With their pencils sharpened and backpacks filled, today was the first day of school for Catholic school students across New York City.

Both the Archdiocese of New York and the Diocese of Brooklyn have several measures in place to keep kids safe.

One of many protocols being put in place to keep students safe is a mask mandate - no student will get through the school doors without one.

Staff members want to instill a sense of normalcy in the classrooms even though this is yet another unusual year for children heading back to school. Officials are encouraging vaccinations, social distancing and hand-washing. On top of that, they will have rigorous cleaning and sanitizing of the facilities, including using air filtration systems.

If a child is sick, parents are encouraged to keep them home until a doctor has cleared them to return to school. Catholic academies and parishes also plan to follow all rules when it comes to contact tracing. Families of the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York received an email with a full opening plan.

"The Brooklyn Diocese says enrollment is up 40% after years of decline. Now at 401 students, changes were necessary," John O'Brien, principal.

The Brooklyn Diocese says St. Thomas Aquinas is designated as a remote school, so any parent choosing to stay remote can go there.