Order forces Manatee superintendent to rethink 2020-21 school re-opening plan

After countless hours of planning and conversations with school leaders, community organizations and Manatee County residents, the school district has been forced to rethink its strategy for the 2020-21 school year.

The state’s education commissioner, Richard Corcoran, issued an emergency order on Monday, about one month before the start of school. The order required all schools to open at least five days per week in the new year, citing the need to provide students with a high-quality education, along with “a return to Florida hitting its full economic stride.”

Superintendent Cynthia Saunders unveiled her proposal in late June: A full return for elementary students, and a hybrid schedule for students in grades six through 12. On the hybrid model, students would rotate between in-person and online classes each week, allowing for greater social distancing and cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school board will meet at 1 p.m. Thursday to discuss reopening plans and the new order. Board members are expected to meet on July 14 and make a final decision, though plans could always change before and after the start of school on Aug. 10.

During a news conference on Tuesday morning, Saunders was hesitant to fully abandon the hybrid plan. The requirement to open five days a week is subject to “advice and orders” from the state and county health departments. If they decided a hybrid model was best for Manatee County, the plan may survive.

“But definitely right now we need to consider bringing all students back five days a week and how to do that and comply with safety expectations as well,” the superintendent said.

Saunders also reassured families that Manatee would offer online learning in the new year. In his recent order, Corcoran upped the standards for digital classes, requiring “the ability to interact with a student’s teacher and peers.”

“Parents do have a choice,” Saunders said. “They certainly still have that full-time online eLearning option if they would like that. If they don’t feel comfortable with their students coming to school on a regular basis or a full-time basis, we will work with them.”

Though it made no mention of protective equipment or safety measures, such as masks and social distancing, Corcoran’s order highlighted a need to protect children and adults who have underlying health conditions.

Saunders planned to meet with Dr. Jennifer Bencie, who heads the county health department, on Tuesday afternoon. Saunders said she also planned to meet with Pat Barber, president of the local teachers union.

“I am meeting with Dr. Bencie just to get her thoughts and her guidance on what she feels in terms of the landscape in Manatee County, and how we can ensure the safety of all our students as well as our employees.”

The conversations will influence Saunders’ upcoming recommendations to the school board. In response to a question from the Bradenton Herald, on whether schools could safely reopen, the Department of Health in Manatee County declined to answer.

“DOH-Manatee works in partnership with Manatee County schools,” spokesman Christopher Tittel said in an email. “The Department continues to encourage the public to take measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing face coverings in public, social distancing, routine hand washing and more.”

“Please contact the schools superintendent after the meeting with the health officer to learn more about how any input from DOH-Manatee might be used to shape schools policy,” he continued.

Barber, the union president, said she was “extremely upset and disappointed” by the Corcoran’s order. She said the Manatee Education Association worked with district officials to come up with a safe plan, and just as the plan was taking shape, they were sent back to the drawing board.

“The commissioner of education decides he’s going to issue an executive order after the school district and the union had these conversations for months,” Barber said. “It’s a complete lack of understanding from Tallahassee.”

Teachers live to help students learn and grow, but they had serious concerns about safety, Barber said. How do you practice social distancing and regular sanitizing with a full return to school? How will lunch rooms, classrooms and school buses operate in a pandemic?

“Rather than getting better, the situation in Manatee County has continued to get worse,” Barber said. “Many people who work in the schools are very concerned about how we will reopen, and how their health and safety will be ensured. They’re concerned for their students. They’re caught between a rock and a hard place.”

In its update on Tuesday morning, the Florida Department of Health reported 105 new cases of COVID-19 in Manatee County, along with three deaths linked to long-term care facilities. Florida set a daily record on July 2, when it reported 10,109 new cases statewide.

Last month, before the recent spike in cases, the school district released a survey. More than 11,300 people — or 55 percent of those responding — wanted their child to make a full return in the new year. Another 21 percent said they preferred a hybrid model, while 17 percent hoped to continue with full-time online learning. The remaining people said they did not have a child in school.

During the news conference on Tuesday morning, Saunders said there was no such thing as a perfect plan, and that Manatee would remain flexible as the COVID-19 pandemic evolved.

“I don’t think right now, under the pandemic, it’s ideal under any circumstance,” Saunders said. “I think you have to make the best decision with all the information gathered and do what’s best.”

This story was originally published July 7, 2020 at 1:39 PM.