ROCKINGHAM — Students could be back in school next month, depending on what the Richmond County Board of Education decides.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that Plan B, which allows for in-person instruction as long as safety guidelines are followed, is the baseline.
Richmond County Schools’ Plan B includes several blended options:
Having elementary and middle school learning on-site with high school students learning remotely;
Dividing all students into cohorts and alternating between on-site and off-site learning;
Having Pre-K through third-graders on-site at the elementary schools and fourth- and fifth-graders on-site at the middle schools, with middle and high school students learning remotely.
Under that plan, there is also an option for those who would rather learn from home.
“It’s a measured, balanced approach that will allow children to attend, but provide important safety protocols, like fewer children in the classroom, social distancing, face coverings, cleaning, and more,” Cooper said.
There is a consensus that students, especially the younger ones, learn better in-person and are more likely to meet education goals.
Face coverings will be required for all students and staff.
Cooper said the state will be providing at least five reusable face coverings for every student, teacher and staff member. He added that a two-month supply of thermometers and medical-grade equipment has already been delivered to school nurses.
Schools will also be required to limit the total number of people in a building so the social-distancing standard of staying six feet apart can be observed.
The governor said that school districts can choose a plan which works best, including alternating days.
Daily symptom screenings, including temperature checks, will be performed before students enter the building and schools must have a way to isolate students who show symptoms and ensure they can get home safely.
Cooper went on to say that schedules must allow time for frequent handwashing and buildings, buses, classrooms and equipment must be cleaned regularly.
In addition to providing instruction, teachers will also have to make sure items are not shared.
The state’s plan also limits nonessential visitors and activities involving outside organizations.
The governor added that schools are “strongly encouraged” to take other safety measures, including keeping students in small groups, making hallways and entrances one-way, eating lunch in the classroom if the cafeteria doesn’t allow for social distancing.
Districts can also choose Plan C, which is all remote learning, and suspending assemblies and other activities that bring large groups together.
According to Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, schools are a lower transmission setting for COVID-19.
Cohen added that children are less likely to become infected or spread the coronavirus to others.
In Richmond County, those under the age of 18 make up 11.73% of the total 375 total cases (which includes recoveries), according to the Health Department.
“We know schools will look a lot different this year,” Cooper said. “They have to, in order to be safe and effective.”
While the upcoming school year is about a month away, Cooper said a lot could happen with virus by then.
“If trends spike and in-person schools cannot be done safely, even with these safety protocols, then North Carolina will need to move to all-remote learning, like we did last March,” the governor said.
The Richmond County Board of Education is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. Thursday and should choose which plan to go with.
Cooper also said that the state will remain in Phase 2 of his reopening plan, which was set to expire on Friday, for yet another three weeks.
The governor said that case numbers are “still troubling” and that easing restrictions could cause a spike that would affect opening schools.
Under Phase 2, gyms and some bars are still prohibited from opening, restaurants are limited to 50% capacity, and establishments that are open are supposed to enforce mask wearing and social distancing guidelines.
“The most important opening is that of our classroom doors,” he said. “We want to be done with this pandemic, but it’s not done with us.”
Cooper also strongly encouraged state residents to wear face coverings as “the easiest and most effective way” to open schools and ease economic restrictions which were put in place through his executive orders.
Citing CDC Director Robert Redfield, Cooper said that if everyone would wear a face covering over the next six weeks, “we could drive this virus into the ground.”
