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2 Central Florida schools reopen after closing due to positive COVID-19 cases

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Updated  September 14, 2020 8:08pm EDT
Reopening Schools
FOX 35 Orlando

Schools reopen after coronavirus shutdowns

Students at two Central Florida schools are back in classrooms after being shut down due to coronavirus concerns.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. - Two Central Florida schools are now back open after a COVID-19 outbreak last month. Students are back in the classroom, but it’s not without changes.

Students forced to go virtual for two weeks are now back inside Golfview Elementary School in Brevard County and Harmony Middle School in Osceola County.

“It was touch and go. Our son is one of the children that requires to be in class,” said parent Stephanie Branham said.

RELATED: Track COVID-19 cases by school district in Central Florida

Some parents at Harmony Middle School said they are not happy that the school shut down. The district said 17 staff members and four students tested positive for COVID-19.

“We have not been able to trace down exactly where things started and how they might have spread,” Superintendent Debra Pace said. “We just know that out of an abundance of caution it was a good idea to go ahead and transition to digital learning for that two week period just to make sure that it didn’t go any further than that.”

The schools underwent a deep cleaning to prepare for students to return to the classroom.

Schools closed due to coronavirus expected to reopen

Two Central Florida schools will welcome schools back to class on Monday.

At Harmony Middle School, parents continue to call wanting to change their child’s education format from digital to in-person -- a move that may mean changes for everyone like new class schedules. Pace explained that "as we have had more families choose face to face instruction and we’re having to balance class sizes and make sure that we’re still able to maintain social distancing."

RELATED: UCF student tests positive for COVID-19 after attending class where masks were not worn

The district said this is the last week that they will be able to accommodate parent requests for the first semester. The next chance to do so will be around Thanksgiving.

“Hopefully they stay in school and don’t pull this nonsense again and they can continue on with the proper education that all the kids can receive not just our son,” said Branham.

However, the district said they are prepared to close down the school again if they need to as a last resort.

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