Miami-Dade, Broward schools will close effective Monday in response to coronavirus

Mar. 13--The Miami-Dade and Broward school districts abruptly reversed course on Friday and declared that all schools will shut down next week to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The about-face took place after Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho spent this week saying his district would prepare for an "unlikely" shutdown while Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie defended his decision to keep schools open.

But the emergency quickly overtook them. Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency and Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the National Guard and banned visits to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Broward, which now leads the state in patients who have tested positive for the virus. Then Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran "strongly recommended" that all superintendents shut down schools next week.

The decision to close schools directly contradicted guidance from the Florida Department of Education to superintendents earlier in the day. The recommendations, posted on the department's website, stated that even if a student, faculty or school staff member has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, "we still recommend that you NOT close the school/college/program, but we do recommend that you clear the classroom and take necessary steps to sanitize the room."

There are significant differences in how each of the two school districts, the fourth- and sixth-largest in the country, respectively, will operate for the next two weeks. Miami-Dade public schools, including charter schools, will begin remote online instruction on Monday with students and teachers learning and teaching from home.

Broward will not have remote learning next week. It is unclear what the plan is for Broward's charter schools.

Both school districts will begin their weeklong spring breaks as originally scheduled on March 23.

Additionally, schools in the Archdiocese of Miami, spanning Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties, will shut down beginning Tuesday and begin remote learning. Archbishop Thomas Wenski said there is "no indication" of presumptive positive coronavirus cases in the schools under his purview.

Carvalho and a crowd

Carvalho announced a "declaration of emergency" at an afternoon press conference. He was joined by Wenski; Superintendent of Archdiocese Schools Kim Pryzbylski; Academica President Fernando Zulueta and his wife, Maggie Fresen Zulueta, the vice president of Academica; the leadership of the United Teachers of Dade; and eight of nine members of the Miami-Dade County School Board. The Zuluetas were also present representing the Florida Consortium of Charter Schools.

Miami-Dade became the second school district in the state to completely close following Palm Beach County, which made that decision Friday within 24 hours of receiving confirmation of its first two positive cases of COVID-19.

Asked if he knew of any students or employees being monitored, tested or presumptively positive for having the coronavirus, Carvalho said, "none whatsoever, not that I'm aware of."

Shortly after Carvalho's announcement, Runcie said schools in Broward will also be closed to students next week, followed by the previously scheduled spring break. Some child-care support is being arranged, and the needs and children of first responders and healthcare personnel will be prioritized, Runcie said.

The Broward Teachers Union, however, did not support Runcie's decision requiring all employees, including teachers and school staff, to report to work Monday. The school district reversed that decision around 8 p.m., announcing that district employees, except for identified essential personnel, will not be required to report to work next week.

All employees, including part-time workers, will be paid, Runcie said. He said any employee can receive a coronavirus test for free and, for the next 90 days, there will be no copay for telemedicine visits for any reason.

Runcie said more than 60% of Broward students are eligible for school meals, and eight locations are being prepared to serve students breakfast and lunch to those who are now eligible along with any accompanying family members. Meals will be available for pickup on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8-10 a.m. for breakfast and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for lunch. Students will need to produce their credentials.

Schools were originally scheduled to be closed on Tuesday because of the presidential preference primary election.

Runcie said devices for remote learning could be distributed to families by the end of next week if a decision is made to keep schools closed beyond spring break. He added that significantly discounted Internet access is available.

Schools will be thoroughly cleaned over spring break, Runcie said.

Bay Harbor school first to close in South Florida

Ruth K. Broad/Bay Harbor K-8 Center became the first public school to shut down in South Florida and the third school statewide amid the coronavirus pandemic. The shutdown was announced early Friday after officials said they learned students interacted with a town of Bay Harbor Islands employee who tested positive for COVID-19.

Carvalho cited that school closure, which he blamed on "significant challenges specific to interagency communication," and Miami Dade College's decision to cancel classes for two weeks.

In anticipation of a possible disruption, the district had been surveying families all week about their students' access to a computer and the Internet at home. Before Carvalho's announcement, the district began sending automated calls to parents to pick up mobile digital devices for their children if they need them at home. Students district-wide went through a dry run of what remote distance learning would look like with each teacher.

Carvalho announced that Comcast agreed to provide 60 days of free Internet access for new families.

Families having trouble with distance learning can call this support hotline: 305-995-HELP on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. next week.

About 73% of the school district's enrollment qualifies for free or reduced lunch. Carvalho reiterated his plan, made possible by a proposal authored by School Board member Steve Gallon after Hurricane Irma in 2017: Students will be able to pick up hot meals for breakfast and lunch from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An additional snack with the "caloric equivalent" of a dinner will be offered at some sites.

Next week, certain schools will provide food for families, such as a protein, rice and beans that would need to be prepared. He said the district is working to expand that food service during spring break.

District employees not represented by a union are expected to report to work Monday, as well as a police unit and select maintenance crews. All meetings at the district, including Wednesday's School Board meeting, are still scheduled.

Carvalho said the district will ask Tallahassee to waive educational accountability requirements, such as standardized testing. The district will also ask the federal government to reimburse the school district in full for all costs related to coronavirus prep and ease restrictions on providing meals.

While schools are out of session, Carvalho said construction and facility projects will continue on an accelerated timeline.

Students and their families experiencing anxiety from the pandemic can call the school district's Department of Mental Health Services hotline at 305-995-7100 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Employees who need mental health support can call the Emergency Assistance Program at 305-885-7111 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Cooperation with Jackson Health System

In discussions leading up to the shuttering of schools, Carvalho said he had conversations with Jackson Health System CEO Carlos Migoya. Because Migoya told Carvalho he expects a growing number of COVID-19 cases to report to Jackson, certain schools close to Jackson campuses will be opening to provide childcare services, administered by the YMCA, to employees of Jackson.

Polling locations at schools in Miami-Dade and Broward will still be operational for the March 17 primary election.

Down south, Florida Keys schools will close for two weeks starting Monday. Extracurricular activities -- including sports -- are canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Monroe County schools were set to go on spring break Monday. The state Department of Education ordered the district to extend the break to two weeks, said Monroe Superintendent Mark Porter.

Miami Herald staff writer Gwen Filosa and Times/Herald staff writer Emily L. Mahoney contributed to this report.

___

(c)2020 Miami Herald

Visit Miami Herald at www.miamiherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.