ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County Public Schools invited us inside a classroom Wednesday at Lake Como School, a teacher was teaching via the LaunchEd platform.
School officials hosted the event prior to students’ expected return to face-to-face learning on Friday.
Inside the classroom, a teacher had her laptop propped up on her desk, so students at home could see the board with materials behind her.
OCPS Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins said teachers will have access to technology, like Swivel cameras, to assist in teaching those in person and those learning from home.
“It gives them the ability to move around the classroom and still be on camera with their students that are at home,” Dr. Jenkins said.
The classroom also showed desks socially distanced, Dr. Jenkins said they aimed for three to six feet apart, depending on the classroom and class size.
But one thing Dr. Jenkins said you won’t find is desk dividers. She said they are not necessary because every student is required to wear a face mask.
In terms of getting kids to and from school on the buses, the Director of Transportation Services said they will be following CDC recommendations to sanitize and disinfect the bus.
The seats will be cleaned after every trip.
While school officials said they have taken measures to keep students and staff as safe as possible, School Board Chair, Teresa Jacobs, said she'd still like to see rapid testing done.
The event concluded with a plea from Jacobs, calling for rapid testing for the schools and the community.
She said it’s something she’d like to see happen in partnership with the Department of Health.