More Catholic schools are welcoming students back onto campus. The Academy of our Lady of Guam, St. Francis, and Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School started the academic year yesterday and KUAM News stopped by AOLG in Hagatna to check it out.

"I was a little bit anxious considering everything going on and making sure everyone is safe and healthy," said principal Iris Gaza. "But at the same time excited to come back to school because it's like home for me. It's my second home." Gaza returns back to her second home, inviting students, faculty and staff to join her on campus for the start of the school year.

Prior to entering the doors, everyone is scanned for their temperature and once permitted they must maintain social distancing throughout the campus, explained Gaza.

"Whether they are having lunch, walking in the hallways as you can see we have markers all over the school just to make sure the girls know which direction to walk and also to keep that social distancing," she added.

All class rooms are separated to have each student sitting four feet apart and have a second desk next to them for their bags. As for the cafeteria, lunch has been divided into three groups.

"We have lunch one and two for the 10th, 11th and 12th graders and then the freshmen lunch for the first quarter. So it's actually three separate groups and all students have to face one direction during each lunch period, and before they switch there is a sanitization by the students of their own area before the next group comes in," Gaza continued.

Academy has a population of 323 students, which have been split into two groups A and B. Group A comes onto campus Monday and Wednesdays and Group B on Tuesday and Thursday, with Friday being an at-home school day.

Gaza says enrollment is lower than last school year, but considering the situation she is happy with their numbers.

"I think some of them have opted to do at home learning or online learning with other educational institutions and I think between that and other issues that may have been the reason for the decrease but at least our senior class has a 98 percent returning percentage on returns," she said.

Noting the drop in new enrollees, Gaza says there are concerns amongst the public as a whole, but from the first day back in school, academy students were happy to be re-united even under the new circumstances.

For those in the academy community who are experiencing anxiety, fear or any uneasiness during this time, they have hired an additional school counselor and opened their prayer room with a social distanced set up.

Additionally Gaza says they are looking into other opportunities, such has having their Chaplin come into school to sit with students for prayer services by grade level. She said, "We recognize it's not just about learning but it's also about the social, and emotional aspects of being in school so we are definitely considering all of that."