/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/BWZWDGRBKFDOHFJYUTWMACOFQ4.JPG "Duncan Goldtrap, 13, rides his bike to Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/NVD3MIGTKBAURLD5MWBICK5QGY.JPG "Students arrive for the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/RZN7TSUGU5BRLDU2UR2O3A2MDA.JPG "Students line up to access the entrance on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/D7DUULMORNDVNKYN5T5GBWPSNA.JPG "A family walks through the grounds toward the school entrance on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/IB5OQLOXINCYZJGUPXHGDL4NQY.JPG "Zachariah Lewis, 15, wears a fashionable masks with the Louis Vuitton logo, on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LSGCBHJ4IFFNFJZYZC32GCIPLI.JPG "New shoes and fashionable outfits on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/PSD6SBGSWBAZXK63YJQSSHVGS4.JPG "A school bus is pictured on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TXVAWKPNAFCGDKSFUYBAQ4T6CE.JPG "Twins, Jazmyn and Jackson Cande, 14, arrive for the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TCCX4QV2GVCCDM436KE7LMF2OI.JPG "Jean Pinckney, 16, hugs his mom, Ali Pinckney, after she dropped him off on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School. Jean has no worries about the coronavirus but is concerned about how teachers will manage in-class students and online students simultaneously. Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/UDRFPE7WJNCKDNBDNH33ECJW64.JPG "A couple of unidentified students rush toward the school entrance on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/CECQFFBMVNGFBHBFQ4AMFKF5EQ.JPG "Krishna Kothiya, 16, is dropped off for school by mom, Ami Kothiya, on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School. Krishna takes IB classes and was afraid to tackle the more rigorous curriculum, online. \"It feels mentally crowded,\" Krishna said of online classes. \"You're in one space but have so many tasks to complete.\" Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/7VQPXDR5GNCVJAWBBRDJ4WKKAY.JPG "Zachary Ashcroft, 16, wears a Mickey Mouse mask on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School. \"I learn better in person,\" Ashcraft said. \"I didn't want to be stuck online if I didn't have to.\" Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TWTTSDWHQ5CGRHRJK35LYVA24I.JPG "A student holds a mask on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/PS3BN7XBGVABHAAAERPOYO6MFA.JPG "A freshman student adds fashionable details to her outfit for her first day as a high-schooler, on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/4H7APQD2WNC2TNO7JDVP7JVCJE.JPG "Students move through the line toward the school entrance, on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/XTB7FES4J5H3TBVEY3EX54GXFQ.JPG "The day dawns on the first day of school for Hillsborough County students, at Hillsborough High School on Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 in Tampa.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/5DEBURUSKRBZFI6YOCQPJ5QXTE.JPG "Trent Kanpd, 13, walks to Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/Q356TPOMPVCZPEMHDNNWTIFVGU.JPG "Katherine Lopez,13, right, walks with her mother to Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/YYYBFKZNRNCDDO2Z2YWFQJ2SRY.JPG "Marissa Hernandez, 11, holds onto her mask while speaking to a reporter outside Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/M6IBE4BTHRFJ7K6IW5YVU5UKIA.JPG "Friends reunite at Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/KHIXHHOCRBGZFDYJROCIPEHYKU.JPG "Students arrive at Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
:format(webP)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/LZIOQKPATRAG5N3WGODNBAXGHM.JPG "Katherine Lopez,13, puts on her mask before her first day of sixth grade at Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/TAIR3WFAIFHC3CTFCEUGBZOZ4M.JPG "Students arrive at Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/MR5RB7BIPRD2NMYQNJUPWLJI34.JPG "Students arrive at Burnett Middle School in Seffner on Monday, August 31, 2020. Hillsborough County reopened campuses today after starting the school year online for the first week and giving students the option to continue eLearning.")
Classrooms in Hillsborough and Hernando counties will come alive this morning for the first time since March as thousands of students return to campuses.
The journey to this moment has been difficult for Hillsborough, the area’s largest district with more than 200,000 students.
A quick review: The 2020-21 school year originally was set to start Aug. 10. Then a July spike in coronavirus cases caused a delay until Aug. 24. More worries prompted a decision to start school on that date, but only online, with a return to campuses delayed until September. State officials nixed that idea, so Hillsborough delayed its return to campuses for only one week instead.
As recently as Friday, things were still in doubt. A legal ruling in Tallahassee prompted the School Board to again consider waiting until September to reopen campuses. But a board majority, fearing further disruption, voted to stay with their previous plan, which was already well in motion.
While many students are returning to campus, thousands of others have opted to continue with virtual learning as the pandemic continues. Pinellas and Pasco counties started online and in-person classes last week. Hernando is the only local district to wait until today to start classes of any kind.
Tampa Bay Times journalists are at several campuses monitoring this most unusual start of the school year. Follow along as we also track developments on social media:
In recent weeks, Hillsborough School Board member Karen Perez pushed hard for campuses to open later. This morning, she offers a prayer.
Hillsborough school superintendent Addison Davis unveils plans to get district employees tested. More details to come.
Masks on, ready to go at Tampa’s Bryant Elementary.
With students’ return to campus, the Tampa Bay Times has started tracking COVID-19 cases among students and staff in more than 500 schools, as reported to school communities by district leadership. These numbers do not include cases that were confirmed during the summer months or pre-planning weeks.
Our first weekly report, shown here, indicated 18 cases in Pasco and Pinellas counties, which opened their doors on Aug. 24. The Pasco district has a dashboard on its website, which it updates twice daily. In Hillsborough, Davis has announced there will be a public-facing dashboard as well.
While Tampa Bay area districts are releasing a count of COVID-19 cases in schools, some Florida school systems are resisting. Should these records be public? Read Jeff Solochek’s morning education roundup to see what’s happening across the state.
Hernando reports a problem on the virtual learning front.
From Hillsborough School Board member Steve Cona III:
Breakfast and a visit from the superintendent at James Elementary in Tampa.
Gov. Ron DeSantis will be talking education this morning in Tallahassee. The Times’ @JeffSolochek will be listening in to see what he says.
The virus is not the only school news today in Hillsborough. The district is opening Jule F. Sumner High School.
Part of the first day drill is letting everyone see your style.
At Burnett Middle School in Seffner:
The governor and others are speaking now.
At Burnett Middle:
At Burnett Middle:
Education commissioner Richard Corcoran breaks down some numbers.
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