Most local schools back in session
Students in most Central Florida public schools returned to classes Monday, after at least a six-day shutdown prompted by Hurricane Irma.
School districts in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Brevard, Polk and Volusia counties welcomed back students, as did many other state school districts also forced to close because of the storm. The Lake County school district will open again for students today.
Across the region, Irma knocked out power to many campuses, damaged some school roofs and scattered tree debris on walkways and driveways.
Schools reopened smoothly but for a few minor glitches, and most students seemed happy to be back, officials said.
“The kids were here, smiling, happy to be here,” said Principal Tamara Barton-Buggs of Orlo Vista Elementary School in Orange. “It was just a sense of normalcy for them.”
Her school sits in an area hardhit by flooding spawned by Irma.
The school has set up a campus “store” where families who lost belongings in the storm can come in and pick up free food, hygiene items, shoes and clothes. The items have been donated by residents and community groups.
“The community has reached out and has given us an awesome an overwhelming amount of support,” Barton-Buggs said. “It’s been beautiful.”
In all of Central Florida’s public schools, students will get free meals through Oct. 20 because they live in counties declared “major disaster” areas by FEMA.
Forty-eight of the state’s 67 school districts qualify for the free breakfast and lunch for all students through the federal school lunch program, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Typically, only students from lowincome families qualify for the free meals, but because of the storm, all students can eat free for the next five weeks.
Orange reported air conditioning issues at an elementary school, and Seminole said one of its schools needed bottled water after a “boil water” alert was issued. But in both districts, power had been restored to all campuses and the day ran normally, officials said.
Orange and Seminole lost six days to the storm, and both have announced four days that will need to be made up. Superintendents have waived the need to make-up two days because there was enough school time built into their calendars to meet state requirements without them. But, unless Florida waives the rules, the other days must be made up by students attending school on scheduled school holidays.
Orange will make up the days on: Oct. 27, Nov. 20, Nov. 21 and Feb. 19. Seminole will make up the days on: Oct. 16, Oct. 17, Dec. 22 and March 16.
At the University of Central Florida, where classes resumed Monday for the first time since Sept. 6, students won’t have to make up missed days.
Most decisions about adjusting instruction are best made at the faculty, department and college level, Provost Dale Whittaker wrote in an email over the weekend. He encouraged faculty to consider options such as recording mini-lectures to help cover content they missed in class.