More than 5,800 students returned to Manhattan Beach Unified School District schools on Wednesday.

At Grand View Elementary School and Pennekamp Elementary School, staff and students were able to see new classrooms and classroom buildings for the first time.

The Grand View project includes a new two-story building as well as a playground on the middle level. A new kindergarten complex and a three-story building is expected to be finished later this year.

The Pennekamp project involved adding 36 modular units to create a 2-story modern classroom structure, replacing some hardscape playground area and a small parking lot.

The additions are part of a modernization project paid for by local voters' support of Measure C in November 2016.

Regarding the school's COVID-19 policies, indoor masking continues to be highly recommended but optional.

However, those who are identified as a close contact (defined as someone sharing the same indoor airspace with a person infected with COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period) are required to mask indoors for 10 days.