Miami-Dade County Public Schools School Board voted on Tuesday to initiate reopenings on October 14. The re-institution of in-person classes is expected to endure a faltering process until the district is fully operational on October 21st.
The board made their decision during an elongated Monday meeting. Having been extended for over 18 hours, the session concluded more than 700 voicemails from parents and teachers expressing their opinions and concerns on M-DCPS reopenings.
Yet, not all students are mandated to return back on school grounds. The county had moved into Phase 2 last week.
Remote distance learning will continue for students whose parents have chosen the option for their children to stay home after opening up K-12 campuses. Meanwhile, students whose parents have chosen the district’s Schoolhouse model upon hitting Stage II can commence their education on campus once more.
During the meeting, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho had introduced a chart displaying the recommended dates for fully commenced reopenings. The dates had distinguished among different grade levels. Students from pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st grade and as well children with learning disabilities will come first. The remaining grade levels in the K-12 arena will be allowed on campus after — starting from October 14.
“I think the board listened carefully to the input from the community for hours from hundreds of teachers who expressed, many of them concerns, over health conditions in our community, and I believe that it is a decision that is intended to protect other students but also to protect the workforce,” said Carvalho, according to NBC6.
Still, concerns of in-person instruction weigh heavily for teachers and students alike. Mr. Moffi, an AICE US History instructor at MLEC, supports the affirmation that reopening schools will follow with a series of challenges.
“ I would never want to put kids in danger — I would never want their families to struggle with their choice. There are so many wheels that are turning all at the same time,” he said.
Mr. Moffi continued with inquiries that would likely become critical in the classroom:
“You know what the biggest issue is? What do we do with all these kids when they need to charge their laptops? Where are the extension cords coming from? How do we get them near when you have a charger cable that’s this long, but the outlet is this far away?
Simple math says you will have a problem. In my own way, I think a lot of the big issues are being dealt with. Those little details are going to make us nuts.”
There will be a non-opt teacher workday on October 13 in addition to initiating steps into Stage II. While the School Board voted to instigate reopening plans no later than October 14, Superintendent Carvalho will soon announce the exact date of setting the plan into motion later this week.
