Superintendent Howard McLean introduces the new re-entry plan for students during a special school board meeting on March 22.
Liz O’Connell | Anson Record
WADESBORO — The Anson County School Board convened for a special meeting on March 22 to approve further re-entry plans for students.
The Board approved Kindergarten through fifth grade students to return in a Plan A format starting on March 29. Students 6-13 will stay in Plan B until further notice.
March 24 and March 25 will be virtual for all students as the district prepares for the new plan. These extra virtual days will also allow staff to receive their second COVID-19 vaccine and overcome any side effects that may occur. About 250 staff members received a COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are preparing that we may have some staff members who need or cannot report to work because of the second dosage,” Superintendent Howard McLean said. “March 24, 25 is extremely important to us for preparation and also looking out for our teachers.”
K-5 students will be in-person Monday through Thursday every week. Fridays will remain a virtual day for all students in order for schools to conduct a deep clean.
K-5 schools will run on a modified schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided during the school day. Additional instruction or support from teachers will be available for all learners between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Students who have elected to be virtual, may continue to stay virtual. K-5 students will not have the option to follow an every other week schedule.
“This plan goes in direct correlation with Senate Bill 220… this is the best plan for the district,” McLean said.
Senate Bill 220, or The Reopen Our Schools Act of 2021, was signed into law by Gov. Roy Cooper on March 11. This act requires districts to provide grades K-5 with in-person instruction following the state’s Plan A instruction by April 1. McLean, along with instruction from principals and his leadership team, believed it would be best to start the re-entry before the first day of April since spring break starts the day after. This will allow K-5 students to become comfortable in Plan A before a week-long break.
Under the bill, grades 6-12 will return either in Plan A or Plan B, depending on the district.
The Anson County School Board decided to keep students 6-13 on Plan B. These students will continue following the two cohort rotation Monday through Thursday, with remote learning on Fridays.
The school day for students in grades 6-13 will start at 8:15 a.m. and run until 1:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided for these students. Teachers will offer office hours for off-campus and virtual students between 2:00 p.m. to 3:55 p.m.
Cohort A for grades 6-13 will have 15 days left in-person and Cohort B has 14 days of in-person learning, as of March 22.
If the plan changes for grades 6-13, the school board will have to notify the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, describing the district’s plan to moving to Plan A. Districts in Plan A will also partner with the ABC Science Collaborative of the School of Medicine at Duke University to collect data.
McLean described why he thought it was best for students grades 6-13 to remain in Plan B. The district had a recent increase of COVID-19 cases. Three schools in the district experienced recent quarantine protocols – Wadesboro Primary, Peachland-Polkton and Anson High.
“We increased our numbers in the building, therefore its increasing our exposures and cases,” McLean said. “We want to make sure that we are able to handle the numbers that’s in our buildings…I’m afraid if we increase anymore, its going to expose and we’ll have more cases.”
When a case is detected at the school, McLean said they immediately contact the health department for guidance. The health department gives recommendations on how to handle it and who should be quarantining.
Parents or guardians who wish to alter how their students are learning should contact the Superintendent’s office after spring break. This will allow each school to see where there is space to add in-person students. Every family who has made a change thus far, has been met with their requests. No student has been turned away if the parents wish to bring them back in-person.
“Getting students back into the classroom safely is a shared priority,” Gov. Cooper said in a statement. “This agreement will move more students to in-person instruction while retaining the ability to respond to local emergencies.”
McLean will return to the board with a summer school recommendation at the next meeting on March 29.
Reach Liz O’Connell at 704-994-5471 or at eoconnell@ansonrecord.com.
