Brevard schools, teachers ‘scrambling’ to implement online education due to coronavirus

Online instruction starts March 30

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Every Central Florida school district will be out of school until at least April 15.

That has school districts working to come up with a plan on how to teach students while they stay at home.

For Brevard County teachers, concerns of starting an entirely online classroom includes students who cannot connect to an Internet classroom.

The union's vice president said teachers are also worrying about getting breakfast and lunch to students who eat for free.

"Our teachers are constantly calling. They're emailing. They're posting on Facebook. They have questions. They have worries," Vanessa Skipper of the Brevard Federation of Teachers said.

Online instruction is expected to start in Brevard County March 30.

Teachers and the district are meeting to better understand what the online instruction will look like.

Brevard Public Schools said it will support teachers with additional training if needed.

"We're scrambling to answer the questions and figure things out," Asst. Supt. Matt Reed said.

BPS said at this point, the district does not have all the answers but both parties are preparing as quickly as they can.

"We're working on plans to lend devices to students who can't get them," Reed said. "We have no intention of leaving behind the students who don't have access to the same kinds of technology that other students do."

Skipper said she’s hopeful teachers and students can get through the unprecedented circumstances and reach a sense of normalcy until schools reopen.

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About the Author

James joined News 6 in March 2016 as the Brevard County Reporter. His arrival was the realization of a three-year effort to return to the state where his career began. James is from Pittsburgh, PA and graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.

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