CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Notes

to the Hillsborough County School Board

July 20, 2020 Zoom Video Call 6:00 p.m.

Members Present
Damaris Allen, Alva Atkins, Scott Hottenstein, Kin Klace, Gil Machin, Dinorah Martinez, Susan Migueltorena, Mirna Rivera Topke, Patricia Sanchez,
Mark Schneider, Sam Simmons, Kim Solethi , Natali Vazquez, Andrea White

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District Representation
Van Ayres, Kandee King

Board Members
Cindy Stuart
Tamara Shamburger

Chair Susan MiguelTorena called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance

Susan MiguelTorena welcomed everyone.

April and May CAC meetings were canceled due to COVID-19. Topic of School Security scheduled for May will be rescheduled. There was no money for
scholarships for our graduating seniors however, a care package was sent to each.

The committee voted to hold elections for the 2020-2021 officers at our August 3, meeting.
Meeting will be held via zoom at 6pm, August 3
Mark and Susan are willing to hold offices

Thursday July 16, 2020, the School Board held a workshop for Superintendent Davis to present his plan to reopen our district. A copy of this draft was sent
to you via email. Our task tonight was to discuss the reopening of school and submit our recommendation to the Board before they vote at the Special
Called Board meeting on Thursday, July 23.

The general consensus of the vast majority of members present was that brick and mortar schools should not reopen for at least 9 weeks.

Suggestions:

 Start with eLearning with a goal that triggers opening brick and mortar.
 Alternate days that students participate in brick and mortar and eLearning, possibly by last name.
 Allow parents to commit to eLearning one quarter at a time.
 All classes via zoom should be recorded, so that students who are unable to attend can view the session.
 During the two-week start delay, provide parent/student training on Canvas.
 USF uses Canvas; utilize students volunteer hours to assist teachers in learning Canvas.
 Utilize recreation centers.
 Open recreation centers and utilize school cafeterias to enabling eLearning students to have access to computers.
 Open HOST, cafeteria, and media center for social distancing, and for para-professionals to teach students.
 For secondary schools, have students stay in one class and rotate teachers.
 eLearning for the first nine weeks and re-evaluate due to being a fluid situation

Concerns:
 Single parents and parents who must work need a place for their children.
o Concerns for those with compromised immune systems.
o Instability of students returning. Suicide rate
 Shortage of teachers if an outbreak occurs in a school.
 Exacerbation of bus tardiness due to disinfecting between trips. (Late busses were a problem before Covid.)
 Not all parents have proper skill sets to assist students with their learning.
 A lot of parents and students don’t know how to use Canvas but do understand how to use Zoom.
 Cannot avoid the three “C’s” mentioned by FL governor: closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many people nearby, and close-
contact settings, such as close-range conversation. There is no way to do this with brick and mortar school.
 Even with only 50% of students at school, maintaining CDC separation guidelines still not feasible.
 Multiple students in the same house;
o Access to a computer
o Access to Wifi
 How are we handling students with special needs and those who are homeless? Also, ESE and ELL students?
 Employee comes into school and temperature is above the requirement.
o How will administration be notified?
o How will this person’s duties be covered on short notice?
o What will be the requirement for this employee? Who will make this determination?
 Mandatory testing?
 Self-quarantine?
 Are there any legal ramifications for not opening brick and mortar schools in August?
 Elementary students keeping masks on and not playing with them.
 District wasn’t transparent with teachers regarding closures that happened during the summer; trust issue.
 Budget and proper ventilation.
 Cost of water, particularly if cannot use water fountains
 Testing and results time frame is very slow. By the time students present symptoms, they will have been in school with covid for potentially a
week or more.

Cindy Stuart
 If the County Commission moves us back to phase I, this could all be a mute-point.
 Phase I would be all eLearning. Phase II would require us to open brick and mortar.
 The School Board must vote on a plan and provide the approved plan to the Department of Education.
 So many questions remain unanswered at this point.
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Tammy Shamburger
 Wants to listen so she can advocate for students.

Next meeting August 3, 2020, 6 pm via Zoom