FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Following back-to-back news conference, both Miami-Dade and Broward County public schools have announced no changes to regular school schedules, barring some after school and off-site activities during the next few days.
There are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus for any students or school staff in either of the public schools systems at this time. One Broward student was out of school for several days but tested negative for the coronavirus.
“We have not been informed of any cases of coronavirus for any student or staff member in Broward County schools as of this moment,” said Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie.
“There isn’t a single confirmed case or presumptive case of COVID-19 directly impacting an employee or a student,” said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
Runcie announced Thursday that Broward County schools are not scheduled to close over the coronavirus.
Runcie held a press conference regarding the steps they plan to take to protect students and teachers from the coronavirus for the remainder of the school year.
Runcie said that any staff member who comes to school with flu-like symptoms must go home, while students who show up with similar symptoms will be isolated.
Runcie also confirmed upcoming student trips, both in-state and out of state, has been suspended.
“This coming Monday, March 16, all travel within the state, including academic, athletic, extracurricular is suspended,” he said.
All athletic and extracurricular activities will be suspended until further notice, effective Monday.
Meanwhile, in Miami-Dade County, Carvalho held a press conference regarding the status of school district activities affected by the coronavirus.
Effective immediately, all out-of-county travel sponsored by the school district are cancelled.
Athletic, academic and extracurricular activities will not be cancelled, however.
“We are, at this point, not cancelling sports activities, extracurricular activities or club activities associated directly with schools,” said Carvalho.
In-state travel will be examined on a case-by-case basis.
They did, however, cancel all off-site internships in the county.
M-DCPS has established several hotlines and a website during this pandemic:
Hotline for Learning and Remote Learning:
305-995-HELP
Mental Health Hotline:
305-995-7100
Hotline for Covid Rumor Control:
305-995-3000
“The vast majority of those calls are dealing with rumors,” said Carvalho. “Somebody heard something that in the end is not true or accurate.”
The school system is also providing free coverage and co-pay for COVID-19 for all employees.
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