Shelby County School students return for the first time in 354 days Elementary students were the first to return for Shelby County Schools on Monday. The district said a third of students opted to return to the classroom. Author: Jalyn Souchek Updated: 5:38 PM CST March 1, 2021 MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Students are back in the classrooms of Shelby County Schools for the first time in nearly a year. Pre-K through 5th grades students, whose parents opted for their children to go back, were the first to return Monday morning. 354 days had passed since students were last in the classroom on March 12, 2020. Jerica Phillips, Shelby County Schools Chief of Communications, said nearly a third of elementary students opted to return.