Sarasota County School District reminds families of COVID-19 resources ahead of Spring semester

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - The Sarasota County School District sent out an email to families on Friday regarding the COVID-19 resources that are available ahead of the Spring semester.

The Florida Department of Health in Sarasota is in a partnership with the school district to offer PCR testing for symptomatic staff members and students. This is for all public, private, and charter schools in the county.

In certain situations, family members of staff or students might be eligible for this testing. This testing will be available by appointment only.

To request a test, a staff member or a student’s guardian must complete the COVID-19 Test Request form and email it to dohsrqcovid19@flhealth.gov. If you are unable to send the request form, call 941-861-2941.

The DOH testing locations on the form remain the same, but the hours of operation have changed:

North Port: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Osprey: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
Ringling: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday

The SCSD is taking the following mitigation efforts:

Wearing a mask is optional, not mandatory, as per House Bill 1
Per CDC and DOH recommendations: Universal indoor masking is advised for all students (ages two years and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status
Social distancing will be implemented when possible
SCSD continues using HEPA - MERV 13 air filters
Common work areas, equipment, and personal workspaces are regularly cleaned and sanitized; this includes refreshed cleaning methods and increased cleaning of high-touch surfaces and points

SCSD’s contact tracing process is aligned with guidance from the State of Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. Parents or legal guardians of students who have had direct contact with a positive case can choose one of the following options:

Allow the student to attend school, school-sponsored activities, or be on school property, without restrictions, as long as the student remains asymptomatic
Quarantine the student; a quarantined student can return to school on or after the eighth day from exposure

The district is asking parents and guardians to drive their children to and from school, if possible, because of the omicron variant. “Though our school buses are cleaned thoroughly and regularly, a temporary decrease in the overall amount of bus riders may help reduce the rate of potential COVID spread on our buses.”

For more information on the district’s COVID-19 policies, click here.