MANATEE COUNTY (WSNN) – Suncoast schools are getting ready to make some changes next semester. It comes after the Governor says schools will stay open for in-person learning.
The emergency order states if remote learners are struggling, school staff must encourage parents to have their kids return to brick-and-mortar schooling. Manatee County School District plans to fully comply, says Communication Director Michael Barber.
“One of the things that we’ve learned during this whole experience is, that it’s still the most effective form of education in our schools is face-to-face learning,” Barber said.
The District’s Data shows students on campus are significantly more proficient than kids at home. And next semester, there will be more students learning in-person.
“We’re expecting 80-percent of our students to actually be on campus,” Barber said.
He says they plan to get rid of hybrid learning in elementary and middle schools, but they’re still working it out for high schools.
“You can’t have a teacher teaching a class with say three or five students in it,” Barber said. “It’s just not feasible for teachers or the school district.”
A Manatee County teacher who didn’t want to go on camera says having three modalities has stretched some teachers to their breaking point, and that the majority of their hybrid students haven’t been successful.
The teacher says, “I am so thankful we are bringing the kids back. It has been heartbreaking watching them struggle – it is an unbelievable year.”
Not to say that everyone is struggling. Jennifer Soli is a Manatee County resident with her children in Sarasota Schools.
“My son is in high school, he’s a senior, and he is doing very well,” Soli said. “It’s different, it’s challenging, but his grades have maintained themselves.”
But other parents found it necessary to send their kids back.
“My children were clearly suffering when they had to stay home and isolated,” Manatee County parent, Crytal Rothhaar said. “Mental health is as important as physical health.”
While COVID cases numbers are rising, Barber says the schools are doing well.
“All the data we have shows the cases we see in our schools come from outside the schools,” Barber said. “They’re not spreading inside the schools.”
The district’s COVID-19 dashboard shows there are about 300 cases out of the nearly 40,000 people on campus, since the first day of school.
If you might not feel comfortable sending your student back to in-person learning, there are several options: students can learn through Florida Virtual School, another Manatee Virtual option, or through homeschool. You can find more details here.
