JUPITER, Fla. — School just started for LeSandra and Brandon Peek's children, and already they're dealing with distance learning issues.
"Because Zoom had, like, a worldwide crash, so that was a little hard for the kids," LeSandra Peek said.
She said connections were so bad students couldn't see their teachers. Emails were sent out to parents from the school principal.
"She let us know what was going on so that they wouldn't be counted absent," she said.
Students weren't the only ones impacted. Ariel Alexis is a fifth-grade teacher at Jerry Thomas Elementary School.
"The first day you kind of expected not all the students to have logged on on time and know exactly where to go," she said. "But it seems as the days are going by it's getting even tougher because a lot of students are having problems with their internet connection."
Distance learning was not only a hot topic. In a meeting Wednesday, school board members also discussed how to finalize plans for the return of brick-and-mortar schools.
"I am the superintendent and I ultimately bear the responsibility for all of this, so I am pulling the whole team together tomorrow," Dr. Donald Fennoy said. "We are going to get to the finish line."
One potential issue is just how many district employees may not be ready to return, along with the families who opt to remain in distance learning.
"It could create a real problem for parents because their children have bonded and gotten to know a teacher and, all of a sudden, they are going to get a stranger for their online teacher," Vice Chair Chuck Shaw said.
Back at the Peek household, both agree times have changed.
"It's very different, especially from the way we were brought up," Brandon Peek said. "Of course, being at school and getting your clothes ready for the first day."