“We can’t always keep a safe social distance on school campuses” admits Florida’s Pinellas County Schools in a newly posted reopening video.
The district, which has 104,000 students and 142 schools, is planning to reopen during the ongoing #coronavirus pandemic. #ProtectOurKids
The video shows student actors in close proximity to a teacher as they walk into a classroom.
The district is also planning on reopening school cafeterias where students will have to remove their masks to eat and drink. #ProtectOurKids
Florida’s Pinellas County Schools is also planning on resuming bus service.
Based on the video, students will not be skipping rows. It is unclear if students will be sitting on the same benches or not. Last school year, bus drivers in America died from #COVID__19.
Another part of the video shows desks that are not spaced 6 feet apart, a minimum set by health experts when passing another individual. Students will be sitting in close proximity for hours. #ProtectOurKids
In another part of the video, the district simulated a reopened school cafeteria lunch line and encouraged students to stay 6 feet apart from each other and staff “as much as possible.” They know it will not always be possible.
Students will remove masks to eat. #ProtectOurKids
A Florida school district set to reopen announces it will provide “mask breaks” for students.
A Pinellas County Schools reopen video says “mask breaks” will be provided because “it may be difficult for students to wear masks the entire school day.” #MaskBreaks #ProtectOurKids
Pinellas County Schools tells parents to make sure their kids are symptom-free each day, yet said nothing about any possible plan for schools to do temperature checks to make sure everyone stays safe. #ProtectOurKids
While Pinellas County Schools is offering an online choice, the district says families “will be automatically enrolled” in “face-to-face learning” if they don’t fill out a survey by 5PM on July 27th. #ProtectOurKids
Pinellas Superintendent Michael Grego acknowledged, in some schools, social distancing cannot occur and in some areas it will be trimmed from the recommended 6ft feet to “5ft or 4 1/2ft, or something like that.”
“Social distancing is not possible at all times throughout a day.” - Pinellas County Schools Reopening Plan, pg. 5.
“The district understands that social distancing may not be possible on buses.” - Pinellas County School Reopening plan, pg. 5
This district is going to have teachers do all first aid in the classroom and are directing students with diabetes to administer their own medicine in their own classrooms. They say this will protect the office from contamination.
Students and teachers will be able to remove masks for outside PE classes.
It appears that world language teachers will not be allowed to wear masks, but must wear a face shield instead so students can see their faces as they teach.
Sharing materials? Wash hands at the schedule break.
Can’t social distance? Wash hands more.
This is really in their reopen plan.
Speech pathologists and teachers working with deaf and hard of hearing students will not be wearing masks, only face shields.
Desks will be closer than 6ft apart for these grades:
Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Michael Grego seems to think that if he “cracks the window 2-3 inches” of a school bus with half the numbers of kids (43 elementary/ middle schoolers or 28 high schoolers) it will be safe to reopen and use buses. #ProtectOurKids
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