COVID vaccines available at some Broward schools; Harvey to help with Runcie’s departure

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Broward County Public Schools partnered with the Florida Department of Health to provide the two doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to students who are 16 years old or older, school staff and students’ parents or guardians.

The vaccination team will travel from school to school during the next two weeks. The schools on the list for Tuesday are Blanche Ely, Bright Horizons, Coconut Creek and Broward Virtual (at Coconut Creek High), Cypress Run Education Center, Deerfield Beach, and Monarch.

Jon Marlow, the principal at Deerfield Beach High School Principal, welcomed the program.

“It allows the parents to feel at ease that students are vaccinated,” Marlow said. “We’re trying to get more students here on campus obviously for the academic piece, but also for the extracurricular piece as well.”

Complete schedule

Wednesday: Pompano Beach, Atlantic Technical and College Academy, Coral Glades, Coral Springs, Cross Creek School, Charles Drew Family Resource Center

Thursday: Dave Thomas Education Center West, JP Taravella, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Northeast, Boyd Anderson

Friday: Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, Stranahan, Wingate Oaks, Sheridan Technical, South Plantation

May 10: Seagull School, Nova and College Academy, Whidden Rogers Education Center, William T. McFatter, Hollywood Hills, South Broward

May 11: Charles Flanagan, Cypress Bay, Everglades, The Quest Center, West Broward '

May 12: Cooper City, Lauderhill, Piper, Plantation, Western

May 13: Hallandale, Henry D. Perry Education Center, Lanier James Education Center, McArthur, Miramar, Whispering Pines Exceptional Education Center

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is preparing to launch a similar program. For more information about the BCPS program, call 850-245-4342 or visit this government page.

Broward requires face masks at schools

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ decision to lift coronavirus pandemic-related restrictions through an executive order on Monday isn’t influencing the School Board of Broward County.

Rosalind Osgood, a school board member and chair, said face masks are still a requirement at Broward County Public Schools.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended in April that people wear face masks in public settings, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people. The CDC also warned that a face mask is not a substitute for social distancing.

“I would love to be able to lift some of those restrictions but you can’t say as we know in May what’s going to happen in August,” said Debra Hixon, a Broward school board member.

DeSantis visited West Miami Middle School on Tuesday in Miami-Dade County’s Coral Terrace neighborhood to sign education bills into law. He didn’t wear a face mask or social distance.

Miami-Dade attorney to help negotiate Runcie’s departure

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie’s mutual separation agreement was at the top of the agenda on Tuesday.

School Board of Broward County members voted to hire a lawyer to help Osgood, the school board’s chair, during the negotiations with Runcie. The board chose Harvard-educated lawyer Walter Harvey, who serves as general counsel to the Miami-Dade School Board.

Harvard-educated lawyer Walter Harvey will be assisting the Broward school board during negotiations with Superintendent Robert Runcie. (BCSB)

“The school board wants to make sure that our process is transparent, that it’s done with integrity in a way the community will be comfortable and all school board members will be comfortable,” Osgood said.

Harvey took the job pro bono and will provide updates to the school board during meetings on Thursdays. Runcie announced he was willing to step down after he was arrested and prosecutors charged him with perjury.

Prosecutors accused Runcie of lying during his testimony under oath about a pending public corruption case in front of a state grand jury.

Noon report

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