SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – As Florida continues to see a surge in coronavirus cases, Seminole County school leaders are working to welcome students back for the 2020-2021 academic year with adjusted learning options.

Seminole County Public Schools has been working on details to reopen for in-person learning after the Florida Department of Education issued an executive order telling schools to physically reopen come August.

Here’s what you need to know about the district’s back to school plan:

Start date: Aug. 17

The Seminole County School Board voted Tuesday night to delay the start of the school year from Aug. 10 to Aug. 17.

Click here to see how the school calendar has changed with the new school start date.

Learning Options

The district has provided four options for parents to pick from:

1. Face-to-Face Learning: Traditional in-school learning with enhanced health and safety protocols for students. Students will follow a regular school day schedule with families expected to adhere to the district’s health and safety guidelines on campus and while on school buses.

2. Seminole County Virtual School: At-home online courses on your family’s schedule. Families will establish their own daily learning schedule with SCPS teachers available to assist from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

*Note: Students will have the option to return revert to the Face-to-Face Learning option January 2021

3. Seminole Connect: At-home learning from teachers at a student’s Seminole County school during school hours. Students will follow a school day schedule using technology and other instructional resources to learn from their teacher presenting live in classrooms to the extent that is possible.

*Note: Parents will have the option to return to Face-to-Face in-school learning after each 9-week grading period with the same teachers to the extent possible.

4. Hybrid learning option: Families can choose from the multiple learning options above to meet personal scheduling and academic needs.

Elementary School Students: Young students can combine face-to-face learning with Seminole County Virtual School courses at home. This means students will spend a partial day at school.

Middle & High School Students: These students can combine face-to-face, Seminole Connect and/or Seminole County Virtual School courses. This means students can have a partial day at school or an entire at-home schedule that is flexible to a family’s schedule.

Learning Option Deadline: July 24

To help parents decide, the district has created a Learning Options Decision Tree. The district warns these options are subject to change in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. For more information on the learning options available, click here. To confirm your student’s learning option, follow this link.

Enhanced coronavirus-related health and safety measures

If parents opt for any in-person learning options, students will have to follow increased health and safety protocols to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Below are few topics of which parents should be aware:

Face coverings

Teachers, faculty and staff: All SCPS staff members and adults visiting SCPS buildings will be required to wear face coverings in alignment with current state and local guidance, including, when they are unable to be 6 feet away from others.

Elementary students (grades K-5): Face coverings will be required while students are walking in hallways, riding SCPS bus transportation, waiting in line in the dining room, and when working in small groups or individually with a teacher or peers. Students may remove face coverings during high-intensity outdoor activities, while in their classroom working at their desk, and while seated for dining within their class group.

Secondary students (grades 6-12): Face coverings will be required when they are not able to be 6 feet from others, are in hallway transitions/class changes, in large common areas, are riding SCPS bus transportation, and are in line in the dining room area. Face coverings may be removed for high-intensity outdoor activities and when seated at the dining tables for eating.

*Accommodations for face covering protocols can be made for students/staff based on their individual health needs.

Classroom sanitization

Elementary Schools

• Students and teachers will be kept in classes that stay together as much as possible throughout the day.
  • There are some support services for education and mental health that will require students to leave or join other cohort groups during the school day. These student groupings will be tracked, and attendance will be kept.
• Playground equipment will not be used by more than one class at a time.

For all schools

• Minimize the number of student transitions during the school day.

• Arrange desks or seating so that students are as physically distanced as possible.

• Limit sharing of personal items and supplies.

• Limit use of classroom materials to small groups and disinfect between uses

• Eliminate the use of soft/plush items, area rugs, and other personal items from the classroom.

• Limit the amount of use at water fountains that are not fill stations; students and staff will be strongly encouraged to bring water from home or use individual disposable water bottles.

• Supply soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, cleaning and disinfection supplies for staff, paper towels, and tissue.

• Reinforce handwashing with soap for 20 seconds and/or hand sanitizer use.

• Schedule cleaning of high touch/high traffic areas during the school day (e.g., tables, desks, chairs, door handles, light switches, railings, faucet/toilet handles, etc.

The district has outlined its protocols further in its reopening plan. Use this link to access the district’s website for more resources.

Click here to read SCPS’ entire reopening plan.

Fall Sports Plan

Seminole County announced fall sports practice will resume on Aug. 31.