GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Alexis Tilley usually spends late summer in her classroom decorating for a new group of students.
"It makes my teacher heart happy," Tilley said.
Her 3rd grade classroom at Millis Road Elementary School still sits empty since the first five weeks of school are set to be remote.
Instead, Tilley is putting her energy into a spare bedroom in her home.
When I moved everything out [of the school], I thought hey I can make a classroom in here," Tilley said, "Being able to set up this space really made me feel like I was working towards being prepared for the beginning of the school year."
It's not just for her. Her husband Bray is a special education resource teacher at E.P. Pearce Elementary School.
"We'll have to be really creative with our scheduling. If not, then we can get another whiteboard and set it up somewhere in the house," Bray Tilley said.
The couple hopes to alternate schedules through recorded lessons so that they can take turns caring for their 7-month-old son.
They said doing remote learning for the last part of the 2019-2020 school year taught them what works and what doesn't work outside of the classroom.
"I think the students as well will be more prepared now that they know how to access some of the platforms that the district is using," Bray Tilley said.
One of the biggest challenges will be working with a new group of students.
"It's harder than when we left in March, we had already had six or seven months with our students so it was a little easier. They already knew us, the relationships were already there," Bray Tilley said.
That's why the Tilleys hope a classroom away from the classroom can help students feel more comfortable.
"[To make it a welcoming environment for students because ultimately they will be sharing this space with me in some capacity," Alexis Tilley said.