BALTIMORE (WBFF) -- Baltimore City Schools’ virtual school year has been in session for one week. But the district already aiming to be one of the first to bring students back into schools this semester.

District officials say they want to update students and parents on October 16th on those who may be able to return to school this semester. One driver is the outbreak of violence in the city involving teenagers, and concern for their safety when they’re not in school.

In just two weeks on Sept. 28, students will return to schools in Baltimore as learning support centers open.

Communications director Andre Riley says 1,200 students will learn virtually at 15 schools and recreation centers.

After a streak of deadly shootings, including a 14-year-old shot on Friday, Riley says it's important to start bringing kids back to school.

"Many times if they’re in a classroom you can avoid a lot of other things that may be happening in our communities, and right now we don’t have as much access physically to our students as we would like," he says. "So when things like that happen, believe me we are aware of them, we’re doing what we can as a school district to participate in mitigating them."

Homeless students and those with working parents will be prioritized for the learning centers in a weighted lottery.

The centers will be the blueprint for how the school works to bring more students back later in the semester.

"As we look forward to the fall, we are also exploring how to bring back other specialized groups of students, our English learners and special education students to provide those limited in person opportunities that will aid in their education," says Riley.