School District of Manatee County to close until April 15

The School District of Manatee County will close until April 15 and move to online learning starting March 30.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced March 17 all public and private K-12 schools will be closed through April 15, extending the previously announced statewide closure by more than two weeks.

Manatee County teachers will take March 23 to March 27 as a time to "ramp up the capabilities necessary to deliver instruction" to students via Schoology, an online learning management system that teachers use to create lessons, design content and communicate with students while they are home.

"Next week will be extremely important for all of our teachers, principals, administrators and support personnel to make sure everything is in order and we are fully prepared to meet the needs of our students," said Superintendent Cynthia Saunders in a coronavirus update from the school district. "We will also be providing parents with important information on how this will work and how their students can continue to get the lessons they need to successfully complete this school year."

The Department of Education also announced state K-12 testing is canceled through the end of the school year. 

"Right now we are fully focused on what we all need to do next week to help our students," Saunders said in the update. "I know that our 8,000 employees will rise to the occasion and do everything possible to end this school year on a positive note for our students, parents and community."