MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – About 22,000 students returned to the classroom Monday in Miami-Dade County as the public school district began the first phase of its staggered start to in-person learning.
“I’m here to happily report that I’ve seen nothing but happy faces, both teachers and students,” Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said.
The superintendent visited nearly a dozen schools Monday as students in pre-k, kindergarten and first grade who opted out of virtual class made their big return to a brick-and-mortar classroom.
“I just witnessed in every single classroom that I visited, custodians going by constantly wiping down handles or doors, and monitoring and sanitizing bathrooms,” Carvalho said.
In addition to stepped up sanitation and signage, the district has also provided more hand sanitizer and spaced out every desk.
All students must also wear a face covering, which staff will check for before they walk in.
“Obviously, you have to have a mask on. All of the students had their mask. We actually practiced it during the online learning component,” said Adolfo Costa, principal of Andrea Castillo Prep Academy.
In the event a student does test positive for COVID-19, the district says every parent at the school will be notified.
The superintendent also encouraged anyone who sees people breaking the protocols to report it immediately.
“I’m not concerned. I actually think that teachers and students with the almighty power of this will be perfectly able to tell us where things are not right,” Carvalho said while holding up a cellphone. “And that’s actually what I’m encouraging.”
There was some concern that there wouldn’t be enough teachers, but only about 100 stayed home.
Carvalho said around 700 educators have been granted accommodations to continue teaching online because of underlying health concerns.
The Miami-Dade teachers union felt that the day went smoothly, for the most part.
“We have seen some hiccups along the way,” said union president Karla Hernandez-Mats.
The main concern from the union is the health of teachers, but also having to teach both online and in-person at the same time, which they argue was not part of the agreement with the district.