Volume 28 Issue 17 August 17, 2020
Inside: Our Friendly Visit Inside Kiran Indian Grocery!
Last Chance To VOTE Aug 18!
See pages 31-32!
Back To School, But Virtually? By JOHN C. COTEY john@ntneighborhoodnews.com School in Hillsborough County is starting on Monday, August 24, but what that actually means or how it will happen is (as of August 10) still anyone’s guess. Will kids be learning at home for the first four weeks, as voted on by the Hillsborough County School Board, until the situation with the coronavirus can be better evaluated? Will those parents who want to send their kids back to brick-and-mortar schools, which was originally offered as an option by Superintendent Addison Davis, be allowed to go back to those schools, as mandated by the state? When we went to press, these were questions that still did not have answers, as a series of actions by the School Board and pushback by the state left every parent of school-age children wondering what school will look like next week — and beyond. For folks like Jessica White, who is both a special education teacher at Pride Elementary and a parent to two elementary school students, the swirling confusion is creating a truly unique start to the school year. After prepping for her 14th year
Classrooms will be empty for at least the first four weeks of the school year, if a Hillsborough School Board decision holds up in the face of opposition from the state, which is demanding that parents have a choice to send their kids to brick-and-mortar school. at Pride by setting her up classroom two weeks ago, she still had no idea if she’ll be using it when school begins. “Everything is still up in the air,” White said. While the School Board and state were butting heads over the proper approach to the new school year, New Tampa was ready to go back for the first
time since the pandemic shut things down in March — one way or the other. Parents were given three choices back in July — to send their kids back to brick-and-mortar schools, keep them home for structured eLearning (that follows the typical daily bell schedule), or have them learn on their own schedules via virtual school.
New Look, Much More Activity Movies, Bistro & Entertainment!
Krate Container Park Construction Ongoing!
For Leasing Information, call Keren at (407) 636-1266 or email keren@mgoldgroup.com Mini Golf coming; construction starting soon
Divorce? Child Custody Issue? Call Devolder Law! For info, call 813.724.3880, visit DevolderLaw.com or see the ad on pg. 26!
Countywide, 49 percent of parents preferred the brick-and-mortar option for their children, compared to 42.7 percent for eLearning. However, eLearning is the most popular choice of parents with kids going to New Tampa schools, according to results from Hillsborough County Public Schools. Of the 9,322 declaration surveys returned from New Tampa, 5,080, or 52.3 percent, chose eLearning, or distance learning. Roughly 39 percent, or 3,834, chose the brick-and-mortar option, with 759 parents (about 8 percent) selecting virtual school. Pride Elementary, where White teaches, had the highest rate of parents choosing eLearning — 66.8 percent. In fact, elementary schools where, ironically, children are said to be the least affected by the virus, led the way when it came to parents choosing to keep their kids home — Clark Elementary (61 percent choosing eLearning) was second, and Tampa Palms Elementary (59.6) was third. The decision by the School Board to start online only due to the current Covid-19 infection rate pleased White, although she understands why others weren’t as happy about it. See “Indecision” on page 4.
Upcoming Events At The Grove:
Country Music Festival! Saturday-Sunday August 22-23!
Look for more details in next month’s ad! .................................................................. TLC Community Markets (Reopening Sept. 5!) To apply to be an entertainer, or for more event information, contact Matheus Gold Office: (813) 406-5819 Cell: (407) 534-0810 Email: matheus@mgoldgroup.com