CMS Resets Timeline For Middle School Return To Classrooms

Press release from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools:

11/10/2020

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education voted Nov. 10 to revise the timeline for middle school students to return to in-person instruction. The new timeline delays until after winter break the return for all students in grades six through eight in traditional middle schools for in-person instruction, with one exception: Sixth- through eighth-graders in K-8 schools will return Nov. 30, instead of Nov. 23.

The change was necessary because more than 100 of the district's bus drivers have elected to use leave through Dec. 31, as permitted under the federal FFCRA (Families First Coronavirus Response Act). This has created a shortage of bus drivers, making it impossible to observe the social-distancing requirements for school buses set by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

"We know this is difficult for families who were planning on sending their middle schoolers back before winter break," said Board Chairperson Elyse Dashew. "But we remain committed to ensuring the health and safety of our students as they travel to and from school, as well as in the classroom. Social distancing on our school buses is essential to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, the Board felt this change was necessary."

Under the new timeline approved by the Board, students in grades six through eight who attend a K-8 school will rotate between in-person instruction and remote learning, with half of those students attending school Monday and Tuesday and the other half Thursday and Friday. Both groups will receive remote instruction on Wednesday. This aligns the schedules of the K-8 middle school students with the schedules of the K-5 elementary students.

The full plan for returning to in-person instruction for students in grades six through eight can be found here.

In addition, during the Board meeting, CMS Superintendent Earnest Winston presented some additional district action items related to the return to in-person instruction. The first is a change to the district's timeline for families to transfer students into or out of the Full Remote Academy. Any CMS families who want to transfer their student, regardless of grade, from in-person instruction to the Full Remote Academy or from the Full Remote Academy to in-person instruction for the second semester must inform their school of the decision no later than Nov. 30.

To make that notification, families will receive a survey beginning Nov. 16. Families can indicate whether students will attend in-person or remote for the second semester that begins Jan. 5, 2021. The survey also will include a question for families of students attending in-person regarding the need for CMS-provided transportation. All families whose students are currently enrolled to attend in-person, or who intend for their students to transfer from the Full Remote Academy to in-person learning for the second semester must let the district know if they require morning and/or afternoon bus transportation.

Completion of the survey to notify the district of intent to transfer into or out of the Full Remote Academy and for eligible students to opt-in for transportation must be complete by Nov. 30.

This press release was produced by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The views expressed are the author's own.