Murphy – Friday may be the last day of school for some Cherokee County students.
While the last scheduled day of school technically is Friday, May 29, Superintendent Jeana Conley revealed a plan last week that allows students who are already proficient in their studies to decide to finish the year early.
The plan is copied from a plan developed by Union County (Ga.) Schools in Georgia that was presented to those families in an April 15 letter from Superintendent John Hill. He said he shared the plan with other superintendents because they wanted to share anything that could “help our neighbors.”
According to Cherokee County’s version of the plan, all students will continue to work remotely through Friday. Students will be off from school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, as those days will now be teacher in-service days. By 3 p.m. Thursday, May 14, students who have demonstrated proficiency in their classes will be notified of their options – either continue enrichment classes or stop remote learning. Students who have not demonstrated proficiency will get individualized instruction through May 29.
Tri-County Early College High School Principal Alissa Cheek informed parents of a similar plan tailored to the schools’ grading measures, with instruction ending Friday. By Tuesday, May 12, students and parents will be informed of the student’s best grade, and any students who did not achieve near mastery in a course will receive one-on-one instruction through Friday, May 22, to bring their grade up to that level.
“We are hoping by the end of the school year that everybody will be at that near mastery or above,” Cheek told parents.
May 22 will also be graduation day for 35 seniors at the Early College, Cheek announced to parents. She explained that the ceremony would be made into a digital graduation full of the usual speeches.
The ceremony will include live opportunities for each student to walk across the stage and physically receive their diploma as their family members cheer and take photos in front of the stage. Each family would stay in their car until it is time for their graduate to be recognized.
Other school principals were still working with their teams to create plans for graduation ceremonies and expected to be able to make announcements later this week.
Conley revealed the district’s plan for the end of year on April 29, calling it the district’s first priority. She said the second priority would be a plan for returning to school in the fall.
Conley is also one of six superintendents from across the state on the Schools Reopening Task Force formed by N.C. Superintendent Mark Johnson. The task force will work to find safe ways to get students back in classrooms in the fall, plus determine ways to best provide learning opportunities.