Today, Governor DeSantis and the Department of Education extended the closure of all school buildings in the state of Florida for the balance of the school year due to the COVID-19 health crisis. I, as your superintendent, and the Pinellas County School Board, believe this to be the absolute right decision. The safety, health and well-being of our students, families, staff and community are of the utmost importance. This means, that Pinellas County Schools will continue with digital instruction for the rest of the 2019-20 school year. We are excited that during the first three weeks of digital learning nearly 98 percent of our students are engaging online. That being said, I am committed to continuously improve our supports for our staff, students and families with the ultimate goal of reaching 100 percent participation.

Thank you for your continued support to ensure the learning of your student(s) continues. I know the transition for our students, families and staff has not been easy and our day-to-day lives have all drastically changed. I am beyond grateful to each of you for the understanding, grace and flexibility we have given ourselves and one another. The spirit of unity and cooperation I have experienced throughout our school community is truly remarkable.

I also want to thank our principals, teachers and staff for going the extra mile to create dynamic online lessons and to connect with students and families in this new way. I have seen incredible examples of the creative and innovative ways students and teachers are connecting and learning. We know digital learning does not replace the relationships or experiences of our classrooms; however, we are here to support you and your student(s) so they continue their learning.

We recognize that there are many end-of-year traditions and this time is exceptionally hard for our high school seniors and their families. We are working to ensure such celebrations, especially graduation, are honored and meaningful. With that in mind, all high school graduation commencement ceremonies for Pinellas County Schools will be conducted virtually, with each school also hosting a celebration at their school site once it is deemed safe by health officials to have large gatherings. Further details about virtual commencement ceremonies for the class of 2020 will be communicated to seniors and their families by principals next week.

As a reminder, all information and resources are available on the district website which is updated on a regular basis at www.pcsb.org/coronavirus including specific pages for:

• Digital learning resources for students and families, including frequently asked questions and updated how-to tutorials are available on our dedicated webpage for Digital Learning for Students and Families. Additional information regarding grading, testing, promotion/retention and summer bridge programming will be updated soon!
• Meal distribution will continue throughout the remainder of the school year. Distribution information is available at www.pcsb.org/foodlocations. If you are not able to go to one of the school sites, other local food providers throughout the county are offering free, nutritious meals for our students. A complete list of sites throughout our community can be found at the Pinellas County government website. 

We continue to gather feedback from all our stakeholders to improve the experience for our students, families and staff. I am committed to ongoing communication with our families during this time. As I stated in one of my very first messages regarding COVID-19, we will work together, with care and compassion, to support our students and community through this challenging time. Pinellas County Schools remains dedicated to providing a high-quality education to our students. I sincerely appreciate your continued commitment, patience and support.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Grego, Ed.D.
Superintendent Pinellas County Schools