OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Wednesday marks the last day of summer vacation for many students in Osceola County.
The school year begins Thursday.
District leaders have been working for weeks to make sure the first day back is a success.
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Masks are optional in Osceola County schools but the superintendent said if someone becomes sick with COVID-19, seating charts will play an important role in making sure leaders can determine contact tracing and quarantine protocols.
If a student tests positive for COVID-19, Superintendent Debra Pace said schools will look at who was sitting next to the student for more than 15 minutes at a time during the day and if they had close contact.
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They will also find out if the student was wearing a face covering and if the student or teacher had been vaccinated.
“If someone feels ill, please stay home,” Pace said. “We’ll make sure we can transition so the student can have access to assignments through Teams or Canvas.”
The school district has invested in a product they can spray in classrooms and buses every 90 days, which impedes the spread of bacterial and viruses.
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