COVID-19 closes Manatee schools for the year. Here’s where to eat, log in and study

In a weekend announcement, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida would finish the school year online, while physical campuses remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of students rely on school for a daily meal, and others lack WiFi at home, making it hard to access online classes. Over the last several weeks, Manatee County schools have rolled out free meals and internet hotspots to help with the transition.

As of Saturday, about 96 percent of students had logged on to Schoology, the online learning platform used by Manatee’s traditional schools.

“Although we realize this presents certain hardships for many, this move is being made to ultimately protect the health and welfare of our students, families and community,” the school district said on its website.

Students are scheduled to finish the school year on May 28, and Superintendent Cynthia Saunders previously said she hoped to finish the year on time.

Where to find a WiFi bus

The school district outfitted dozens of school buses with internet devices, creating a fleet of WiFi hotspots for the community. They rotate between various locations each day.

Bus locations and times are subject to change. For up-to-date information, visit manateeschools.net, click on “eLearning,” navigate to the “Parent Technology Resources” link and then click on “Free Wi-Fi Hotspots” in the sidebar.

As of Monday, WiFi buses were scheduled for three time slots.

From 9 a.m. to noon, buses were at the following locations:

• The Bradenton Dream Center, 1816 Ninth St. W., Bradenton.
• Bayside Community Church West Campus, 6609 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
• Bible Baptist Church, 1720 Sixth Ave. W., Palmetto.
• First Baptist Church, 12125 71st St. E., Parrish.

From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., buses were at the following locations:

• Eternity Temple, 716 29th St. E., Palmetto.
• Fellowship Alliance Church, 5735 69th St. E., Palmetto.
• Rogers Memorial United Methodist Church, 1100 15th St. E., Bradenton.

From 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., buses were at the following locations:

• Bayshore Community Church, 6502 14th St. W., Bradenton.
• Daughtrey Elementary School, 515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton.
• East Coast Migrant Head Start Project, 34590 State Road 64 E., Myakka City.
• Kirkwood Church, 6101 Cortez Road W., Bradenton.
• Old Fire Station, 34010 State Road 62, Duette.
• Robin’s Apartments, 2303 First St., Bradenton.
• Rubonia Community Center, 1309 72nd St. E., Palmetto.
• Ward Temple AME Church, 1005 Fifth St. W., Bradenton.
• West Bradenton Baptist, 1305 43rd St. W., Bradenton.
• Woodland Community Church, 3124 17th St. E., Bradenton.

Where to find a school hotspot

More than 30 Manatee County schools are offering WiFi on their campuses.

Students can access the internet from the parking lot or car loop at each location. WiFi is available at the following schools from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day:

• Abel Elementary, 7100 Madonna Place, Sarasota.
• Anna Maria Elementary, 4700 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
• Ballard Elementary, 912 18th St. W., Bradenton.
• Bashaw Elementary, 3515 Morgan Johnson Road, Bradenton.
• Bayshore Elementary, 6120 26th St. W., Bradenton.
• Blackburn Elementary, 3904 17th St. E., Palmetto.
• Braden River Elementary, 6125 River Club Blvd., Bradenton.
• Daughtrey Elementary, 515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Duette Elementary, 40755 State Road 62, Duette.
• Freedom Elementary, 9515 State Road 64 E., Bradenton.
• Gullett Elementary, 12125 44th Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Harvey Elementary, 8610 115th Ave. E., Parrish.
• Kinnan Elementary, 3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota.
• Manatee Elementary, 1609 Sixth Ave. E., Bradenton.
• McNeal Elementary, 6325 Lorraine Road, Bradenton.
• Miller Elementary, 601 43rd St. W., Bradenton.
• Mills Elementary, 7200 69th St. E., Palmetto.
• Moody Elementary, 5425 38th Ave. W., Bradenton.
• Myakka City Elementary, 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City.
• Oneco Elementary, 5214 22nd St. Court E., Bradenton.
• Palm View K-6, 6025 Bayshore Road, Palmetto.
• Palma Sola Elementary, 6806 Fifth Ave. NW, Bradenton.
• Palmetto Elementary, 1540 10th St. W., Palmetto.
• Prine Elementary, 3801 Southern Parkway W., Bradenton.
• Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary, 515 13th Ave. W., Bradenton.
• Samoset Elementary, 3300 19th St. E., Bradenton.
• Sea Breeze Elementary, 3601 71st St. W., Bradenton.
• Stewart Elementary, 7905 15th Ave. NW, Bradenton.
• Tara Elementary, 6950 Linger Lodge Road, Bradenton.
• Tillman Elementary, 1415 29th St. E., Palmetto.
• Williams Elementary, 3404 Fort Hamer Road, Parrish.
• Willis Elementary, 14705 The Masters Ave., Bradenton.
• Witt Elementary, 200 Rye Road E., Bradenton.

Where to grab a free meal

Meals were offered at several community sites from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• 13th Avenue Community Center, 922 24th St. E., Bradenton.
• East Migrant Head Start, 34590 State Road 64 E., Myakka City.
• Old Duette Fire Station, 34010 State Road 62, Duette.
• Rubonia Community Center, 1309 72nd St. E., Palmetto.
• Parrish YMCA, 12214 U.S. 301 N., Parrish.

Meals were offered at mobile bus sites with varying times.

• Turner Chapel, 317 11th St. W., Palmetto, from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W., Palmetto, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Southeast High School, 1200 37th Ave. E., Bradenton, from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• Bradenton Village Apartments, 1302 Third St. W., Bradenton, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
• DeSoto Boys & Girls Club, 5236 30th St. W., Bradenton, from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• Manatee Mobile Home Park, 2204 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
• City Stop, 619 11th Ave. E., Bradenton, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Meals were offered at nearly two dozen schools from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Abel Elementary School, 7100 Madonna Place, Sarasota.
• Ballard Elementary School, 912 18th St. W., Bradenton.
• Bashaw Elementary School, 3515 Morgan Johnson Road, Bradenton.
• Bayshore High School, 5401 34th St. W., Bradenton.
• Blackburn Elementary School, 3904 17th St. E., Palmetto.
• Buffalo Creek Middle School, 7320 69th St. E., Palmetto.
• Daughtrey Elementary School, 515 63rd Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Haile Middle School, 9501 State Road 64 E., Bradenton.
• King Middle School, 600 75th St. NW, Bradenton.
• Kinnan Elementary School, 3415 Tallevast Road, Sarasota.
• Lakewood Ranch High School, 5500 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton.
• Manatee Elementary School, 1609 Sixth Ave. E., Bradenton.
• Miller Elementary School, 601 43rd St. W., Bradenton.
• Myakka Elementary School, 37205 Manatee Ave., Myakka City.
• Oneco Elementary School, 5214 22nd St. Court E., Bradenton.
• Palm View K-6 School, 6025 Bayshore Road, Palmetto.
• Palmetto Elementary School, 1540 10th St. W., Palmetto.
• Palmetto High School, 1200 17th St. W., Palmetto.
• Prine Elementary School, 3801 Southern Parkway, Bradenton.
• Samoset Elementary School, 3300 19th St. E., Bradenton.
• Sea Breeze Elementary School, 3601 71st St. W., Bradenton.
• Tara Elementary School, 6950 Linger Lodge Road, Bradenton.
• Tillman Elementary School, 1415 29th St. E., Palmetto.

Where to find online tutoring

Manatee Libraries partnered with Tutor.com to connect students with free homework help and test preparation.

The service is free to anyone with a library card. Though county libraries are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, residents can still apply for a temporary digital card on the Manatee Libraries website.

To access the service, visit mymanatee.org/library, navigate to the “Research & Learning” tab, click on “Tutorials & Practice Tests” and then click on Tutor.com.

Tutor.com offers help from live tutors and recorded lessons, covering more than 60 subject areas.

This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 3:33 PM.