St. Lucie County schools delaying start to academic year

Children in St. Lucie County will have a few more weeks of summer.

COUNTY.

THAT'S AN OPTION OTHERDISTRICTS IN OUR AREA ARECONSIDERING.

THESUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCED TODAY- THE START OF SCHOOL WILL BEDELAYED BY TWO WEEKS DUE TOTHE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.

WPTVNEWSCHANNEL 5'S RYAN HUGHESSPOKE WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTABOUT WHAT THIS YEAR WILL LOOKLIKE.<< IN ST LUCIE COUNTY - SOMESTUDENTS WILL BE RETURNING TOTHE CLASSROOM....BUT LATERTHAN ORIGINALLYTHOUGHT...AFTER THESUPERINTENDENT ANNOUNCEDMONDAY THE START OF SCHOOL ISBEING PUSHED BACK TWO WEEKS."WE KNOW THIS OPENING IS GOINGTO BE THE MOST CHALLENGINGWE'VE EVER FACED." THE FIRSTDAY BACK ON CAMPUS WILL NOW BEAUGUST 24TH..

IF APPROVED BYTHE STATE.

THE SUPERINTENDENTTELLS US THE EXTRA TIME WILLBE USED FOR MORE TEACHERTRAINING AND STAFFDEVELOPMENT.

"THERE'S PROBABLYGOING TO BE MORE TEACHERTRAINING NEEDED THIS YEAR TOOPEN SCHOOLS THAN EVER BEFOREBECAUSE ALMOST 40% OF OURSTUDENTS ARE GOING TO GOONLINE." ST LUCIE COUNTYPUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE OFFERINGTHREE OPTIONS FOR PARENTS ANDSTUDENTS... IN-PERSONINSTRUCTION...MYSCHOO LONLINE...WHERE STUDENTS FOLLOWA DAILY SCHEDULE FROMHOME...OR FULL-TIME VIRTUALLEARNING.

THE PRESIDENT OF THEEDUCATION ASSOCIATION OF STLUCIE...THE UNION FOR TEACHERSAND STAFF...SAYS A DELAY IS AGOOD DECISION...BUT MANYMEMBERS ARE STILL HESITANT TORETURN WITH KIDS BACK IN THECLASSROOM.

"THERE'S A LOT OFCONCERN ON OUR PART ABOUT HOWDO WE MITIGATE THAT, HOW DO WEPROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOREMPLOYEES WHO MAY NEED THEM TOKEEP THEM SAFE." THE DISTRICTSAYS THE DELAY WILL ALSO HELPINSTALL SIGNAGE, PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT AND ALLOW PRINCIPALSTO SET UP THEIR SCHOOLS WITHSUPPLIES.

THE SUPERINTENDENTTELLS WPTV HIS NUMBER ONEPRIORITY IS RETURNING TOSCHOOL SAFELY.

"SEVERAL OF OURSCHOOLS WILL HAVE 50% CAPACITYSO YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TOSPREAD THE KIDS OUT."----------- RYAN--------- THESUPERINTENDENT ALSO SAYS FIELDTRIPS HAVE BEEN CANCELED FORTHE TIME BEING, VISITORS WILLBE LIMITED AT EVERYSCHOOL....ANDEVERYONE....STUDENTS, TEACHERSAND STAFF WILL BE REQUIRED TOWEAR A MASK.

IN ST LUCIECOUNTY, RH WPTV NC5.