HAMLET — Will Richmond County students return to the classroom next week?
That’s a question on the minds of students, parents and teachers that the Board of Education will presumably answer during a meeting on Tuesday.
Schools are tentatively scheduled to reopen Feb. 1 after the board decided to halt in-person instruction in late December.
Part of the board’s decision will be made on the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the county.
On Monday, the Richmond County Health Department reported 73 new cases from the weekend, bringing the total for January to 796 — just 10 shy of the record high set in December.
Since the schools were closed on Dec. 14, 187children have tested positive.
Richmond County Schools began tracking COVID infections among students and staff in late August.
On Monday, one staff member of Ashley Chapel Educational Center was reported as testing positive.*
Since tracking began, RCS reports the following case numbers:
- Traditional Students – 49
- Virtual Students – 197
- Staff – 97
- Central Services – 11
Reopening schools has been a controversial topic, with both sides becoming vocal on social media.
Some believe schools are safe and that students thrive better when in class.
However, others argue that there is a high risk to teachers and older family members of being exposed to the coronavirus.
Last summer the school board opted to allow elementary students back into the classrooms for the fall semester, while middle and high schoolers remained on a virtual learning plan. Students in middle school were phased back into the classroom mid-November.
Families were also given the option for younger students to learn remotely.
The Carolina Journal last week reported on a study conducted by the National Center for Research on Education Access and Choice which suggested schools in areas with low hospitalizations could open back for in-person instruction.
Another recent study, from UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University, concluded that schools could be safe to reopen as long as proper protocols were followed.
School districts across the state started the year either virtual or in-class, with local boards watching case numbers.
Multiple media outlets reported earlier this month that Durham County schools will remain online-only for the spring semester.
(*Editor’s note: The date listed on the school system’s spreadsheet Monday afternoon is Jan. 26. Updated: 9:36 p.m.)
