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Osceola County releases back to school plan
Osceola County has become the first school district in Central Florida to release a reopening plan that gives students three choices for the fall.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Osceola County School District is giving families three choices for going back to school in the fall.
Option number one is going back to school in person. The district says parents and guardians can choose face-to-face learning, but there will be many new procedures in place. That includes everything from temperature screenings to mask requirements on the school bus and places inside the school where social distancing isn’t possible.
“When students are changing classes or for example going to a special area class, that’s again where we would ask students to wear a mask,” said Osceola County Schools Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace.
Option two for families is digital learning at the child’s assigned school, where teachers will have live lessons for five to six hours a day.
“It’s important to remember that this would be new and improved digital learning, not the digital ‘lite’ that we were forced to transition to very quickly back in March,” Pace said.
Option three is virtual learning with the Osceola Virtual School.
Dr. Pace presented the detailed plan to school board members during a meeting Tuesday. She sida task force made up of doctors, administrators and parents helped put this together after getting feedback from the community.
“There’s been a lot of careful attention, a lot of hard work, a lot of analysis and considerations to get to where we’re at,” said Board Member Kelvin Soto.
The board ended up giving the green light. Now, it’s up to parents on what to do next.
“I’m thinking sending him back to school,” said mom Carol Martinez, who has a 7-year-old son.
“I want him to have interaction with the other kids, but at the same time his health is more important so I’m not really sure,” said mom Emmy Rodriguez.
The district says parents and guardians should choose an option by July 15.
School starts on August 10.
Find out more information on the district’s plan