Schools across Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast will be closed for at least another month due to concerns over the deadly coronavirus.
Officials announced on Tuesday that all schools within the School District of Palm Beach County will be closed until further notice.
Dr. Donald Fennoy, the Superintendent of Schools, tweeted that all district schools will be closed until further notice based on a recommendation from the Florida Department of Education and a 'Safer At Home' order issued by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday.
Based on a recommendation from @lEducationFL & a ‘Stay at Home’ order in PBC, I will keep District schools closed to students until further notice. Distance Learning continues.@pbcsd looks forward to welcoming students back on campus when it’s safe. pic.twitter.com/SnamfhgKLX
— Donald E. Fennoy II (@SuptFennoy) March 31, 2020
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Coronavirus | We're Open South Florida
For now, students in Palm Beach County will continue doing digital learning at home, which started on Tuesday.
School districts in Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties said remote learning will be extended until Friday, May 1.
All Florida public school closures have been extended to May 1, 2020. Please continue to follow us on our social media platforms and on our website for more information. https://t.co/eXW26VvA0L
— Indian River Schools (@IRCSchools) March 30, 2020
Palm Beach County officials did not give a specific date for when schools would reopen, only saying they will be closed "until further notice."
All K-12 public and private schools in Florida were supposed to be closed through April 15, however that date has now been extended.
On Tuesday, Florida's Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran released this statement:
"While we work together to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, one constant remains—students can and will continue to receive a great education in Florida. It is essential that students do not fall behind and are still receiving instruction, even when they are not in the classroom. Florida has superb superintendents and educators whose commitment to implementing distance learning for all of Florida’s students is unmatched. It is crucial that we keep students safe and healthy, and I will continue working with each and every district to ensure that they have all the resources necessary as we respond to COVID-19."
The State University System of Florida announced earlier this month that all state colleges and universities will do online classes only for the rest of the Spring semester.
RELATED: Digital learning starts in Treasure Coast, Okeechobee County schools
According to the latest numbers from the Florida Department of Health, there are more than 6,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida.
Here are the cases in our local counties:
- Palm Beach County: 514
- St. Lucie County: 33
- Indian River County: 30
- Martin County: 28
- Okeechobee County: 0
For the latest information about coronavirus cases in Florida, click here.
