LEDGER – The Board of Education discussed plans for reopening schools in the fall Thursday, June 11, during its regular meeting.
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, or DPI, with guidance from North Carolina Health and Human Services and Gov. Roy Cooper, released requirements and recommendations for schools to reopen in the fall on Wednesday, June 10.
The full guide consists of three plans: Plan A, which is the least restrictive, Plan B, which requires moderate social distancing at half capacity, and Plan C, which is remote learning only. Each school district is required to come up with a Plan A, Plan B and Plan C by July 20 with each following the Governor’s guidelines..
According to Mitchell County Schools Superintendent Chad Calhoun, the school district will not be allowed to determine which plan they are on and it could always change.
“They will tell us, we can’t decide,” Calhoun said. “That could change before the school year. It could spike in Mitchell County. It could spike in North Carolina. We could be moved from a plan to a plan to a plan. So, that’s why they want us to have three plans in place.”
Calhoun said it’s frustrating to not be able to tell students and parents what school will be like in the fall.
“I’d love to look at the parents and say ‘this is what we’re going to do next year,’” he said. “But, I don’t know myself to be totally honest.”
Calhoun added he’s trying to keep parents in mind with all of these scenarios and as they go forward creating the plans.
“I’ve been a parent too, so I put myself in the parents shoes,” he said. “I want to do what’s best for the kids but I also want to do what’s best for the parents because you don’t want to put them in a situation where they are trying to decide if they want to stay home and take care of their child or go to work.”
Calhoun said he would have preferred the state to allow each school district to determine what was best for them.
“I wish they would put it in our hands and trust us and let us make the decision of how we’re gonna bring our kids back to school safe,” Calhoun said. “If they would just give us that, we would be fine, instead of having to follow all of the requirements here.”
Sam Blevins echoed Calhoun’s frustrations regarding the state’s requirements.
“If they would only reason and let each county do what they have to do,” Blevins said. “You don’t have to close your schools. It’s just so daggum stupid.”
Some of the requirements put forth by the plan include providing social distancing markings to remind students and staff to keep six feet apart, limiting nonessential visitors and activities involving external groups and having staff monitor the arrival and dismissal of students to ensure they go straight from a vehicle to their classrooms and vice-versa.
Under DHHS’ guidance, cloth masks are not required, but are strongly recommended.
Also at the June 11 meeting, the BOE approved a motion to follow the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s guidelines to resume high school sports on a limited basis.