On Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper delayed announcing the state’s recommendation for which of three plans schools should follow in opening for the 2020-21 school year. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials this week presented to the school board their three plans for reopening schools.
Last month schools were directed to develop three plans designed to address COVID-19 conditions. One plan requires students and staff to return to school for in-classroom learning, another is a mix of remote and in-classroom learning and the third is all remote learning.
In all plans a remote learning option may be chosen by parents who have concerns about sending their students to school during pandemic conditions. The CMS board reviewed each plan and will vote to approve after Cooper’s statewide announcement is made at a later date.
“Tonight we received thoughtful and insightful information about the operational models for each of the three plans district personnel have developed,” said Elyse Dashew, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education chairperson. “We are confident that these plans give CMS the opportunity to educate all our students while protecting their health, and after the governor issues his statewide recommendation, our decision to implement the chosen plan is one for which we are well-informed.”
Additional details about the plan including social distancing procedures, sanitation policies, state mandated health/safety checks and temperature screenings, transportation practices and bus routes, and more will be communicated at a later date.
“We are committed to helping all students learn and succeed during this pandemic and beyond,” said CMS Superintendent Earnest Winston. “Our teams have worked tirelessly to develop plans that will meet the needs of students and staff, even as conditions shift in our community. Our first priority is to provide a robust educational experience for our students and a safe environment for all.”