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Palatka High School Principal J.T. Stout finishes paperwork Friday as the he confirmed the cancellation of several school field trips due to coronavirus.
Putnam County students will have an extra week of spring break, with state officials mandating closures in response to coronavirus.
On Friday, Florida Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran ordered all school districts in the state to add an additional week to their spring breaks.
Putnam Superintendent Rick Surrency said local classes will resume March 30.
“Right now, we are trying to maintain a sense of normalcy,” Surrency said. “We are monitoring the situation on a minute-to-minute basis to ensure the safety of our students.”
According to Surrency, all 10-month instructional staff and paraprofessionals may be asked to return to work as early as March 26. He said food-service and transportation employees need to contact their direct supervisor to determine when to return to work.
Surrency also said all 12-month employees should contact their supervisors to determine specific work needs.
In addition to classes, Surrency said the Putnam County School District has postponed all extracurricular activities until March 30.
Field trips, including Palatka High School’s annual trips to Broadway in New York and the Gatornationals in Gainesville, have been postponed.
“In the best interest of nobody getting sick, we decided to just not take these trips,” PHS Principal J.T. Stout said.
Similarly, St. Johns River State College has postponed all college-sponsored events, including athletic games and Thrasher-Horne Center performances, until March 28.
“The council of presidents have voted to suspend all athletic competitions to ensure the safety of our students,” SJR State President Joe Pickens said.
SJR State is currently preparing to transition to all of its classes to an online format. All on-campus classes are canceled March 23 and 24, and classes will resume online March 25.
According to Susan Kessler, SJR State’s director of public relations and publications, classes will remain online until at least April 12, with exceptions being made on a case-by-case basis.
Kessler said all faculty and staff members should report to their respective campuses Monday because the college will continue operating.
“SJR State continues to monitor the situation as it evolves,” Kessler said. “Students and employees are asked to continue monitoring the college website and college email regularly for updates.”