CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - In less than 12 hours, students will return to classrooms across Miami-Dade County, some for the first time since lockdown, and officials said they will encounter measures in place to help keep them safe.
Miami-Dade County Superintendent Alberto Carvalho spent the weekend touring schools across the district.
“We are ready to welcome 100% of our students to 100% of our schools early tomorrow morning,” he said Sunday.
The superintendent said students will find a set of rules and regulations in place.
“Mandatory masking at all schools for all grade levels,” he said.
Teachers and school administrators spent the weekend making final preparations.
“We have systems in place to keep everyone safe,” said M-DCPS South Region Superintendent Barbara Mendizabal.
“We’re ready to welcome all of our students back. We have all of our protocols in place,” said Tony Ullivarri, the principal at Coral Gables Senior High School. “They’ve been out for a little while, and it’s time for them to come back.”
Beyond wearing masks, the district spent millions of dollars in renovations to upgrade local schools.
Carvalho visited these schools on Saturday and Sunday to make sure they’re ready to reopen.
He said some face-lifts include ways to stop the virus from spreading.
“New restrooms, new air conditioning systems for ventilations, extremely important in dealing with COVID-19,” he said.
As students make their way back, school leaders said, they should expect to follow some familiar guidelines to help ensure a safe school year.
“The maintaining of a social distance minimum of 3 feet in a classroom, 6 feet in areas where students obviously will have to remove their masks, such as cafeterias or outdoor eating areas,” said Carvalho.
About 300,000 public school students are expected to resume classes in Miami-Dade on Monday morning.
Anyone with questions and concerns about the coronavirus can call the Florida Department of Health’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-779-6121.
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