School campuses are full of life again as kids and educators return to classrooms in-person for a full five-day-a-week schedule. Kids listen while in their seats, hang out during lunch breaks, and walk around on campus with backpacks in tow.

The start of the 2021-22 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 17, seemed like a normal time—except everyone was still wearing masks while indoors.

The first day of school for Capistrano Unified School District marks some sort of a return to normalcy, though mask requirements were a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic continues—and has arguably worsened in some respects as a direct result of the Delta variant and subsequent rise in cases.

CUSD is prepared, though, and following guidelines set forth by the California Department of Public Health, which mandate masks for students and adults in indoor settings. Masks can be removed if people are outdoors, though some still opt to keep them on.