Excitement and COVID-19 concerns mark first day of school in Manatee County

After spending an entire school year online, 17-year-old Elisa Cubi arrived at Manatee High School for the first day of classes on Tuesday — excited to finish her senior year in a classroom.

She joined more than 50,000 other students who enrolled in Manatee County public schools for the 2021-22 school year. And though the COVID-19 pandemic very much remained in Florida, Cubi felt it was important to balance her safety and education.

Online school chipped away at her motivation and slowed her progress, she said. Coming back to campus posed a risk, but Cubi — who donned a black face mask on Tuesday — said she planned to remain cautious on campus.

“I really would rather be careful than be put at risk,” she said. “I think it’s maybe just a little too early to stop wearing masks.”

Lana Davis, a sophomore, walked onto the campus of Manatee High for the first time ever. She, too, spent the last year in online classes, avoiding the risk of getting infected at school and bringing COVID-19 home to vulnerable family members.

But with fewer online options in the new school year, Davis and most other students made their return to school on Tuesday. Equipped with a blue disposable face mask, she approached the unfamiliar campus with one pressing concern: “Just navigating around, trying to get to classes on time.”

The Manatee County School Board ended its campus mask mandate last May, leaving the choice to families and students in the new school year. That move encouraged 16-year-old William Young, who felt uncomfortable with masks and stayed online last year.

Young returned to the high school on Tuesday, eager to socialize and catch up on his education, which became a struggle in the online classroom, he said.

“I’m excited that I don’t have to stare at a computer screen and hope it somehow teaches me better than an actual person,” he continued.

Much like Young, the majority of Manatee High students arriving on Tuesday — some of them no doubt vaccinated against COVID-19 — decided to forgo a mask.

About 14% of Florida youths between the ages of 12-19 have received their first dose, while 30% have completed all the required doses, Dr. Jennifer Bencie, head of the county health department, said Monday.

Youngsters wearing masks

Face coverings were far more common on elementary campuses, where students are too young for a COVID vaccine. At least half the students arriving to Ballard and Sea Breeze elementary schools appeared to be wearing masks Tuesday morning.

Among them was 4-year-old Piper, who started the first day of voluntary prekindergarten, or VPK, with lots to be excited about. What was she looking forward to the most? “My teacher,” Piper said before showing off her pink backpack.

While she reveled in the new adventure, fears of COVID-19 weighed on her father, Tommy Brooks. He decried Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to end universal masking in schools, a safety measure endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Our daughter has an autoimmune disorder, so she’s at extra risk,” he said. “That’s definitely a concern of ours.”

Piper grew comfortable with the mask before Tuesday’s return. And though it offered a layer of protection, face coverings work best when everybody takes part, making the voluntary policy a source of concern for her family.

For some, the concern was too great. During an interview with the Bradenton Herald last week, mother Ashley DeMichiel said she planned to send her 5-year-old daughter to school, where she could find friendship and a quality, in-person education.

In the days leading up to Tuesday, however, DeMichiel reversed course and moved her daughter to Florida Virtual School. The more she thought about Florida’s historic COVID numbers and rising pediatric hospital admissions, the less comfortable she felt with a return to school.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she said. “I was sick about it, and I knew this had to happen.”

Superintendent Cynthia Saunders acknowledged parents’ concerns in a prerecorded video on Tuesday. She urged students to stay home when sick or awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test, and she promised flexibility and transparency during the ongoing pandemic.

“As we begin this school year, I realize circumstances regarding COVID-19 are not nearly as promising as we were planning or expecting,” Saunders said, going on to reassure families.

“I want you to know I’m approaching this school year with a sense of calm and confidence. I hope you will, too. Why do I feel this way? It’s because we have a track record. Each of the last two school years we’ve encountered incredible hurdles and obstacles, all of them unforeseen — yet we have endured.”

Back-to-School facts

In a news release published Tuesday morning, the Manatee County School District gave an overview of the 2021-22 school year, which includes:

• 47 traditional public schools (31 elementary, nine middle and seven high schools).
• 3 nontraditional public schools (Palm View K-8, Horizons Academy and Louise R. Johnson K-8 School of International Studies).
• 13 charter schools.
• Manatee Technical College (three campuses in Manatee County).
• Approximately 50,953 projected student enrollment for VPK through 12th grade.
  
  

• Approximately 6,631 employees, including short-term and part-time employees.

• Approximately 11,000 students registered to ride a school bus.

• Approximately 50,000 cloth masks and 20,200 disposable masks in inventory.

• Approximately 5,675 gallons of hand sanitizer and 3,416 cases of wipes in inventory.

• $1,053,806,564 projected budget.

This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 3:23 PM.