NEWS

 

In a called emergency meeting Wednesday night, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education approved Plan B-Plus Remote for reopening schools on Aug. 17. In Plan B-Plus Remote, CMS students will attend school in-person on a rotational basis during the first two weeks of school; beginning in week three, all students will receive remote instruction only.

“We are confident that Plan B-Plus Remote is the best plan for educating our students,” said Elyse Dashew, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education chairperson. “We want to provide a rigorous educational experience in the safest way possible for our students and staff.”

The onboarding period will consist of students being assigned to one of three groups; one-third of students will be assigned to group A, the next one-third will be assigned to group B, and the next one-third to group C. Students will attend in-person onboarding instruction on their group’s assigned days within the first two weeks of the school year.

After the onboarding days, Plan B-Plus Remote will offer a remote learning environment for all students, which also provides the flexibility for more teachers and staff to work remotely. Starting in week three – when remote learning begins – students will not receive in-person instruction. CMS buildings will be open for staff for essential functions.

A full remote-learning option may be selected by parents who have concerns about sending their students to school during continued pandemic conditions. More information about this option, including how and when to enroll, will be shared soon.

The CMS plan is designed to address worsening COVID-19 conditions and was an option given to districts by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper in a statewide announcement on Tuesday.

“This is a difficult time for families with hard choices on every side,” Cooper said. “I am committed to working together to ensure our students and educators are as safe as possible and that children have opportunities to learn in the way that is best for them and their families.”

CMS plans a robust remote-learning experience, using best practices learned in the fourth quarter of the last school year and in the months since. District leaders and teachers have collaborated with education experts from across the country to prepare a more rigorous and engaging remote-learning program for all students at all grade levels.

“Our first priority is to provide access and equity in the learning experience for each of our students,” Superintendent Earnest Winston said. “Our staff is developing dynamic programs that will engage and inform students in exciting ways as they move into the new school year.”

CMS will communicate additional details about the plan in the coming days and weeks. Parents are encouraged to update their contact information with their schools to ensure they receive this timely information. Parents should also expect to receive information from their child’s school with specific information related to the first two weeks of school.

The CMS Call Center – 980-343-3001 – is prepared to field questions, concerns and comments about the operational plan.