Some teachers and unions react to COVID-19 vaccination plan
Next phase of vaccines By Francesca Constantini | February 25, 2021 at 7:56 PM EST - Updated February 26 at 6:08 AM
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis said teachers and law enforcement officers age 50 and older will have access to COVID-19 vaccine. This will happen at four federally supported vaccination sites opening in the state in the coming days. However, some teachers say that’s not enough.
One of those teachers is Christy Karwatt. She decided to take a leave of absence last year. “I still felt that it will be unsafe,” she said.
Sarasota County student test scores sink as COVID-19 slide sets in
With testing season right around the corner, teachers have their work cut out for them as they try to prepare students for the all-important state assessments.
On Tuesday, the Sarasota County School Board will review diagnostic testing data that shows significantly more students are struggling this year than in previous years. And although some had hoped for a reprieve from the state tests, Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued an emergency order on Monday that expands the window for testing but affirms that it indeed will take place.
According to the School Board’s agenda:
Sarasota School Board picks new attorney
The Sarasota County School Board has selected a legal team from the local firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick to serve as the new legal counsel for the district, as longtime board attorney Art Hardy retires.
Attorney Dan DeLeo will lead the team, although Patrick Duggan, the former in-house counsel for the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, will handle more of the day-to-day work.
The board approved Shumaker in a 3-2 vote Tuesday, with board members Shirley Brown, Tom Edwards and Jane Goodwin voting in favor. They cited Shumaker’s local presence, the firm’s long ties to the district and DeLeo’s involvement in helping promote the district’s property tax referendum every four years.
For roughly three decades, Hardy has been a crucial behind-the-scenes adviser helping orchestrate the School District’s property tax referendum and reminding School Board members that fighting in Facebook comment sections can be a violation of Florida’s Sunshine Laws.
Now, with Hardy’s retirement looming, the Sarasota County School Board is tasked with replacing the man who has outlasted 10 superintendents and 21 School Board members.
Hardy is not weighing in on who should replace him, but he has some advice for surviving the countless legal frays and dueling personalities that populate school board offices. When there wasn’t a clear legal answer, which often there wasn’t, I would try to give the School Board the pros and cons,” Hardy said. “And try to remember that they are the ones making the decision, not me. I m giving the advice.”
School districts on the Suncoast continuing emergency paid COVID leave for employees, to a degree Schools on the Suncoast saw a slight decrease in graduates. Statistics show an overall upward trend since 2014. (Source: wwsb) By Daniela Hurtado | January 13, 2021 at 7:30 PM EST - Updated January 13 at 7:30 PM
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) -Local school districts have had to figure out backup plans after the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act requiring them to cover COVID leave for employees exposed to the virus has now come to an end.
Despite the federal government no longer making it a requirement both school districts on the Suncoast have kept some form of emergency paid COVID leave. Sarasota County School District and Manatee County School District have different plans. Sarasota schools agreed months ago employees would have 20 COVID leave days to use if needed. District representatives say these days are for employees exposed to the virus or who have contracted the