Alet Davis is an active kindergartner who is happy to be in school, but things are a lot different.

Kindergarten looks nothing like it did one year ago.

Danielle Behm teaches kindergarten at Blessed Sacrament School in Syracuse.

"Pre-pandemic, they could share toys and get close to each other, play with each other," she said. "But now, it’s just very, you know, make sure you’re keeping a safe distance, no sharing, so a lot of difference."

The basic three tenets of education have not changed. They are focused on reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Miss Behm leads the class in their math lesson. After socially distanced lessons, Davis gets to focus on something a lot more fun and it requires them to bring something special from home.

Alet unpacks toys from home. Pre-COVID-19 toys from home were discouraged.

“This is my Barbie … Belle," Davis said. "I forgot her name for a second. This is my toy, Emily, and it’s Belle’s grandaughter.”

Getting ready to go outside and play in a pandemic is different, too. Kids put on their masks, grab toys from home, and line up distanced to go play.

Even outside teachers have to protect their students. Miss Behm made a 6-foot "yardstick" to be able to space her students out to play without masks at recess.

Being outside means Alet can finally take a mask break. She gasps as she takes her mask off.

“That’s much better, because I can’t breathe with my mask on!” Alet said.

Now it’s time for these kindergarteners to play. But how do you play together when you’re 6 feet apart?

"We act like we’re all next-door neighbors; [most] times, we do that," Alet said.

After a nice recess, it’s time to mask back up, get back to class for storytime, and get ready for pickup. Alet said that pickup is different now, too.

"So, they call the names from the walkie talkie, because the parents can’t come into school," Alet said.

Alet and her friends race out of the school toward her parents excitedly.

Venturing home to play without a mask, Alet and her family overall are happy they have school, even if kindergarten is completely different in the age of COVID-19.