For weeks students across Victoria have been logging into remote classes from home, but with a return to school announced earlier today, principals say they cannot wait to see their pupils again.
The Victorian Government announced a staggered return for students, starting from May 26.
Melbourne Grammar Headmaster Philip Grutzner said he was "thrilled" to hear the news.
"We've missed our students and staff and can't wait to see them back on site as soon as possible," he said.
"There will be a lot of elbow tapping and big smiles from the students and the staff when they return, along with the principals as well," he said.
Mr Grutzner praised the "cautious approach" taken by the Victorian Government and said it should comfort parents who were concerned about the health risk of schools reopening.
The headmaster said his school would make changes to keep students safe.
"We need to consider the learning programs, co-curricular activities, boarding, catering, social distancing as well as other health and safety practices," he said.
He said he was particularly pleased year 12 students would soon return to class.
"I really feel for our year 12 students, because it is not just the pressures on their study and having to adapt to a new form of learning very quickly, along with their teachers," he said.
"But also I know they are really missing the social interaction involved in their final year and all the other lovely things that schools do like year 12 formals, plays, musicals, music and also sport."
Tough time for year 12 students
Mallacoota P-12 College principal Tim Cashmore is in charge of a school that teaches students from primary school right through to year 12.
He said ensuring students, particularly younger children, performed social distancing once they returned to classrooms would be challenging.
Mr Cashmore said the Education Department would send an operations manual to public schools, along with extra funding for additional cleaning services.
"We are not allowed to have school assemblies or camps, we need to use water bottles — not using drink fountains," he said.
"Maybe a staggered timetable where the primaries have an earlier break than the secondaries so we haven't got them all out there at once."
His school will also have to find a way to maintain social distancing on its school bus, which takes students to and from Genoa.
Mr Cashmore said it had been a particularly tough year for the school's year 12 students, who lived through East Gippsland's devastating bushfires and then had to learn from home during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our students in year 12 this year didn't get a holiday this year — they had bushfires," he said.
'It won't be completely normal'
Footscray High School executive principal Frank Vetere said his school would make changes in areas such as its cafeteria and staffrooms to ensure social-distancing measures were followed.
"Whilst we are returning, it won't be complete normality for us," he said.
"Things such as large gatherings, parent-teacher information evenings, assemblies will look different."
He said there would be challenges.
"One thing that may cause a little concern is that there is quite a number of people that are vulnerable, and [we need to ensure] we support those people," he said.
"For some time there might be a hybrid approach to education."
