Osceola County Schools to give students option to learn at home, in classroom

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County families will have the option to choose how their children learn with classes resume this fall.

Osceola County Schools has released its plans to welcome students and staff back this fall, marking the first Central Florida school district to do so.

Families will have three options. The first option is to send children back to their assigned school for face-to-face learning, as they always have.

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The second option is to do digital online classes with their assigned school.

The third option would be Osceola Virtual School for students from kindergarten to 12th grade.

For students who return to face-to-face learning, parents will be expected to check for symptoms of COVID-19.

“We believe we have comprehensive plans in place to keep everyone safe and healthy,” Superintendent Dr. Debra Pace said.

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Temperature checks will be done at schools on different days, and students will immediately grab food and go to classrooms instead of gathering in groups on campus.

Students are also encouraged to bring water bottles instead of using drinking fountains.

The school district will provide staff members and students with five washable masks. Students will be required to wear them when moving around the classroom or interacting with other students. However, they will be allowed to take them off when working on assignments at their desks.

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Anyone who tests positive will have to be quarantined for 14 days.

Parents have about two weeks to decide which option they want. They must go online to the district’s Smart Start page and select their option and register each child by July 15.

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