MANATEE COUNTY – As a coronavirus (COVID-19) precautionary measure, spring break for Manatee County students has been extended by an additional week.
Manatee County schools, including Anna Maria Elementary School, are now scheduled to reopen on Monday, March 30. School district employees are still scheduled to return to work on Monday, March 23.
At 5:55 p.m. on Friday, March 13, Michael Barber, School District of Manatee County director of communications, family and community engagement, issued the following written statement addressing the spring break extension.
“Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran, with the support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has directed school districts across the state to close for two weeks due to concerns related to coronavirus (COVID -19),” according to the statement.
“For the School District of Manatee County, that means schools will be closed to students until Monday, March 30, 2020. Next week, March 16-20, is spring break in the district, so schools were already closed. The district will extend spring break for an additional week to meet the commissioner’s requirements. All extracurricular activities for students, including all athletic contests, will be postponed for the next two weeks,” the statement says.
“The coronavirus pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on our society and across the world, so it is not surprising that it is now directly impacting our schools,” Superintendent Cynthia Saunders said in the written statement.
“We are charged with the safety and security of our students and employees so we will abide by all protocols and procedures endorsed by the CDC, the Florida Department of Health, our Governor and the Commissioner of Education. I know our students, employees and community will rise up to meet the challenges before us,” Saunders said in the statement.
“All school district employees will work the week of Monday, March 23 – Friday, March 27. Instructional personnel will work on professional development and training while support personnel will conduct the regular business operations of the district and prepare for the return of students on March 30,” the statement says.
“School District officials will continue to monitor developments regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) during the next two weeks and will provide updates on district and school websites; social media pages; the mobile app MySDMC and through electronic Connect-Ed phone calls and emails. Additional details will be provided to students, parents and employees next week,” the written statement says in conclusion.
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