Orange County students return to classroom for first day of school

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Thousands of kids headed back on the school bus and into the classroom on Friday for the first day of face-to-face learning for Orange County Public Schools.

District wide, OCPS said about 30% of kids signed up to be back in the classroom.

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About 38% of students were in attendance at Boone High School on Friday, but it’s a higher percentage at some elementary schools.

Most of the schools with larger percentages of face-to-face students are elementary schools looking at the school by school data from the district.

Orange County Public Schools used enrollment data from last Friday that breaks down which student in attendance planned to stay with digital learning with Launch Ed@Home or switch to face-to-face.

36 schools show 40% or more of enrolled students that day planning to do face-to-face.

READ: 192 positive COVID-19 cases reported in Orange County Public Schools ahead of face-to-face instruction, union says

Six of those schools were close to or above 50%.

Princeton Elementary had the highest percentage at 60%, followed by Dommerich Elementary School coming in at 56%.

The good news: even the medical advisory committee said preliminary data shows younger kids are less at risk.

Video: Thousands of Orange County students return to school for face-to-face learning Thousands of Orange County students returned to school Friday for face-to-face learning.

Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said the state does not require a reduced class size because of COVID-19.

Jenkins said all staff members and students are required to wear masks in school buildings because district officials know social distancing cannot be accomplished in every classroom.

READ: Concerns over COVID-19 testing availability raised in Orange County as in-person instruction looms

There have been 192 positive COVID-19 cases in Orange County Public Schools and worksites from June 1 to Aug. 19, according to data obtained by the teachers union.

The cases were identified at an unknown number of schools and worksites, according to the teacher’s union.

Click here to see a list of schools where a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19.

Cox Media Group