KITCHENER -- Some students in Waterloo Region will return to the classroom Tuesday as part of a staggered start to the school year.

This will be the first time students will attend classes in person since restrictions were put in place in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the next couple of weeks, the Catholic and public school boards will see a staggered start for students by grades and groups.

The first day of classes for grade one and two students at Catholic schools is Tuesday.

"It's a little bit scary and it's a little bit nerve racking to make sure we are doing the best for the kids," said Nancy Montes, a Grade 3 teacher from St. Dominic Savio Catholic School.

Grade three students will start on Wednesday, followed by grade fours on Thursday, and so on.

High school students enrolled with the Catholic board will start on September 14.

The French Catholic board will see some students head back to class on Tuesday in part of a gradual return to school.

Meanwhile, the Waterloo Region District School Board had previously released a revised schedule that will see grade nine orientation begin on Wednesday.

Orientation for grade nine students will be split into two cohorts, with the first group starting on Wednesday and the second group beginning on Thursday.

Junior Kindergarten students with the public board will attend orientation on Thursday.

All other staff will be connecting one on one with students and their families during this time through a phone call or Google Meet.

Waterloo’s Edna Staebler Public School is also set to reopen on Tuesday after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

The province shuttered all schools on March 13 cases of coronavirus disease began to rise.