Parents could decide Palm Beach County students’ return

Superintendent Fennoy announces new proposal for the school system

When it’s safe for Palm Beach County kids to return to school, it will be up to parents, not the school system, to decide whether and how to send them back, according to a proposal announced by Superintendent Donald Fennoy on Monday.

The new plan changes a previously approved decision by the School Board to phase in students approximately every two weeks depending on their grade, when health authorities say COVID-19 is not as widespread. Fennoy said he is making a new recommendation based on discussions with the Florida Department of Education, which must approve reopening plans.

Under the proposal, parents could keep their kids home for virtual learning even if school buildings reopen, a district spokeswoman said.

School buildings have been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Palm Beach County, they are scheduled to reopen virtually on Aug. 31.

No decision has been made yet on when students will be allowed to return for inperson instruction.

“My recommendation to the School Board will be to start the school year with distance learning for all students, as planned, however I propose amending the return to brick and mortar in-person instruction, when county health conditions permit, to be based on parent choice, without any phasing of re-entry by grade level or program,” Fennoy said.

Fennoy said state officials “offered feedback and requested a modification.” Palm Beach is one of only a few large school districts in the state whose reopening plans have not yet been approved; the state ratified Broward and Miami-Dade’s plans last week. Those plans allow schools to open with distance learning and allow a choice of virtual or in-person instruction when

health authorities say it’s all right to return.

Fennoy said he also considered input from parents. A vocal contingent has been pressuring officials to reopen for inperson instruction quickly.

“It gives us all hope, but we would like to see some [reopening] dates,” said Boca Raton parent Sarah Merzel, who has been lobbying local and state officials for a definitive reopening timeline.

Palm Beach schools had planned on bringing prekindergarten and kindergarten students back when conditions are deemed safe, as well as special education students and first-, sixth- and ninth graders.

Other grades would have transitioned back in intervals of at least two weeks. Boca Raton parent Merideth Leeds, whose children are in seventh and 11th grades, said either plan would have worked for her.

“I know tons of parents who want their kids back now, and others who have high-risk family members and don’t want their kids to return for a while, so this helps both parties,” Leeds said. “If the numbers are down and it seems safe, I would probably consider sending my kids back. But things change every day and if it were today, I would keep them home.”

The School Board will discuss the proposal at a meeting that begins at 2 p.m. Wednesday.