BAY AREA, Fla. — Students, teachers and parents across the Bay area are returning to classes Monday for the first day of school.
Classes are back in session in Pinellas, Polk, Pasco and Hillsborough counties.
And students are returning to a whole new set up amid the pandemic with social distancing and other safety protocols in place.
While some students are returning to in-person classes on campus, many also are logging on for remote learning and virtual school.
Pinellas County
School officials welcomed half of the district’s 98,000 students to campuses Monday morning as about half chose to be back in classrooms.
The district spent the summer preparing procedures to keep students safe.
Students are being spaced out in classrooms and in cafeterias. And special cleaning procedures are in place. Children and teachers also are wearing masks and using hand sanitizer as they enter each room.
District officials are working with the health department to monitor when or if there are Covid-19 cases. The district will contact families regarding any necessary quarantines, which will be determines by the Department of Health.
“This is going to be a great year,” Superintendent Dr. Michael Grego said. “Let’s settle on that – this is going to be an outstanding year but we’re going to have to be understanding we’re going to have to lead with compassion and patience.”
– Fallon Silcox
Polk County
The newly renovated Davenport Elementary welcomed students back to school Monday.
County officials said the renovation cost $35 million as the school opened its doors to students for the first time in several years.
Meanwhile, about 50,000 students returned to physical school locations Monday with thousands others starting the year online.
Precautions are in place across the district for returning students and staff.
“There’s a lot of excitement from our students, teachers and staff,” said Rachel Pleasant with Polk County Schools. “(There’s also) a lot of dilegence as we’re adhering to new rules. We have to ritualize these things.”
– Laurie Davison
Hillsborough County
All students are virtual for the first week and campuses are set to open next Monday.
The district is opening a new high school amid the pandemic.
Sumner High School in Riverview is the largest high school the district has ever built at 265,000 square feet. The school will service 9th-11th grade students for the first year and then add a senior class in the next school year.
Principal Dave Brown said it’s been challenging to open the school during the pandemic.
“We’re making that map as we go along. There’s no map to follow. So the good news is, you can’t mess up, right? We’re going to work through it, we’re going to make it happen,” he said.
– Angie Angers
Pasco County
Superintendent Kurt Browning said face coverings will be one of the biggest changes for students.
Masks will be required but students will have breaks allowing for masks to be taken off.
Meanwhile, some students will eat lunch in the cafeteria while others eat in classrooms to maintain social distancing.
And classrooms, as well as other school areas and buses will go through multiple cleanings daily.
– Sarah Blazonis
Spectrum Bay News 9 reporters are covering Back-to-School across the region.
Check out some of their LIVE UPDATES below:
