March 13: Florida schools closed through Friday, March 27 (now through March 31)

UPDATED March 16: Please note that, by executive order of Governor Andrew Cuomo on  March 16, all schools in New York were directed to close by Wednesday, March 18 for two weeks, ending Wednesday, April 1. At that time, the state will reassess whether to extend the school closures further. (Prior to the Governor’s order, Florida schools were scheduled to close through March 27.)

A letter from Superintendent Jan Jehring

Dear Families and Staff Members of the Florida Union Free School District:

Together, we are facing an unprecedented health crisis in our community. For weeks, we have been following the explicit guidance of the Centers for Disease Control, New York Department of Health, the Orange County Department of Health, and the New York State Department of Education, by implementing preventative and responsive strategies to help slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The departments of health have been in
daily contact with us, providing important guidance on decisions to help ensure the health and well-being of our students, staff, and community.

Today, Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus issued an executive order calling on schools within Orange County to close for the next two weeks. This is an action which serves as a precautionary measure against the transmission of COVID-19.

As a result of this order I am closing all Florida Union Free Schools for the next two weeks effective immediately. This includes all before/after school and extra-curricular activities. Tentatively, schools will reopen on Monday, March 30. Information regarding possible work and activities to do at home will be forthcoming in the upcoming days.

All district and building level staff (teachers, support staff, cafeteria, etc) are to report to work on Monday.

This is a rapidly evolving situation, and we will continue to provide our families with updates as information becomes available. We have daily, sometimes hourly, communications with health officials from Orange Counties and are following their directions carefully. Should they issue further guidance on extending the duration of the closure, families will be notified immediately.

Please visit our website frequently. We will be releasing updates as often as we can.

I can appreciate the myriad of emotions that surround the current COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. I would like to thank our families for their support, patience, and adaptability during this challenging time. Again, please stay tuned for any further updates as they develop.

Sincerely,

Jan Jehring
Superintendent of Schools