Run the risk?

New forms required for after-school, in-person events

By Nicole Torres, Staff Intern

In-person events and activities are back at school, as long as parents are willing to release the district from liability if their child gets sick.

The risk release form is to be signed by the parent or guardian and the student before any upcoming in-person event.

“The risk release forms have been very beneficial for SGA especially. We are finally able to safely hold in person events and community service projects with these forms, for example our beach cleanup,” senior Emilee Kurdziel said.

By signing, parents are agreeing not to sue Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) even if the child gets sick at a school-sponsored event where protocols are not followed.

The form states, “By signing … I also voluntarily assume all risks that I and/or my child(ren) may be exposed to or infected by Covid-19 as a result of participation in the Activity, and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, sickness, and/or death. I understand that the risk of exposure or infection may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of myself, my child(ren), BCPS staff, volunteers or agents, other Activity participants, or others not listed, and I acknowledge that all such risks are known to me.”

The form also states that parents/guardians are responsible to pick up the student immediately if they are showing any symptoms of COVID-19, regularly check their temperature before any event and confirm that the student has not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for the virus.

“Well, we (IOC) haven't been doing any school-based events due to COVID-19, but SGA last week did a mental health week which was very successful. I know a lot of our administrative staff were pleased, as well as other students. Personally, I feel safe because we had other ideas but we knew we couldn’t do them because it was not safe and we wouldn’t get them approved. Yes, we followed all protocols, we wore our masks and even work gloves when we passed out candies and flowers. We had a clean and dirty buckets for the sharpies for the banners and hand sanitizer each day. I’m glad administration let us do something like this and hopefully we can do more,” junior Victoria Franco said.

Freshmen Olivia Anson, Zoe McMahon and Angelina Huynh kneel to pick up trash that washed on Exchange Club Park from the Intracoastal Waterway while freshman Noah Cherson works behind them.

PHOTOS BY NICOLE TORRES

Uncalculated risk. Sophomore Krystal Felix, senior Emilee Kurdziel and sophomore Ally Vagelos pick up trash. Felix said she found a toothbrush in the bushes.

How many students are signed up for at-school learning?

but

— Lori Carlson, assistant principal

DATA GATHERED FEB. 10 GRAPHIC BY KEANU SILVA

In the bag. Student Government Association held a Beach Cleanup on Jan. 29 at Exchange Club Park in Pompano Beach as a community service project to help the environment. Each of the 11 members who attended had to sign a risk release form to protect the district and school from lawsuits if anyone caught COVID-19. “It was such a beautiful place with so much trash, so I was just happy to try and make a difference but so much more can be done,” sophomore SGA member Krystal Felix said.