Manatee schools to reopen on Friday, after closing for Tropical Storm Eta

After initially closing schools and moving students to online learning during Tropical Storm Eta, the school district announced Thursday that classes would resume as normal on Friday.

Students will return to their usual learning format, whether it be in-person classes, online learning or the hybrid schedule, according to the district announcement.

“We would also like to thank our teachers, school staff and support employees for their constant flexibility and service to our students,” it read. “Whether facing COVID, a hurricane or any other challenges, Manatee County always rises to the occasion.”

Eta, which strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane before downgrading to a tropical storm, brought wind and heavy rain through Manatee County on Wednesday evening. The district announced that two shelters — one at Mills Elementary and one at Manatee High — would open to the public.

“Since some of our schools have been opened as shelters, we cannot bring students back to those campuses until the shelters are closed and cleaned,” the district said in a message to parents on Wednesday. “That being the case, all students in the School District of Manatee County are being asked to engage in eLearning this Thursday and Friday.”

Mills had no occupants and Manatee High sheltered 30 people until 8:30 a.m. on Thursday morning, when the storm had passed and the weather settled. School officials then reversed course and decided to reopen on Friday, after “assessing, cleaning and evaluating all district facilities.”

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school tomorrow,” the district said in Thursday’s announcement.

Online learning and mixed feelings

Schools had experience with the widespread use of online learning because of COVID-19 and the school closures in April. District leaders said technology allowed students to continue their education as Eta passed, but not everyone has a computer or internet access.

In a message sent to parents on Wednesday, the district acknowledged that Tropical Storm Eta could pose issues beyond the existing technology gap.

“Please note that any student that is not able to complete their assignment due to loss of power, internet issues, or lack of a computer device, will be allowed to make up class work next week,” it read.

Alison Dorsa, a resident of Lakewood Ranch, said she was fortunate to have a laptop for her 9-year-old child, but she questioned the effect on her daughter’s classmates and teachers.

Thousands of people answered a question about computer access when the district issued a back-to-school poll in September. About 10 percent — or 1,202 people — said their child had no tablet, laptop or computer available.

Another 2,282 people said their family shared an electronic device. In response to another question about internet access, 1,274 people said their connection was slow, while 219 said they had no reliable access to the internet.

Dorsa said the technology gap would ensure that some students fell behind. Why, she asked, did Manatee not cancel all classes and use the hurricane make-up days in its 2020-21 calendar?

“There’s going to be students who have done the work and are caught up to speed,” she said. “There’s going to be students who are now falling behind. How is that fair? And it’s not fair to the teacher, either, because it’s hard to teach a class when they’re not all on the same playing field.”

At least three schools told parents that online classes allowed Manatee to avoid using make-up days over Thanksgiving break, scheduled for Nov. 23 to Nov. 27.

“We took 5 make-up days to delay the start of school due to COVID,” Myakka City Elementary said in a Q-and-A document uploaded to the school’s website. “Those 5 days eliminated all of the extra minutes built into schedule from the millage.”

“If we don’t have students on e-learning and teachers providing instruction, we will have to make-up those days (lose part of Thanksgiving or extend the school year),” it continued.

According to district spokesman Mike Barber, preserving vacation days was not the driving force behind Manatee’s decision. He said online classes allowed many students to continue their education when Tropical Storm Eta was expected to remain a threat.

And with students returning on Friday instead of Monday, students will quickly have a chance to catch up on work they missed over the previous 24 hours, Barber said.

“We’re trying to find the best balance and make the best decision we can,” he said.

This story was originally published November 12, 2020 at 12:49 PM.