The Return To South Florida Classrooms As Counties Move Into Phase Two

By Alexander Gonzalez,

Published September 18, 2020 at 6:09 PM EDT

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A child raises his fingers to answer his teacher who's wearing a mask. The scene is of a classroom when schools reopened in France in May 2020. — In this May 14, 2020 file photo, schoolchildren raise their fingers to answer their teacher Sandrine Albiez, wearing a face masks, in a school in Strasbourg, France.

On this episode of the South Florida Roundup: how school districts are planning for students and teachers to return to classrooms.

State education funding concerns during the pandemic

We’re more than six months into the pandemic—and a lot has started back up again. Restaurants. Movie theaters. Bars in the Florida Keys (but not yet in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties).

Lately, the focus of reopening has been on public schools. Local school districts are preparing for students and teachers to return to classrooms. In Palm Beach County, it’s as soon as Monday. Broward and Miami-Dade counties are considering Oct. 5 — maybe earlier.

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Republican State Sen. Manny Diaz, Jr. chairs the Senate education committee. He talked about schools funding in connection to reopening, as the pandemic continues.

Do School Districts Risk Funding For Not Reopening?

The debate over Palm Beach County public schools reopening

Palm Beach County school district leaders clashed with the county’s teachers union this week. The Classroom Teachers Association called for the removal of the superintendent. The school board ultimately ruled that out.

Andrew Marra covers education for The Palm Beach Post. He spoke with WLRN’s education reporter Jessica Bakeman about school districts’ reopening timelines and what families could expect in the coming days and weeks.

Palm Beach Public Schools Race To Reopen As Start Date Looms

The health care advice driving South Florida schools' reopening plans

Businesses have been required to follow social distancing and other coronavirus guidelines over the past several months. Schools are expected to have similar restrictions to keep students, staff and teachers safe.

Dr. Lisa Gwynn serves on the Miami-Dade superintendent’s reopening committee. She’s also directs the University of Miami’s school health program and was recently elected president of the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

She explained her role in shaping Miami-Dade schools’ reopening plan and offered some steps that families can take to stay healthy during the pandemic.

Doctor's Call On Schools Reopening

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