Just Three Weeks Into School Year, Infections Near Last School Year’s Total.
Thousands Of Students Under “Stay Home” Directive.
BY: ANDREW COLTON | Editor and Publisher
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2021 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Just three weeks into the 2021-2022 school year, the Palm Beach County School District is rapidly approaching the total number of COVID-19 cases logged during all of 2020-2021. Still, distance learning is prohibited by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as he continues to fight school districts over mask mandate.
Early Wednesday, the Palm Beach County School District reported a total of 2042 COVID-19 cases, with 1,811 involving students and 231 involving staff. During all of the last year school, Palm Beach County Schools logged a total of 3,855 cases. Today’s count is 53 percent of last year’s total. There have only been 13 days of school.
As the numbers surge, school officials say the mask mandate — approved by the Palm Beach County School Board — will be fully enforced starting Monday. Penalties include suspension which may be imposed after meetings with non-compliant students and their parents or guardians.
These are the notable infection counts as of 7 a.m. Wednesday, August 25th, 2021:
Addison Mizner Elementary: 28 students and 3 employees.
Alexander Dreyfoos: 10 students.
Atlantic Community High: 12 students.
Bak Middle School of the Arts: 14 students.
Banyan Creek Elementary: 11 students.
Binks Forest Elementary: 19 students.
Boca Raton Community High School: 45 students and 3 employees.
Boca Raton Community Middle: 16 students and 1 employee.
Boca Raton Elementary: 8 students and 1 employee.
Boynton Beach Community High: 8 students.
Calusa Elementary: 25 students and 2 employees.
Coral Reef Elementary: 35 students and 3 employees.
Del Prado Elementary: 5 students.
Discovery Key Elementary: 15 students and 2 employees.
Don Estridge High Tech Middle: 16 students.
Hagen Road Elementary: 13 students.
Independence Middle: 14 students.
Jupiter Community High: 53 students and 1 employee.
Jupiter Middle: 35 students and 3 employees.
Loggers’ Run Community Middle: 20 students and 3 employees.
Morikami Park Elementary: 12 students and 1 employee.
Olympic Heights Community High: 29 students and 1 employee.
Omni Middle: 3 students and 3 employees.
Polo Park Middle: 16 students.
Spanish River Community High: 13 students.
Sunrise Park Elementary: 13 students.
Wellington Community High: 46 students.
West Boca Raton Community High: 20 students and 3 employees.
Whispering Pines Elementary: 6 students.
Thousands of students, according to District officials, are under “stay at home” directives due to confirmed infections or suspected exposure to COVID-19. With no distance learning, due to mandates from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, these students are limited to downloading and completing work on their own. Teachers are allowed to, but not required to, provide after hours assistance.
