VERO BEACH, Fla. — The superintendent of the Indian River County School District outlined a plan Tuesday that he hopes will put students on track and compensate for any learning lost during the coronavirus pandemic.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School
"We can't allow COVID to have a long impact on the lives of our children," Moore said. "We as adults will manage through COVID."
Moore said the county will implement a plan called "Project A2" to accelerate learning and put students on track to reach standards by December.
"We've lost time. We need to make up some time," Moore said.
Among the items in the plan includes interventions provided by trained school district staff members to provide additional learning
to students.
From Sept. 14 to Sept. 18, the school district will conduct a survey for families whose students are virtual or in the traditional learning models. Moore said this will give parents an opportunity to offer feedback regarding their child's intent to return to in-person instruction after the first nine weeks of school.
"We are excited about where we are as a community within our first week and continue to ensure and improve the quality of instruction within each of our three models," Moore said.
The superintendent minced no words on the impact he believes the virus can have on a child's instruction and learning.
"The impact that COVID can have on a child could last for the rest of their lives," Moore said. "Based on a young child's life, in the gap of instruction, when they are at such a young age, could have a compounded impact over the course of their educational experience."
He said it was incumbent on the community and school district to come together to ensure the coronavirus doesn't have a long-term effect on learning.
As of Tuesday, 62 percent of Indian River County students are enrolled in traditional brick-and-mortar instruction, 23 percent are fully virtual and 14 percent are in the transitional model.
Moore no school employees have tested positive for coronavirus since schools started on Aug. 24.
Moore said Monday that the start of the school year has gone smoothly despite two students testing positive for the coronavirus at Osceola Magnet and one student at Vero Beach High School.
Moore said as a result of these three cases, 57 students have been told to quarantine at home.
The school district is offering tech support for students in the virtual and transitional models at their support complex located at 6055 62 Ave. in Vero Beach. Hours for support are Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and Thursdays 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
During this time, students can exchange a laptop that is not functioning properly or update a laptop they received when schools closed.