Lee County School District unveils new plan to get students back to class

One of the biggest changes includes how students will return to class...and when.

A LOOK NOW AT CURRENTCONDITIONS.TONIGHT...WE’RE FINALLY GETTINGA BETTER IDEA OF HOW THE LEECOUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT ISPLANNING TO RETURN TO SCHOOLTHIS FALL.THE DISTRICT’S PANDEMICTASKFORCE VOTED ON A PLAN AT AMEETING LAST NIGHT.FOX 4’S ROCHELLE ALLEYNE BREAKSDOWN THE PLAN BASICS AND SHARESWHY SOME PEOPLE ARE HOPING TOSEE IT TWEAKED.(148-156){PK}AFTER HOURS OF DISCUSSION ANDSEVERAL VOTES..THE PANDEMIC TEAM FOR LEE COUNTYSCHOOLS PUT TOGETHER A BASICPLAN FOR HOW THEY’LL RETURN TOCLASSES COME FALL.AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHANGESWILL BE *WHO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLYRETURNS TO CLASS...AND WHEN.RIGHT NOW THE TASK FORCE ISPLANNING ON HAVING K-6TH GRADERETURN IN PERSON...BUT THEY’LLSPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEIR DAYIN THE SAME CLASSROOM AND WITHTHE SAME KIDS.((pulled from meeting video))"So for example if I am ateacher, I have my same kidswith me all day.

The artteacher, the music teacher, theSTEM teachers, all of thoseelectives, special area teacherswould come into those classroomsto work with those students."7TH THROUGH 12TH GRADES...WOULDONLY BE IN CLASS...PHYSICALLYFOR TWO DAYS...EITHER ON MONDAYAND TUESDAY OR THURSDAY ANDFRIDAY.THE OTHER THREEDAYS...THEY’D BE FOLLOWING ALONGVIRTUALLY.

LEAVING WEDNESDAYOPEN FOR SCHOOLWIDE CLEANINGS."The six feet guidance would notbe a plausible, feasible optionin this model."THEN THERE’S BUSES...THETASKFORCE WILL RESUME BUSINGLARGELY AS NORMAL...THOUGH THEYWOULD ENCOURAGE AND PROVIDEMASKS...AND SANITIZE THEVEHICLES.THE DISTRICT SAID DOING ANYTHINGELSE WOULD HAVE LEFT HUNDREDS OFFAMILIES STRANDED..."It could disproportionatelyimpact students and familiesthat don’t have the means to beable to provide their owntransportation."WITH SO MANY CHANGES...PARENTSSAY THEY’RE WORRIED STAFF WILLSTRUGGLE TO KEEP UP.((Jewelene Harris//Lee CountyParent, Taskforce Member))(phoner)"My concern is just stressingthe staff and overwhelming thestaff because we don’t know howlong this pandemic or thissituation is going to last."AND IT’S A WORRY THAT THE LOCALTEACHERS UNION SHARES...THEY’VESENT A LETTER TO THEDISTRICT...AND ARE HOPING TOHASH OUT STAFF EXPECTATIONS INAN UPCOMING MEETING.’Kind of the working conditionsand all kinds of things,observations, and any effect onmandatory subjects of bargaininghave to kind of be addressedthrough the bargaining processfrom here."THE TASK FORCE IS HOPING T