Updated school reopening plan posted

Press release from Alachua County Public Schools

The State of Florida has approved Alachua County Public Schools’ ‘innovative’ optional plan to offer a Digital Academy to families in the fall. That option is a critical element of the district’s overall return to school plan.

With that approval in hand, the district has posted its updated reopening plan. As you may recall, the district posted its original draft plan in early July. However, the requirements included in the state’s emergency order of July 6, subsequent School Board decisions (such as a mandatory mask policy), new guidelines and protocols from our Scientific Medical Advisory Council and the Health Department, updated guidance from the CDC, and ongoing negotiations with the employees union regarding such issues as sick leave and temperature screenings required significant revisions to that original plan. And of course, even this plan may have to be revised based on circumstances.

In the next couple of days, the district expects to add the protocols that are being finalized by the SMAC and the Health Department regarding the metrics to be used to determine if classrooms or schools need to be closed due to COVID. They also understand that Florida’s surgeon general is working on such guidelines (based on a copy of a letter received yesterday from the Florida Department of Education that was directed to the state).

The district also provided a letter that Hillsborough County Schools received last Friday from the Commissioner of Education regarding Hillsborough’s vote on Thursday to delay the reopening of brick and mortar schools until September 8.