CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Somewhere between 38,000 and 40,000 students will return to in-person learning in Clay County public schools, while at least 300 students will learn through Clay Virtual Academy full time.
The return comes as the percent positivity rate of COVID-19 in the county is at 27.6%. That’s about 675 new cases in the last week for every 100,000 people in the county.
A number of safety measures are in place for students and staff, but students will not be required to wear masks.
Justin Hilley, a father with fourth and fifth graders at Fleming Island Elementary School, said he does not have a lot of concerns heading into this school year.
“A lot of the concerns and hiccups were ironed out last year when we started getting everything back into brick and mortar,” Hilley said. “Honestly, going into this year, I’m not that concerned.”
Many of the safety measures are a continuation from last year.
When traveling through halls, students move with the lines on the ground and arrows for social distancing. In the classroom, handwashing times are factored in, and students use their own supplies. Students will be pre-screened and electrostatic sprayers will be used for specialized cleaning.
Superintendent David Broskie said one goal is to maximize cafeteria space. In the cafeteria at Fleming Island Elementary, they showed News4Jax dots on the ground meant to help students social distance while standing in line for lunch. They will also space out when they sit down to eat.
The Clay school district’s back-to-school plan also includes how students arrive at school: “Schools will create plans to stagger the arrival and dismissal of students to maintain social distancing.”
The principal at Fleming Island Elementary said some of the COVID protocols will be kept in place going forward to keep students safe and healthy.
Clay is not bucking the state and instituting a mask mandate in the classroom like other school districts in Florida. The mask issue boiled over in the latest school board meeting.
News4Jax asked Broskie about the safety of Clay schools when he joined “The Morning Show.”
“Everything from individualized school plans, align with their unique circumstances of each school site,” he said. “A monitored campus. Maximizing cafeteria space, pre-screening of students. Electrostatic sprayers and the list go on and on.”
On the first day, there are bound to be a lot of questions and confusion. Anyone with issues concerning their child’s bus or its schedule, the district has set up a hotline at 904-336-0001.