:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/07-14-2020/t_13a0f1ab59ee412db39aba31b7c9eef5_name_t_68ae7638175449dfb0a9a501160dec4b_name_image.jpg)
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orange County School Board meets Tuesday to finalize the county’s plan to send students back to school either in-person or virtually in August as COVID-19 continues to plague Florida and the world.
The school board session began at noon with public comment and a discussion of the rules and speaking times for board members. Public comments can be emailed to the board at publiccomment@ocps.net.
During the meeting, the board is expected to vote on the 2020-2021 reopening plan. The board previously discussed health and safety protocols, learning options and what to do in case of a school-related COVID-19 case during an 11-hour work session last week.
[Watch the school board meeting and public comment in the video player at the top of this story.]
The Orange County School Board has laid out three options for students for the upcoming academic year: face-to-face learning, virtual school or innovative learning that will involve online classes that follow the same schedule as on-campus classes.
Eighteen Orange County school employees have tested positive for the virus, according to the district. In Orange County, nearly 19,000 people have tested positive for the respiratory illness since March, including 83 fatalities.
The vote is expected to happen around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday after the board goes over the detailed plans for the upcoming school year just weeks away.
Follow live updates below from News 6 and ClickOrlando.com.
2:50 p.m. 10 minute break
The school board is taking a 10 minute break to deal with some technical issues. Board Chair Teresa Jacobs said she expects there is about 1 hour of public comment left after the break.
Board member Johanna Lopez, District 2, and Angie Gallo, District 1, said members of the public are still having difficulty calling in to make their comments to the board. There are interpreters available for people calling into the school board meeting, according to Lopez.
2:40 p.m. Addressing minority students’ needs
Title 1 OCPS teacher Machani Roberson spoke about the socio-economic needs of students as well as the fact that minority populations are proportionally affected by the coronavirus, according to the data.
“In the U.S. the mortality rate is high in black and brown communities,” she told the board. “I wake up crying, because I know students who go back won’t have an online option and look like me.”
Roberson asked the school district to look at the access to online options, then provide families and parents the resources they need.
“I want to give families options to have accessibility,” she said.
2:12 p.m. ‘How many people are you willing to let die?'
Powerful comment continues at the Orange County School Board meeting from concerned teachers, OCPS staff and parents.
Nicholas Anderson, an OCPS teacher, looked at the board asked them to think about five years from now and their decision if they allow Orange County schools to reopen.
If schools open, the disease will spread to parents and teachers, Anderson warned, telling the board, ”You will not be able to wash your hands of that.”
“I’m asking the board to do the hard thing but the right thing, to fight against what we know is the wrong thing, how many people are you willing to let die?” Anderson said.
Ron Collard, the grandfather of three girls at Orange County schools, spoke on behalf of essential workers, including bus drivers, custodians and other staff at OCPS.
He asked the school board bring the school staff back early to train and get used to the new changes before the students returned.
1:55 p.m. Teachers concerned about bringing virus home to family
Public comments continues with heated arguments about Florida’s handling of the virus and how schools will handle the ongoing pandemic and keep students and staff safe, many coming from teachers and OCPS teachers.
“Who are we prepared to bury?” Gretchen Robinson, who identified herself as an Orange County teacher, told the board after listing off her friends and family who have been impacted by the virus.
Jason Henry, an Orlando resident, who called in for comment said he recognized the difficult decisions the board must make.
Henry said while the data doesn’t yet show how at risk children are for COVID-19, adults are at a higher risk. His concern was for the staff who may need to take time off if they are infected and if they will be given paid leave.
A Math teacher for OCPS said she was fearful for herself and her family members who are also employees of the school district. She felt teachers did not have enough say in the current reopening plan.
“I think it would be best to prepare for the worst,” she said, adding school staff are mentally and physically stressed about returning to schools.
“We are professionals, we could do it,” she said of online-only learning for the 2020-2021 school year.
1:44 p.m. Public comment underway
The board is taking comments from school staff and members of the public. Each person has 3 minutes to speak.
Jared Stuart, an English teacher at Winter Park High School, was the first to speak. He expressed his concerns for social distancing. He said he usually has 30 students in a classroom with space for 25 desks.
“I don’t know how we’re going to get 3 feet of space) let alone 6,” Stuart said.
He is also concerned about bringing home the virus to his asthmatic wife and his young child.
1:25 p.m. Overview of the three learning options
Superintendent Barbara Jenkins is going over a presentation of the district’s innovative plan to reopen schools.
The pre-agenda portion of the meeting has now concluded and the main School Board meeting is starting. You can watch the live stream here: https://t.co/wAJxDrkxRc
— ocpsnews (@OCPSnews) July 14, 2020
According to Jenkins, the schedule for the meeting will look something like this: Jenkins will go over the three OCPS reopening models, the school calendar proposal if the year begins later on Aug. 21 and lastly the OCPS reopening details.
After reviewing those details the board will be open to questions and discussion.
You can read about the three proposed learning options for students at Orange County schools here.
12:50 p.m. Board members mask up
A member of the public in the audience of the meeting held up a sign that board members physically present should be wearing face masks. The board members present in person were separated by 6 feet or were attending remotely to the meeting.
After the sign, School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs and the other three board members present put on face masks.
12:40 p.m. Board comments limited to 5 minutes
Dr. Kathleen Gordon, school board member for District 5, objected to a motion to restrict board member comments to 5 minutes. She was the only member to object the motion.
Board members can speak for 5 minutes and then will allow other members to speak until their turn comes up again.
OCPS Board Member Kobert motioned to limit members to speaking for 5 minutes at a time. Motion passed, but Dr. Gordon strongly opposed the motion, saying she did not want to be limited on time when the discussion is on a major decision regarding the reopening of schools.
— Lauren Cervantes (@LaurenNews6) July 14, 2020
12:30 p.m. A moment of silence
The Orange County School Board session started with public comment via phone Tuesday and a moment of silence for coronavirus victims.
Members of the public had difficulty calling into the meeting because of the issues the board extended the public comment time.
Members of the public can call 407-250-6270 to give up to 3 minutes of input until 12:40 p.m., according to Board Chair Teresa Jacobs.
Chair Jacobs says people have had issues calling in. She says this is what delayed the start of the meeting. She says they are extending the time frame for people to call in by 15 minutes. She adds the public can call in now.
— Lauren Cervantes (@LaurenNews6) July 14, 2020
6:55 a.m. Board will consider delayed school start
Orange County Public Schools announced that a new proposal to push back the start of the school year will be discussed Tuesday at the board meeting.
The proposal would move the start of the school year to August 21. Currently, the plan is to start school on August 10.
In addition, the district’s Innovative plan option, also known as LaunchEd@Home, will allow students to spend part of the week at school and part at home.
School officials said details will be sent to employees and parents Tuesday morning and will be available on the district’s website.
"board" - Google News
July 15, 2020 at 01:53AM
https://ift.tt/3esMMpF
LIVE UPDATES: Teachers express fears to Orange County School Board about reopening schools - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando
"board" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2KWL1EQ
https://ift.tt/2YrjQdq
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "LIVE UPDATES: Teachers express fears to Orange County School Board about reopening schools - WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando"
Post a Comment