All Florida school districts reopen after Helene, start setting makeup days
As Florida works to recover from Hurricane Helene, educators and other officials want to ensure children whose families suffered losses do not also lose the continuity of their learning or their sense of community.
That’s why they’re taking whatever steps they can to ensure that schools damaged by the storm reopen as soon as possible, whether in their own buildings or on other campuses. Cedar Key residents, for instance, stepped in to make sure their local school is ready to receive students, after hearing proposals were circulating to bus children to Chiefland, WCJB reports.
During a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that all school districts were operating, with the state and outside organizations ready to offer assistance and support.
Taylor County superintendent Alicia Beshears said she hoped reopening schools would take a burden off families as they clean up, WCTV reports.
In reopening their storm-damaged schools, Pinellas County district officials made clear the importance of reestablishing normal routines for children and families. That can mean a more relaxed atmosphere, with the understanding that some students and staff might be facing problems that make it harder for them to concentrate, if they even make it to school.
Acknowledging some of the difficulties, the Florida Department of Education on Wednesday sent a memo to superintendents letting them know that they may use an alternative window for their fall enrollment counts that are set to begin next week. Those counts are key in establishing funding levels for the first semester. The state also extended the testing window for the first round of progress monitoring, if needed.
It indicated that it would not, however, waive required instructional hours despite the storm. As a result, districts began setting makeup dates and revised schedules to account for the missed time. Check with your district for the details.
All Florida school districts reopen after Helene, start setting makeup days (tampabay.com)