‘New normal’: Central Florida school district says quarantine is part of safety protocol

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Seminole County Public Schools is reminding parents that self-quarantining procedures are part of the "new normal" and parents and students should be prepared if they have to do it.

“Please understand this is an integral part of our safety protocols and our new normal as we navigate what we know will be a very challenging school year,” said a message sent to parents Friday evening.

This comes after several people at three different schools were told to quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19.

Parent Meredith Hoofnagle, who has a 2nd-grader at Layer Elementary School who returned to in-person learning, wasn’t surprised.

“It’s not going away anytime soon, so yes, the more kids that are in school, the more districts open, schools open, we’re gonna definitely start hearing about these alerts,” she said.

Hoofnagle, who works from home, said while not ideal to juggle both her work and her son’s schooling, she’ll have to roll with the changes if her son has to quarantine. 

“We had to do that for a good solid month and a half in March and April,” she said. “I’m confident we’ll be able to handle it, get through it.

Parent Tiffany Dowling knew it was coming, just not this quickly.

“I didn’t think it would happen this fast but it did, and I figured it’s what most of us sending face-to-face should have prepared for,” she said.

She has a high-schooler and a middle-schooler and is prepared to keep them home if needed.

“I think we do all need to start thinking ahead and start making those plans,” she said.