MIAMI (WSVN) - South Florida educators are expressing concerns as school boards in Miami-Dade and Broward counties look to reopen campuses for in-person learning possibly as early as next week.
After the coronavirus pandemic forced schools to close, local leaders said students could slowly begin the transition back to the classroom in less than two weeks.
“We will then begin welcoming students, whose families indicated a preference for the schoolhouse model during Stage 2 in July, on Wednesday Sept. 30th,” said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.
M-DCPS school board members discussed their phased reopening on Monday.
“I want to make sure, as I know my colleagues all do, that there’s a very smooth transition,” said Miami-Dade School Board member Mari Tere Rojas.
Part of their plan includes the following:
- a face mask requirement
- directional hallways
- staggered start dates dependent on the students’ age
- a hybrid of online and traditional learning
The district will also make sure every family has a thermometer at home.
On Monday, more than 760 people submitted recorded comments, and another 210 wrote into the district sharing their thoughts and concerns.
Similar discussions are taking place in Broward County, where leaders are scheduled on Tuesday to discuss a plan that includes a staggered start date with K-8 starting Oct. 5 and older students going back a week later.
Broward Schools officials said they will also allow families to choose whether they want to return or not. Students will stay in the same grades, have the same teachers and take the same courses.
Masks will be required, and leaders said families need to prepare for in-person learning to be scrapped altogether.
The Broward Teachers Union is less than thrilled with the proposal.
Stephanie Miller, a local teacher who contracted COVID-19, was among several educators who released a video opposing in-person learning.
“I can’t stop head lice. How am I going to stop COVID?” said Miller. “I don’t wish to see anyone have this happen to them.”
On Monday, the Broward Teachers Union began negotiations on their return.
Change is already happening in Palm Beach County, where classes are back in session.
While there are many similarities between both school districts’ reopening plans, there are also a lot of differences.
For more information on M-DCPS’ phased reopening plan, click here. For Broward Schools, click here.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.