Back to School in So Many Ways
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Back to School in So Many Ways

Back to School in So Many Ways

Learning During Pandemic Takes Multiple Forms

The Friday before Spring Break, nobody could have predicted that Brevard County students and teachers would not walk back into classrooms until the next school year.  

Once the state gave word that schools were to close, the district had roughly two weeks to set up a digital platform and plan for delivering quality education in an equitable way to 70,000+ students.  

While distance learning was no easy feat, it pales in comparison to the level of planning and logistics surrounding how to reopen schools and protect students, staff and families in the midst of a global pandemic.

Parents had difficult decisions to make from the learning options presented. And they wondered: what would school look like as students returned? We keep hearing about “getting back to normal,” but the reality is, this is a new normal. 

Countless hours went into reviewing data from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and other reputable sources, as well as feedback from tens of thousands of stakeholders to establish the best possible scenarios for reopening schools. Then BPS worked in close collaboration with the Brevard Department of Health to implement processes and procedures to keep students and staff healthy and safe.

Videos designed to familiarize families with new safety protocols and other important information can be found on the COVID-19 resource page: www.brevardschools.org/COVID-19.  

Brevard families were given multiple options so they could make the best choice based on individual needs:

  • Full-time brick and mortar (in-person) school.
  • Full-time eLearning from home. Students are still part of their enrolled school (including choice schools) and participate in live teaching and peer interaction from home. Students are present online for the duration of their school day.
  • Full-time Brevard Virtual School. This allows parents flexibility with class work that can be completed beyond the traditional school day.
  • Part-time Brevard Virtual School / part-time in-person.
  • Secondary students who qualified were also able to select either full- or part-time dual enrollment.

Additionally, in preparation for school reopening, health and safety protocols were implemented:

  • Modified desk/table setups to maximize social distancing
  • Modified hallway traffic patterns
  • Plexiglass barriers
  • Modified school schedules to limit exposure
  • Frequent disinfecting of high-touch surfaces
  • Hand sanitizer dispenser at key campus areas
  • Transportation route adjustments to limit exposure
  • HVAC filter changes and cycle modifications for increased circulation
  • Mask requirement for grades 3-12 and strongly recommended for K-2
  • Touchless thermometers
  • Face shields and KN-95 face coverings for teachers

The support of our families and community has never been more vital to the success of our students than in the climate we’re living in now. Together, we will not only weather this storm but chart our course toward calmer seas and clearer skies ahead.

— Brevard Public Schools

 

Read more articles in our Digital Magazine.

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