Keys students may have the choice to continue distance learning when school reopens
The Monroe County School District released a list of proposals Friday for the reopening of classes in the fall that includes letting parents choose whether their children will continue distance learning.
Students in the Keys are scheduled to go back to school for the 2020-2021 academic year on Thursday, Aug. 13, said John Dick, vice chair of the school board.
When classes resume, they will likely do so under a “blended physical return to school model,” according to a district press release.
This includes staggered start and class transition times, scheduling when students can walk the hallways and enter common areas to reduce density, one-way corridors and more outdoor classroom options, the press release states.
There will also likely be changes to how students and staff gather in larger common areas like cafeterias and gymnasiums, according to the release.
The proposed plan also discusses using personal protection equipment and temperature checks on an as-needed basis, and protocols for personal hygiene, which include mandatory hand-washing schedules.
There will also likely be protocols for reporting illnesses by students and families and for handling student and staff COVID-19 cases, according to the press release.
Finally, the proposals include modifying bus routes “and other options to allow for social distancing,” the press release states.
The proposals are being considered by a task force that includes education and public health officials, parents and others from the community, according to the press release. It’s being headed by incoming superintendent Theresa Axford.
The press release emphasized that “these plans may change depending on how the pandemic evolves.”
This story was originally published May 23, 2020 at 2:54 PM.
