A HISTORIC FIRST DAY
At home, in pods, in the workplace: What life was like for Broward kids as school year begins
It wasn’t what anyone would have chosen, but Broward families made the best of the first day of the new school year on Wednesday, setting up elaborate work stations for their kids, joining up with their neighbors to form learning pods and taking traditional back-to-school pics to commemorate the unusual day.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of South Florida’s public school buildings for the near future. The kids have been out of their classrooms for a while: School buildings closed in March and have not reopened.
Online learning began shortly after
schools closed last year, but many parents expressed extreme disappointment with distance classes. They said teachers were easily distracted and unfamiliar with the technology, while their kids had trouble focusing in the new format.
Schools have promised improved virtual learning this year. Teachers, who underwent extensive technology training over the summer, started reaching out to families before school started, knowing their inperson interactions may be limited this year. There were some reports of spotty service Wednesday morning, but for the most part the day went smoothly.
Parents said Wednesday they were hopeful, and even excited.
“My school and my teacher have been more than wonderful,” said Angela Staats, who brought her daughter, Elise, a second grader at Stirling Elementary, to work with her at Abba Equipment in Dania Beach. “This time seems like it will be easier than last time.”
Parent Karina SanonJules also has to juggle her job with her son’s online education. She works for a Broward long-term care agency and is supervising lessons for her first-grader, Austin, through a home school curriculum, while also taking care of her 1-year-old, Emy.
Sanon-Jules said she has tried to create incentives for Austin to focus, such as stickers, science projects and specially colored chairs.
“Keeping him motivated will be the hardest part,” she said. “He’ll rush through lessons so he can play with the baby.”
Mom Alexandra Dunn of Fort Lauderdale also has a toddler at home. That’s why she chose a learning pod for her third-grade son, Preston Grobler, at the Museum of Discovery and Science.
Preston is learning online with several friends who also attend Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School. They are supervised by a teacher at the museum, who makes sure they are doing the virtual lessons with their Shuman Young teacher.
“It was either this or have him at home, and I have a 3-year-old as well,” Dunn said. “This gives him the opportunity to still have structure and be with other kids.”
Online learning could proceed for a few more weeks, or even months. South Florida’s school districts say they are waiting for Phase 2 of coronavirus reopenings, when the pandemic is ebbing and schools and businesses are allowed to function more fully. There’s no date on that yet, although Gov. Ron DeSantis said Phase 2 could be coming soon.
Parent Jackie Carlson said she started worrying as her son, Theo, 5, had trouble sitting still in front of the computer
on Wednesday. He’s taking virtual kindergarten classes from Harbordale Elementary in Fort Lauderdale.
She took a picture of him hanging upside down from a dining room chair, still in his yellow pajamas, with his teacher on the computer screen.
But she said he eventually settled in, to her great relief.
“He adjusted after the first couple of hours and the teacher did great keeping their attention,” Carlson said. “First day is always the toughest.”