SCHOOL DAZED: KIDS IN DANGER, PARENTS FRUSTRATED WITH PALM BEACH SCHOOL DISTRICT

SCHOOLS OPEN IN A WEEK. PARENTS HAVE NO OR INCOMPLETE SAFETY, TEACHING PLANS FROM LOCAL SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

OUR FIRST ROUND OF PARENT REPORTS REVEALS MIXED MESSAGING.

BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — Parents say they are frustrated — even angered — by the lack of communication from the Palm Beach County School District. A week before schools open for in-person education, most principals haven’t shared plans for school safety, social distancing, lunch distribution and eating, healthcare for children, air quality testing or how they plan to combine remote and distance learning.

Those principals or other administrators who have reached out concede they largely have no idea what they’re doing, or are reading from blanket statements provided by the Palm Beach County School District, not information tailored to their school.

We asked parents to share with us what they’ve heard from their children’s schools. Here is a sampling of what we received from across the entire county. Share your information, below.

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BOCA HIGH

PARENT #1

Direct quote from principals email. “Classrooms will not be able to accommodate all students.  We will be moving classes around to help accommodate class size. I won’t know how many classes are impacted until we see how many students are returning to campus.” 

So kids will basically be sent to an overflow room to do virtual while on campus. My son’s 1st period teacher said 90% of those students are returning and this teachers last period only 25% of kids returning. This teacher only has 12 desks in the class.

PARENT #2

Have not heard from her once, only info shared was school opening on 9-21. During open house, teachers didn’t have any details either.

EAGLES LANDING MIDDLE SCHOOL

(Administrator) has no idea how to handle 2000 students. Told us there aren’t enough classrooms. Lunch plans not set. Not enough custodians to clean classrooms if used for lunch. No plan for distance vs. in-person. Encouraged us to keep our kids home.

WHISPERING PINES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PARENT #1

Plans to use a classroom in a building full of students as a sick bay for children who may display COVID-19 symptoms, not an isolated portable. No plans shared for social distancing, lunch, desk placement, combining distance and virtual learning.

PARENT #2

*Populated/closed building with teachers and students used for very sick kids showing covid signs
*eating in cafe without masks. Kids assigned seats to separate them
*Maskless breakfast in the classroom
*Kids need to bring computer devices back and forth every day
*Kids will be told not to play with each other during recess
*teachers teach kids at home and on the computer at the same time
* no clear plan for kids whos teacher or sub does not show up for learning.

EVERGLADES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

(Principal Message transmitted to parents):

“Our goal is to avoid using overflow rooms, however we may have to depending on the amount of students that come to campus for each class period. If this has to occur, teachers for that class will send students to an alternate location on campus to participate remotely on a rotating basis in order to minimize this experience for any of our students.  
There will be increased sanitation throughout the campus. We are expecting a shipment of sanitizing wipes for each classroom so that students can assist in cleaning their own work stations. It may be a good idea to send your student with a ziplock of sanitizing wipes in the interim.  
Students should bring their fully charged laptop/Chromebook, charger, and earbuds/headphones to campus daily as part of their school supplies, just in case it is needed. If you do not have a school issued Chromebook, you may bring your personal laptop until we issue you a school Chromebook. We should be 1:1 with Chrome books by the end of November and we are waiting for shipments to arrive daily.  

Whenever possible, you may wish to have your student bring their own lunch from home to minimize time waiting in lines. However, the USDA has provided us the ability to continue providing free meals to all students age 18 and younger through December 31, 2020 whether students are learning remotely or on campus.  

For grades 4/5 that are departmentalized, teachers will travel to the next class period to minimize movement of students throughout the school day. Students will remain in their homeroom class for the remainder of the day, with the exception of lunch, possible transition to Fine Arts classes, etc.  
Dismissal will be staggered based on transportation (car driver, walker, bus rider, or parent pick up) to minimize students in the hallway during dismissal. Remember, facial coverings are required at all times while on campus, even while waiting to be picked up and on school buses.”

PLUMOSA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (SCHOOL OF THE ARTS)

My students teacher provided parents with a video she made of herself explaining what she learned from her faculty meeting and what will be mandated rules as I return my 5 year old to her Kindergarten classroom:

1. Teachers are not allowed to touch students or their belongings at all. So we were informed to be sure they can open there own lunches and tie shoes etc. because her teacher will be unable to assist her due to no-touch rule by the district. She said teachers are also not allowed to help students with their supplies, at all. So for example, what if my child struggles to use scissors, well, turns-out she cant help her, physically.

2. Laptops are required and my 5 year old must be able to navigate a laptop, logins and toggles for various platforms and assignments by the time school starts because the teacher no-touch rule, she explained, she will not be able to help my 5 year old logon etc. and there will be some work she will have to perform on a laptop. She explained that the district is pushing more technology on all including kindergarten this year as a hands off solution.

3. No playgrounds. Closed. No recess outside.

4. Face masks need to be worn AT ALL TIMES

I feel these measures are extreme ESPECIALLY the NO-TOUCH rule. Im hoping when we do receive communication from the principal I learn that when my daughter is crying and frustrated because she is having trouble with technology that her teacher will be able to use her hands to come and help her. I also do not believe laptops are learning tools for a 5 year old. Where are the child psychologists weighing in here on what is appropriate and what is damaging to our small children.?. I was told the districts first priority is to avoid being sued. shameful.

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SEPT. 12, 2020 UPDATE: We have the second round of parent reports. Click here for the latest.

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What have you heard from your principal? Please use this form. We would like your contact information for follow up questions, but will not share your identity.