Good Morning Valued Chamber Member,
Palm Beach County public schools begin today. That means students and teachers back in the classrooms, anxious moms and dads driving away from the drop-off line and yellow buses on our roads. Please exercise patience as this first week of school gets underway and be mindful of those school zone speed limits.
Interim Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent, Mike Burke, announced that facial coverings will be mandatory inside schools and buses for all students, unless the student's parent or guardian chooses to opt-out of the requirement. The requirement is effective immediately for students, staff and visitors. Parents or guardians who wish to opt-out of the requirement must send a signed note to the school informing their child's first-period teacher of the decision. Employees of the district and visitors do not have the option to opt-out. The mask requirement will be revisited every 30 days and adjusted accordingly.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Florida House Bill 529, which requires teachers of all grades to set aside at least one minute, but no more than two minutes, daily for a moment of silence during their first period of the day. The new bill will allow students in public schools a moment of quiet reflection at the beginning of each school day. The bill states that students may not interfere with other students’ participation in this moment of silence. In addition, teachers may not make suggestions as to the nature of any reflection that a student may engage in. The School District of Palm Beach County encourages parents and guardians to discuss the moment of silence with their children.
The state health department has opened a new testing and vaccination site, located at the Mid County Senior Center main auditorium at 3680 Lake Worth Road in Palm Springs. The site will be open Monday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm and appointments are not necessary. For a list of current testing sites, click here.
JES Media, the publisher of the Chamber’s Annual Magazine, is accepting space reservations for the 2022 Edition. This 200-page marquee publication is the guide to living, working, learning and playing in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County. In addition to its comprehensive editorial content, it includes a Membership Directory. Special sections include 561 Faces Business Profiles, a New Member Showcase and a Dining Guide. For information on advertising opportunities and deadlines, contact Bruce Klein at brucek@bocamag.com.
Looking for a quick way to find an event, register for an event, and receive pop-up notifications of important Chamber, County, City of Boca Raton, and City of Boynton Beach information? Download the Boca Chamber App – found on the App Store and Google Play Store. Keep your Chamber at the tip of your fingers! You can also stay up to date on all Chamber activities by visiting us at bocachamber.com.
We continue to provide you with valuable in-person and virtual experiences. Most virtual programs are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button to find out when new content is posted on our channel.
Below is a list of our upcoming in-person and virtual experiences:
8/17 – 3:00 p.m. Virtual Combined Government Affairs & Economic Development Committee Meeting
Topic: Crafting the 2022 Legislative Business Agenda
8/18 – 8:30 a.m. In-Person South Healthcare Advocacy Network (S.H.A.N)
Sponsored By: Memorial Healthcare System
Connect with other Healthcare Professionals
The Meridian at Boca Raton
21865 Ponderosa Drive
Boca Raton, FL
8/19 – 8:00 a.m. In-Person Boynton Beach Coffee Plus
Topic: Meet New People and Give Your Best 30 Second Elevator Pitch
Common Grounds Brew and Roastery
1517 South Federal Highway
Boynton Beach, FL
8/19 – 5:30 p.m. In-Person Successful Women in Business After – Hours Network
Connect | Network | Mingle
Seasons 52
2300 North West Executive Circle
Boca Raton, FL
Boca Chamber Festival Days (BCFD) kicked off on July 30 and will conclude on August 31. The events include music, comedy, dinner, tastings, game nights – and so much more. For a listing of all the events, click here.
A recent statewide poll from the Florida Chamber shows that nearly all Florida voters support Florida’s local businesses. 92% of those polled expressed confidence in local businesses. The actions of the Florida Legislature led to an economy that bounced back quickly from the initial COVID-19 pandemic. This quick recovery allowed local businesses to keep Floridians employed, grow and serve the over 800 new residents moving to Florida each day.
With the normal stresses of the first few days and weeks of school, we must also deal with the most recent uptick in COVID cases. Please be vigilant in your efforts to stay healthy and safe. Unfortunately, we are not experiencing this for the first time. Fortunately, we have firsthand knowledge of how to handle it and medical treatments are much more effective. However, we must remain focused and maintain those safety habits we developed. Have that mask and hand sanitizer handy – just in case.
Together, we continue to Move Business Forward in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County, making our region the best place to Live, Work, Learn and Play.
Moving Business Forward,