“This causes vocal fatigue that feels like a sore throat.”. 23, 2020 PUBLISHED July 23, 2020 @7:52 AM The group is making plans, but they’re tentative and fully dependent on how the state’s reopening impacts the number of local COVID-19 cases this summer. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Making a plea to keep classrooms closed! Between Monday and Tuesday across the state, there were 9,194 reported infections of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, and a record high of 133 deaths. What does a classroom setup look like? Talk to just about any K-12 parent in Pinellas County and chances are good that the topic of school reopening will come up. The purpose of this document is to support districts in the development and submission of their Innovative Reopening Plan for the Department’s consideration for the Fall … What would need to be provided or wiped down?". Chants of “14 days, no new cases” pic.twitter.com/eIM7ElSwvW. LARGO — With Florida reporting tens of thousands of new COVID-19 cases every week, Pinellas County School Board members spent much of Tuesday discussing a reopening plan that they might not even fully implement. Pinellas proposes a delay in reopening schools Pinellas County school superintendent Mike Grego is recommending that the district delay the start of the 2020-21 school year to Aug. 24. If it’s telling us to slow down, we need to do that.”. Pinellas County Schools. Sarasota County Schools have released a 30-page draft guidance for reopening. At some schools, an additional lunch period will be added to thin the crowd of students in the cafeteria at one time. From buses to lunchrooms, labs to playgrounds, the nearly 3 million students in Florida public schools typically gather in close quarters. The district is offering students three options for returning to school, traditional learning, and simultaneous remote instruction through my pcs online and the self-paced Pinellas virtual school. Each school will have two clinics, to separate those with a bump or bruise from those who feel ill. “We just can’t guarantee the safety of anyone through this.”, Added board member Lisa Cane: “It’s incomprehensible to expect this of a community.”. It mentions closing off playground equipment, canceling field trips and assemblies, and seeking a waiver for the 20-minute recess requirement. We collected your stories, pictures, songs, recipes, journals and more to show what life has been like during the pandemic. They’ve toured campuses to learn how students move through the school day, talking through various scenarios and ideas. “I know what the governor is saying, and now even he is wearing a mask,” board member Rene Flowers said. “It’s hard to ask a kindergarten student, ‘How is your sense of smell today? Do you have a fever?’” said Canody, the BayCare doctor. Hendrick says it may take a couple years to get new computers in every student’s hand, but it’s become a long term goal. July 23, 2020. Pinellas County Schools’ final back to school plans will be released on July 14th. 2020-21 Florida’s Optional Innovative Reopening Plan. This effort takes a lot of resources to gather and update. But all, as well as school officials, recognize that nothing is certain, Grego said. The four-hour conversation touched on who will wipe down desks between classes, how the PTA’s will meet and what a family can do if they choose one option of learning, but it doesn’t work out. The plan calls for in-person and virtual classes starting Aug. 12. There have been discussions about screening students for COVID-19 symptoms, Grego said. Pinellas teachers, parents protest in-person school reopening, Pinellas details its school reopening plan: masks, buses, nurses and more, Parents petition the Pinellas school district. Extra lunch periods will be added so there are fewer students in the cafeteria at once. This plan is fluid. Pinellas County School officials called a special board meeting Tuesday morning to discuss the latest changes to the districts reopening plans. Separately, the state Department of Health released the latest in a string of sobering statistics. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Tampa Bay area school districts are making changes to delay the start of school as COVID-19 cases remain high. In Pinellas, to date, there have been 11,754 cases since the pandemic began early in the year, 989 hospitalizations and 264 deaths, including 26 deaths reported on Tuesday. Though many parents are eager for schools to reopen, the district has fielded calls, emails and social media comments that show there’s a lot of anxiety, too. Currently, the county's plan sets Aug. 12 for reopening, but the school district is recommending to push that date back until Aug. 24. She said that when employees of the St. Petersburg hospital come down with COVID-19, contact tracing shows that it comes from outside the hospital walls, such as a restaurant or the family home. But we don’t know exactly how the next few months with look.". This list includes local establishments doing business in various ways. With guidance from medical experts and community feedback, we have created the Pinellas County Schools ReOpening Plan. Desks will be moved apart, but not always a full 6 feet. Students and staff should be prepared to wear masks for much of the school day upon their return, Grego said. But parents will be asked to fill out forms, acknowledging they know they must watch for symptoms of COVID-19 and keep their children home if those symptoms occur. To that last part, Flowers noted, “We know we don’t have parents return permission slips for field trips. Other doctors on the team — from Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, the Department of Health and Community Health Centers of Pinellas — were not available for interviews. Posted On 27 Nov 2020. Purpose. It’s impossible to say what will happen when children and adults are in sealed buildings for six to seven hours every day. If you haven’t already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription. Dr. Allison Ford Messina, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, said masking is perhaps the single most important safeguard against transmission of the disease. It’s too soon to say for sure that schools will be able to welcome students back in the fall, Canody said. “If I was in the classroom, I would seriously have to think about a leave of absence,” said Gandolfo, who lives with his disabled son. “If we don’t do it the right way, it will send our economy into a tailspin, and it could cost us lives.". GET THE DAYSTARTER MORNING UPDATE: Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information. Answers to those questions and others are evolving all the time, just like the pandemic, Grego said. All of the unknowns are making them nervous. “I really want to lead with medical advice,” he said. So the district plans to provide parents with information on signs and symptoms, and ask them to keep their children home if anyone in the family is feeling unwell, Grego said. That tells her the hospital’s strict masking policy works. Pinellas County plans to discuss school reopening on July 14. : This list includes local establishments doing business in various ways. The plan discussed Tuesday calls for universal masking, and staff face shields for those cases in which children cannot handle being masked. I want to keep hitting on that. They visited the band room at Tarpon Springs High, realizing students might have to practice elsewhere, like the school’s auditorium, to keep enough space between them. Stick with CW44 News at 10 for this developing story. Expect masks, more lunch periods and spacing in classrooms, superintendent Mike Grego says. If you … In Pinellas County, one of the state’s biggest districts, school superintendent Mike Grego has enlisted the help of five local doctors who specialize in infectious diseases and pediatric care. And it was even hard on the teachers. All students and employees must have a mask or face covering with them at all times. Pinellas Schools Superintendent Proposes Pushing Back Start Date By Fallon Silcox Pinellas County PUBLISHED 7:52 AM ET Jul. Teachers, Parents Anxious As Aug. 24 School Reopening Looms - Clearwater, FL - The Pinellas County School Board is sticking to its decision to reopen schools on Aug. 24. Sometimes parents will instruct the school, “just send him home on the bus,” Flowers said. THE CORONAVIRUS SCRAPBOOK: We collected your stories, pictures, songs, recipes, journals and more to show what life has been like during the pandemic. Those age groups account for 19% of all Pinellas County cases. Officials also are considering moving as many textbooks as possible online so lockers won’t be needed. But it’s not feasible to check every student’s temperature before the start of school each day, and asking them to self-report presents challenges, too. And four out of seven board members expressed regrets at having to oversee reopening at such a precarious time. The case count followed totals of 12,624 on Monday and 15,300 on Sunday. School officials said in the limited activity that has taken place this summer on campus, there have been COVID-19 cases reported among students and staff. said Dr. Christina Canody, director of pediatric services for BayCare Health System. “We really don’t know exactly what we will be seeing 20, 28 days moving forward,” Grego said. During a school board … But if the coronavirus worsens in Florida, the district will pivot. “We wanted to know, what’s a day in the life of a child in the Pinellas County school system?" If campuses reopen, the district will likely ask students to bring their own, Grego said. Date School Info; Aug. 24, 2020: All schools open. “There are so many variables in this discussion, it’s unbelievable,” Grego said, adding that he is looking into the availability of rapid-results COVID tests. Looking toward August, local school officials say they’re developing plans that strike the balance of offering effective in-person schooling while keeping students and staff safe from the coronavirus. Citrus County moved the start date for school to Aug. 20 instead of the 10th. Due: July 31, 2020. The ReOpening Plan for Pinellas County Schools is separate from any decision about the start date for the 2020-21 school year. We’re working hard to bring you the latest news on the coronavirus in Florida. The Hillsborough County School District, which is working through the details of a similar set of plans and options, will have its own School Board reopening workshop at 1 p.m. Thursday. They have three options from which to choose by July 27: Traditional school with the new safety protocols; Pinellas Virtual School, an independent study program that requires a commitment of half the school year; or MyPCS Online, which also has students learning remotely, but requires only a nine-week commitment and has a scheduled tied to the school day. The fall start date was supposed to be August 12, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made school-year planning difficult for districts across Florida and … Grego said he hopes the district’s approach to planning builds families’ trust and confidence in the school district to keep safety at the forefront of all decisions. Pinellas County Schools is pleased to introduce our reopening information for the 2020-2021 school year. “We wouldn’t make that call on July 14 for Aug. 12. WHAT’S OPEN? LOCAL RESTAURANTS: The updated database of Tampa Bay restaurants open for dine-in or takeout, UNEMPLOYMENT Q&A: We answer your questions about Florida unemployment benefits, LISTEN TO THE CORONAVIRUS PODCAST: New episodes every week, including interviews with experts and reporters, HAVE A TIP? For more info about Pinellas County Schools reopening plan, go to https://www.pcsb.org/reopening Subscribe to see the latest content on … Countless considerations come with reopening schools in a ... what’s a day in the life of a child in the Pinellas County school ... “We need to do this slowly and look at medical data. The request has heightened anxiety among educators who are wary about returning to campus, said Mike Gandolfo, president of Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association. This plan includes three learning options for students for the 2020-2021 school year. The updated database of Tampa Bay restaurants open for dine-in or takeout, We answer your questions about Florida unemployment benefits, New episodes every week, including interviews with experts and reporters, Minor-league team offers taste of baseball with ‘Dining on the Diamond’. “I wouldn’t take the chance of bringing (the virus) back home, and I can’t expect others to take the chance either.". A team of five doctors is helping plan for a return to campuses. The school board will vote on it July 28. There will be no student temperature checks at the door, as that would create a herding effect that, in itself, could spread illness. Pinellas County school superintendent Mike Grego recommended moving the first day of school from Aug. 12 to Aug. 24. According to county officials who discussed reopening plans with school board members Tuesday, face masks, shields, plexiglass barriers and even scrubs might be regular sights. LARGO, Fla. - The superintendent of Pinellas County Schools, Dr. Michael Grego will recommend the district push the first day of school back to August 24. [Facebook], Reopening Florida universities will take ‘shared responsibility,’ education leaders say, After 37 years, a caravan of love for Pinellas principal Darren Hammond. This page contains the major holiday dates from the 2020 and 2021 school calendar for Pinellas County Schools in Florida. Teachers in Pinellas County are fuming over plans to reopen schools … : Send us confidential news tips. Keeping space between students will be somewhat easier in classrooms, which are typically about 800 square feet in elementary schools, Grego said. “How can they social distance? Everyone will be required to wear masks or face coverings, classrooms will be rearranged and even school buses will have a new way to get on and off. Read these 10 tips first. That last option is something the district can use if the virus worsens and the state orders all schools to close as they did in the spring. Countless considerations come with reopening schools in a pandemic. “If we have this tremendous spike in August right before school opening, then it will impact how we approach that opening,” he said, referring to the virus. Superintendent Mike Grego made it clear that, if the coronavirus continues to spread unchecked, the district might not be able to open its schools on Aug. 12, as planned. By. “We need to do this slowly and look at medical data. We don’t have parents sign student code of conduct” forms. Pinellas County Schools establishes partnerships and builds relationships between families, communities, schools and the district to support 100% student success. And it made some teachers feel ill. “You need to speak two or three times louder through the mask,” she said. pinellas county school reopening date. Please check back regularly for any amendments that may occur, or consult the Pinellas County Schools website for their 2020-2021 approved calendar.You may also wish to visit the school district … He said with 100,000 Pinellas County students, if only half go back, that’s still 50,000 students. Just one example: foreign language labs where kids share headsets. Pinellas County Schools Page 2. Pasco County School Board members on Tuesday night approved Superintendent Kurt Browning's call for a reopening date of Aug. 24, with a return by teachers on Aug. 17, out of concern for community health. When Pinellas County schools reopen for the first time in nearly five months, things will look and feel a lot different for students and staff. Any good plan has to remain fluid.”. “Everything centers around a successful reopening of schools,” Gandolfo said. Contact tracing will be performed by the health department, but school officials will assist. The district’s architectural office is working on renderings showing new campus setups that keep students farther apart, and asking teachers to label non-essential furniture to create room to spread out desks. All Pre-k and postsecondary schools’ classes begin: Sept. 7, 2020: The majority of Pinellas County parents are opting to send their children to school virtually when the 2020-2021 school year begins, although the numbers aren’t final just yet. These contagions happened outside school, they said, most likely in the home or in social settings. “If we don’t and everything continues to get better and better … that’s what we’re planning for. SO YOU WANT TO LEAVE YOUR HOUSE? But Cane said she has seen masking in a school setting, as she operates a performing arts school that was open this summer. She found it nearly impossible, she said, to enforce masking, especially for older students. In deciding when and how to reopen Pinellas County public school campuses, superintendent Mike Grego says, “I really want to lead with medical advice.” [DIRK SHADD | Times (2013)], Teachers union president Mike Gandolfo. Pinellas’ school reopening plan could change, officials say The plan calls for in-person and virtual classes starting Aug. 12. As the doctors walked through schools, they hit different issues. The district intends to purchase and distribute reusable ones that can be worn when “social distancing is compromised," like on buses and in hallways. Hernando County’s School Board voted to delay reopening until Aug. 31. But in a case of the highly contagious coronavirus, the bus is the last place where a sick child should be. As the board spoke in a virtual meeting that the public could hear but not see, a crowd of teachers and parents protested the reopening outside the district’s Largo headquarters. Sign up to receive the most up-to-date information. He said he hopes to see a substantial investment in education by the state, to fund everything from supplies, like masks and hand sanitizer, to additional mental health resources for students and staff struggling with the pandemic and the changes it continues to bring. Citrus County moved the start date for school to Aug. 20 instead of the 10th. More than 60,00 out of about 100,000 students responded to Pinellas County Schools' reopening survey. Pinellas County Schools is the seventh largest district in Florida with 150 schools including magnets, career academies, adult education centers and our own virtual school program. Jaymi Butler. Even the question of what to do when a student runs a fever was problematic. An outbreak in schools would send ripples of infection through the community. "This plan is fluid," superintendent Mike Grego said. 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