School board has option of Plan A
Update: School board chooses Plan A for elementary students
Murphy – Elementary students could be back in the classroom five days a week starting Monday, Oct. 5.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that school districts may implement Plan A – the minimal social distancing plan – in elementary schools. Districts many continue to follow Plan B’s moderate social distancing guidelines or Plan C’s full remote learning. Families may also still choose a fully remote option for their children under Plans A and B.
The Cherokee County Board of Education met at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Central Office, after the Cherokee Scout’s press deadline, to decide how the governor’s announcement will affect local schools. The school board must approve a district-wide change in plan.
Dr. Jeana Conley, superintendent of schools, said she was joyful that the state was relaxing some restrictions on schools. However, she also was concerned about the logistics.
“We’ll find the best ways to make it happen,” she said. “We would love to have our K-5 back Oct. 5.”
Under Plan A, more students may ride the buses, and schools aren’t limited by the number of people allowed in the building. Plan A does continue safety measures like face coverings for everyone, social distancing and proper screening.
Conley said her staff was running through multiple scenarios before presenting a local plan for the school board.
“The issue with Cherokee County is we share buses with all our schools,” she said.
Cherokee County Schools was one of 25 percent of schools across the state to open under Plan B with a hybrid schedule. Families could choose to send their students to school for two days a week or learn under a fully remote program.
Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, the Republican running against Cooper in the November election, announced just the day before Cooper’s announcement that he thinks schools should reopen immediately. A statement from Cooper’s spokesperson said Forest was “promising to put students, teachers and families in harm’s way.”
“Yesterday, Gov. Cooper said it was dangerous to talk about reopening schools. Today, he said it was OK – at least for some schools. What changed?” Forest said in a statement Thursday.
Cooper commended residents for wearing masks and social distancing, which he said has helped stabilize the state’s COVID-19 numbers. Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health & Human Services said as schools reopened, science was showing that younger children were less likely to become infected, have symptoms or spread the virus.
Conley thinks having only elementary students back five days will be awkward in the elementary/middle schools, and knows the board would like to see all students – including high school – back full time, if it can be done safely. She did notice that virus exposure in local schools so far was primarily in the middle and high schools, and knows the importance of having the younger students back first.
“I do think there are crucial learning opportunities that can never be revisited or regained with young children,” she said. “Research shows if those windows are closed during critical growth periods, you can never regain the learning you have missed.”