP

Students wearing masks attend a class in Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, May 4, 2020. — Students wearing masks attend a class in Dinh Cong secondary school in Hanoi, Vietnam Monday, May 4, 2020.
Hau Dinh/AP

One of the exceptions to school closures in the U.S. is MONTANA, where schools’ opening status varies by district. Willow Creek School, located 40 miles outside Bozeman, reopened this week to finish out the final two and a half weeks of the school year. School principal Bonnie Lower, also the district’s superintendent, greeted students at the door, where she checked their temperatures.

Principal and District Superintendent Bonnie Lower takes the temperature of a student at Willow Creek School as the school reopened, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. The school opened its doors to a couple of dozen students Thursday to finish out the final two and a half weeks of the school year. — Principal and District Superintendent Bonnie Lower takes the temperature of a student at Willow Creek School as the school reopened, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. The school opened its doors to a couple of dozen students Thursday to finish out the final two and a half weeks of the school year.
Ryan Berry/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

A Willow Creek School teacher welcomes students back to class as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. — A Willow Creek School teacher welcomes students back to class as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont.
Ryan Berry/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

A mother drops off her children at Willow Creek School as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. — A mother drops off her children at Willow Creek School as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont.
Ryan Berry/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

One of the two bus drivers for Willow Creek School wears a mask as he drops off students as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. The other bus driver also wore a mask. — One of the two bus drivers for Willow Creek School wears a mask as he drops off students as the school reopened amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. The other bus driver also wore a mask.
Ryan Berry/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

Principal and District Superintendent Bonnie Lower takes the temperature of a student at Willow Creek School as the school reopened, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont. — Principal and District Superintendent Bonnie Lower takes the temperature of a student at Willow Creek School as the school reopened, Thursday, May 7, 2020, in Willow Creek, Mont.
Ryan Berry/Bozeman Daily Chronicle via AP

Jaclyn Borowski

Director of Photography & Videography, Education Week

Jaclyn Borowski is the director of photography and videography for Education Week.

A version of this article first appeared in the Full Frame blog.

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