HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County Public Schools has launched a new tutoring program for its elementary school students who are on quarantine.


What You Need To Know

  • Hillsborough students now getting one-on-one help with school work while quarantined 

  • Seven teachers are a part of the Virtual Quarantine Support Program

  • Those teachers are avaiable weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help students with any questions or problems they may have

  • When students go on quarantine, they will be given instructions on how to access the new service

Starting this week, certified teachers will be available weekdays between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily to answer questions and help students who are quarantined in Pre-K through 5th grade with their school work.

Jenine Cowan is one of the seven teachers taking part in the Virtual Quarantine Support program.

"This is one-on-one tutoring support where we can really focus exactly on what those students need," she said

Even with the recently relaxed quarantine rules, Deputy Superintendent Terry Connor said the district is still seeing hundreds of children out each week because of the pandemic, and educators want to make sure they don't fall behind in their studies.

"You know, they encounter a lot of problems and barriers when they're working on their teacher assigned lessons and they don't necessarily have their teacher in front of them to assist them," he said.

The program allows them to either connect online or over the phone with a teacher who can help.

"If something comes up and they say, 'Oh I forgot how to divide fractions,' they can hop on this teams call with a math teacher and get a lesson right then and there," said Meagan Parenteau, Supervisor, Elementary Generalist who is overseeing the program.

Parenteau said she looked for teachers who are comfortable working virtually and can handle a variety of students who are at different learning levels.

Cowan said she's already tutored several students through the program and "so far, so good."

"All of us that were hired are seasoned teachers. We know exactly what we're doing. We know the questions to ask. We know what to do to close the learning gaps," she said.

When students go on quarantine, they will be given instructions on how to access the new service.