HomeCommunity NewsNo new COVID cases...

No new COVID cases at Anna Maria Elementary

HOLMES BEACH – For the first time since Manatee County schools began reporting positive COVID-19 cases among students and staff, Anna Maria Elementary reports no new cases among either students or staff for the week of Sept. 13-17. 

AME remains one of only three schools in the county that have had no staff members test positive since the beginning of the school year on Aug. 10. Although the number of positive cases among students is one of the lowest in the county, until last week there had been at least one student case each week with a total of 12 AME students testing positive for COVID-19 since the start of the 2021-22 school year. 

Countywide, 2,644 students and staff have reported positive COVID-19 cases since the start of school.

While Manatee County schools continue to report COVID-19 cases, the Florida Department of Health stopped reporting detailed statistics, including cases by zip code, in June. As a result, Florida Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith (D-Orlando) and the Florida Center for Government Accountability filed a lawsuit on Aug. 30 in Leon County Circuit Court against the department, alleging it violated public records laws by ceasing to provide detailed data about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The department posted detailed daily reports on COVID-19 cases on its website until Gov. Ron DeSantis ordered a change in June. The site then began posting weekly information focused more on vaccination rates.

Meanwhile, the subject of mask mandates in Florida schools remains a heated topic. The School District of Manatee County’s mask “mandate” contains an opt-out clause, but Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has already made good on his threat to withhold funds from districts that have mask mandates without an opt-out clause. Since school board members are not paid by the state, the governor’s plan is to withhold an amount of money equal to the salaries of the board members and superintendent’s salaries in the particular district in question. 

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced last week that she was working with the White House to find a way to support schools that challenge the governor’s order.

“I’m so grateful to President Biden for responding to our appeal for supplemental funding for Florida schools and protecting the rights of our local school districts,” Fried said. “My office and I have been working with the White House to find ways to support school districts that have had their funding threatened by our Governor’s unconstitutional effort to prohibit them from following public health guidelines.

“There is a large pot of money that was allocated to our state through the American Rescue Plan that has not yet been distributed,” Fried said, “and we are working with the Biden Administration to see if this funding could be used to help schools and teachers who are standing up to do the right thing.”

The governor’s ban was blocked on Aug. 27 by Leon County Circuit Court Judge John Cooper, but Florida’s 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee ruled on Sept. 10 to uphold the governor’s ban on mask mandates in schools.

Currently, 13 counties have defied the governor’s order by implementing mask mandates that do not have an opt-out clause, including Sarasota and Hillsborough locally. 

COVID-19 procedures in Manatee County schools

  • All students and employees who are sick or who have symptoms will be sent home until they are symptom-free.
  • Temperature checks will be taken daily for all employees and randomly for students.
  • Reinforce and practice proper handwashing techniques among students and staff.
  • Provide and encourage the use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Deep clean and disinfect schools and school buses daily, or in between uses as needed.
  • Make every effort to social distance as much as possible in schools.
  • District employees visiting schools, other than their own, must wear masks during the school day.
  • Provide plastic shields in elementary classrooms and cafeterias where possible.
  • All employees will answer COVID-related questions daily upon arriving at work.
  • Limit non-essential visitors and volunteers to school campuses.
  • Everyone eligible to be vaccinated is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.

Most Popular

More from Author

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK...

‘Communicating Doors’ a hilarious time warp

ANNA MARIA - The Island Players continue their historic 75th season...

Golf cart accident victims say ‘buckle up’

BRADENTON BEACH - One of the biggest concerns for the Island’s...

Floridian Mortgage wins championship

ANNA MARIA – Spring has sprung and winter sports at The Center are coming to a close, with team Floridian Mortgage earning the win against team Moss Builders Thursday night in the adult co-ed flag football championship game. The top two teams in the league matched up in...

Man completes Chamber passport program in five hours

ANNA MARIA ISLAND - The annual Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce’s Passport Program is a fun way for residents and visitors to the Island to get out and discover Island businesses with a passport offered for free by the chamber. Participants are encouraged to get their passports...

One ARK Foundation raises funds for foster families

live music, delicious food and spirited fundraising as the One ARK Foundation held its second annual “Kindness Matters Extravaganza” at The Cheesecake Cutie & Cafe on March 21. “One ARK” stands for “one act of random kindness” and is a newly-established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by The Cheesecake...

Save our homes

This column should be titled “Save our Taxes,” since that’s what we’re really talking about. However, saving on property taxes is part of the Save Our Homes benefits and portability transfers are another piece of this law. In January of 2008, the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows...

 Reel Time: Salon fundraiser meets with success

Salon (noun) - a conversational gathering of notables held at the home of a prominent person. On Saturday afternoon, Suncoast Waterkeeper held its Suncoast Salon fundraiser at the Sarasota home of Anna Maria residents Bill and Debbie Partridge. The event was a sellout and attracted some of...

Temporary paid parking vendors hired

BRADENTON BEACH – City commissioners considered four temporary use parking permits at the March 21 commission meeting and after much discussion, approved three with stipulations, denying one. Permit applications were submitted by developer Shawn Kaleta for temporary parking lots at 102 Third St. N., 207 Church Ave. and...

Fire department sued over rental regulations

BRADENTON – Almost a year after passing a resolution changing the district’s approach to taxing and inspecting vacation rental properties in residential areas, West Manatee Fire Rescue is receiving pushback from one rental owner. During a March 19 commission meeting, the district’s attorney, Maggie Mooney, informed the board...

Bridge Street traffic, parking among commission concerns

BRADENTON BEACH – In what was an unusually lengthy, seven-hour city commission meeting that began at noon on March 21, commissioners dove into parking and traffic issues, pickleball and organ donation. BRIDGE STREET ONE WAY? A Bridge Street business owner asked the commission to consider making Bridge Street one...

Scaccianoce new Bradenton Beach commissioner

BRADENTON BEACH – Ward 1 has a new commissioner. The application for commissioner by business owner and former Manatee County records manager Deborah Scaccianoce was approved by the commission and she was sworn in at its March 21 meeting. She filled the vacant seat left by former Commissioner Jake...

Kruse talks beach parking, Island consolidation

HOLMES BEACH – About two dozen people came out on March 20 to meet with Manatee County Commissioner George Kruse, bringing their questions for the candidate, who is seeking re-election in November. Kruse held a town hall meeting at the Island Branch Library where he answered every question...

Commissioners deny bids for paid parking

BRADENTON BEACH – Rather than partnering with an outside vendor as planned, commissioners are now considering city-managed paid parking lots throughout Bradenton Beach. The city had put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Feb. 9 to “Provide the City with a complete parking management and enforcement system...