As Miami-Dade students and teachers finish up the first week of school, many questions still remain unanswered; students, parents and teachers at Palmetto may be in the dark about the upcoming weeks. Throughout the first quarter, the school plans to go through many changes, thus affecting those in the Palmetto community. Below are announcements made by Principal Dobbs and members of the PTSA regarding important announcements about the school year.

1. For the time being, secondary schools will not use the K-12 program, but a reevaluation of the decision will occur on Sept. 11. As of now, teachers will use different applications, such as Microsoft Teams, Edmodo and Zoom.
2. Students will eventually have access to their teachers’ Microsoft Teams classes, but as of now students must check their Outlook email.
3. 25,000 more laptops for Miami-Dade County were ordered and soon available if needed. 
4. If your Miami-Dade County issued laptop needs an update, there are two options available, the first being driving to your nearest public school and joining the school’s Wi-Fi. The computer will then automatically update itself. The other option requires one  to drive to Palmetto and let the administration fix it or update it for you. The most important part of the update consists of joining the county’s Wi-Fi network on the device.
5. On Tuesday, the school will offer free physicals for fall athletes. The possibility of conditioning starting has yet to be confirmed.
6. When school returns in person, the schedule will remain in block, with periods one, three and five on A days and periods two, four  and six on B days. The schedule will include three different lunches in order to enforce social distancing guidelines.
7. The county still requires masks to be worn outside and around others, so the same will be applied while going back to school. The school will require students to wear their masks at all times, besides lunch, and if you do not have one they will provide it.
8. To buy the required books for English classes and pre-order Advanced Placement study guides, there is an online PTSA book sale, which you can access by clicking here.
9. If any students or parents face any issues or have any more questions, contact Principal Victoria Dobbs via email through the Palmetto website.

As of now, Miami-Dade County Public Schools are still uncertain of when students will return to their schools if they opted to go in person. 66% of Palmetto students have taken the option of going back to school fully in person, as stated by Principal Dobbs during the Sept. 3 PTSA meeting, making social distancing extremely important. If a student belongs to this percentage, before returning make sure that all of their Personal Protective Equipment remains on them at all times. The county will allow students to return as soon as possible, yet still prioritizing safety.