On Nov. 10, Superintendent Davis released a statement regarding teaching plans next semester. Starting Jan. 19, the district will provide “all instructional options from face-to-face (on site) and eLearning to Hillsborough Virtual K-12.”

A survey was distributed to “families whose children are eLearners, or are enrolled in Hillsborough Virtual K-12, home education, and charter schools.” This survey is not a Declaration of Intent, just to gauge interest and opinions. In December, a representative will follow up for a more concrete decision.

Davis went on to thank the community for dealing with the adapted schedules, stating “I understand is not easy, and I am grateful for the professionalism you and your colleagues have shown as teachers continually step up for our students.”

After explaining the survey, Davis detailed some important considerations for parents. Magnet spots – including IB – will be protected for the remainder of the school year. Masks will be a continued requirement. Precautions such as hand sanitizer, gloves, smaller class sizes, etc. will be taken.

If your child is in a virtual learning environment, home school or charter school, you have been emailed a survey regarding your child's learning options for second semester. This is not a declaration of intent. This information will help schools plan schedules for next semester.

— Hillsborough Schools (@HillsboroughSch) November 10, 2020

Additionally, “the percentage of students who have tested positive for COVID-19 in our district is extremely low at below 1%. Since July 31st, 688 students have tested positive out of 131,817 on-campus students.” For the most recent updates, check out Hillsborough County Public Schools’ COVID-19 Dashboard.

For Brick and Mortar students, a separate email will be sent out explaining why they have not received the survey. If families hope to switch their learning plan, they are advised to contact the student’s school.

Jumping to the end of the year, Davis stated that seniors who switch to Hillsborough Virtual will still be allowed to walk with their current school at graduation.

HCPS asks parents to complete the survey by next Friday, Nov. 20. This statement provides clarity for many students, who feared Brick and Mortar was the only option next semester.

This is a developing story. RHSToday will monitor the district’s policies regarding next semester and continue to update.