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

Volusia County Public School leaders 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 in August.

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

Start date: August 31

After a meeting that went into the early morning hours, the Volusia County School Board voted to send its reopening plan to the state for approval.

The board also voted to delay the start of school until Aug. 31 and debated options to possibly delay that further if cases of the coronavirus continue to spike in the county.

The Florida Department of Education approved the county’s plan on July 29. Read the full reopening plan here.

Learning Options - Deadline July 30

The district has provided three options from which parents can choose:

• Traditional Classroom Setting, as directed by the Florida Department of Education, with health and safety guidelines
• Volusia Live with student’s school of enrollment: This options includes online learning but in sync with on-campus schedules.
• Enhanced Volusia Online Learning (enrollment deadline is July 31)

School officials have extended the deadline for registration. Parents will now have until 12 p.m. Thursday to fill out their child’s’ pre-registration form.

You can access the form here.

Enhanced coronavirus-related health and safety measures

As part of Volusia County’s public school’s reopening proposal:

• Face masks will be required for all students, staff and visitors while on campus.
• All students and staff will go through temperature checks before entering schools
• Desks and workstations will be spaced between three and six feet
• Rooms will be disinfected between each class

Click here to read VCPS’ entire reopening plan.

SPORTS

The district has released a tentative athletic schedule.

The earliest practice may start on Sept. 7 and the regular season games may start on Sept. 18.

The tentative schedule is for:

• Football
• sideline cheer
• girls’ volleyball
• cross country
• swimming
• bowling
• golf

The schedule could change if the CDC, state, or county issues new coronavirus guidelines.

The district said anyone who has questions about a specific sport is asked to call the athletic director for their school.