Miami-Dade back-to-school event moved from Arsht Center to high school auditorium
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s back-to-school address, an annual event that highlights the achievements and goals of the country’s fourth-largest school district, will not be held this year as originally planned at the $470 million Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County.
Instead of its usual digs, as of now, the event is scheduled to take place in a high school auditorium, a decision that a district spokesperson attributed to a resurgence of COVID-19.
Jaquelyn Calzadilla, spokesperson for the county school system, explained that district officials chose to downsize the number of guests for the event, “so we no longer needed a venue as large as the Arsht Center.” She said the school district continues to evaluate pandemic conditions before making the final call on whether and how to hold the event, now planned at Miami Senior High.
“We continue to evaluate local conditions relative to COVID-19 before a final decision is made,” she said.
Scheduled for Friday, Aug. 13, the school district had announced in July that the event would be held at 10 a.m. at the Arsht Center’s Ziff Ballet Opera House, a four-tier, 2,400-seat venue. An Arsht Center spokesperson first told the Miami Herald Monday that the venue would not host the event. And the school district’s online calendar was changed to reflect that Carvalho’s speech will be held in the recently renovated auditorium of Miami Senior High School.
According to the school district’s website, the district’s calendar was amended to reflect the change of venue on Friday afternoon, several hours after the Miami Herald emailed Arsht Center spokesperson Suzette Espinosa to inquire whether and how a notable uptick in COVID infections would affect the event. Espinosa responded by deferring to the school district and copying a district spokesperson.
Mari Tere Rojas, the School Board member for District 6, which houses Miami Senior High, said Monday she had not received written notification from the district about a location change or any other updated planning.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 6:40 PM.