Sarasota County school officials plan for rising COVID-19 cases as school begins

SARASOTA, Fla. - With less than a week before school starts, rising COVID-19 numbers are a concern for staff, parents, and teachers.

In Sarasota County, school board members focused on practices that worked last year, including sanitization, contact tracing and social distancing. Since July, 21 staff members and 72 students have tested positive for COVID-19 in the county.

"We are here in an optional mask situation and I pray to God we are not doing something very bad to our children," said school board member Jane Goodwin. "I know we’ve had children at All Children's in St. Petersburg from here. I know several camps have had outbreaks of young children who are ill."

As the delta variant spreads, the Sarasota County health department reported its highest number of COVID-19 cases in kids, averaging 30 a day over the last week.

"We aren’t in school yet. When school opens, what does 30 cases look like? Does it become 50 or 90?" asked board member Tom Edwards.

Districts across Tampa Bay are relying on their experience from the last year and a half.

If students must miss class due to a positive case or exposure, lesson plans will be sent home. Teachers can help students online. The Sarasota Classified Teacher's Association is helping work out options for students and staff.

"This thing could spread through the school district. We said that last year and it didn’t happen and I’m glad it didn't happen. I’m glad to be wrong about that, but this one is far more contagious," said executive director Barry Dubin.

There are 43,000 students in Sarasota schools. Last year, 1,814 students tested positive for COVID-19.

"It just seems like we as adults should be doing everything possible to protect the kids and the adults who work with the kids every day," said Dubin.