Macon County Public Schools are bracing for potential changes to the in-person classroom structure following a directive by North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper that would mandate all districts statewide open for in-person instruction.
During a specially called meeting of the Macon County Board of Education on Friday, superintendent Chris Baldwin noted that Cooper’s request does not mean all districts must reopen in-person five days per week.
“After sitting in on an emergency meeting with the state superintendent it was clarified that the governor wants districts that are only offering virtual instruction currently to offer some in-person instruction,” Baldwin said. “We are offering in-person in Plan B and virtual only in Plan C.”
State guidelines on social distancing in schools make it impossible for all Macon County students to be in the classroom Monday through Friday. Until those guidelines change, Macon County is offering as much in-person instruction as possible.
“For most school systems, including ours, the new plan means no change because we are already offering as much in-person instruction as we can while abiding the state’s social distancing requirements,” Baldwin said. “The state’s COVID-19 tool kit could be modified to accommodate more in-person instruction, but as it is right now we are doing the best we can.”
In Macon County, Highlands, Nantahala, Union Academy, Macon Early College and all students in grades K-5 are operating in-person for all students Monday through Thursday. Friday is a virtual learning day.
At Franklin High School, Macon Middle School and Mountain View Intermediate students in grades 6-12 are operating on an alternating day schedule with half the students attending Monday and Wednesday, and half attending Tuesday and Thursday.
Along with Cooper’s directive for districts statewide to open for in-person instruction, Baldwin pointed out that the NC General Assembly is currently debating Senate Bill 37, which would require school districts offer a “Plan A” option (traditional Monday through Friday, in-person instruction) along with a “Plan C” virtual option.
“It could take some time for that bill to make it through the legislature and onto Cooper’s desk, but there is a possibility that at some point in the current semester we are going to make Plan A available,” Baldwin said. “The question then becomes how do we also do Plan C for the virtual students with our current staff.”
MCS Curriculum Coordinator Josh Lynch floated the possibility of offering in-person instruction Monday through Thursday, with Friday remaining a virtual day at all Macon County Schools.
“In order to serve the virtual learning students, and any students who may be quarantined, we have to have time in our day to do that,” Josh Lynch said. “Teachers are putting in a lot more time across the district to make that happen.”
Lynch added that virtual students still have to come to school facilities for state end of grade testing, which is only possible on Fridays when in-person students are not on campus.
NC Association of Educators representative John de Ville asked that Macon County not consider going to Plan A until all teachers and administrators can receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Macon County is currently only vaccinating people age 65 or older due to a limited vaccine supply.
Baldwin also voiced concern about filling school buildings if teachers remain unvaccinated.
“My biggest concern is without vaccinations for our school staff, and with an increase in students on campus each day, is increased transmission among students and staff,” Baldwin said. “We may find ourselves in a situation where we go from in-person two days each week in grades 6-12, to four or five days each week and then have a cluster and have to go back to virtual instruction.”
Macon County Public Health Director Kathy McGaha said that teacher vaccinations are a hot-button topic across the state.
“Teacher vaccinations are a big question and a topic of conversation right now,” McGaha said. “Frontline and essential workers, like teachers, fall in Group 3 for vaccinations. We can’t move to Group 3 until Group 1 and Group 2 are completed and based on the number of vaccines we are receiving each week it will be several weeks before we are able to start Group 3.”
Baldwin added that not only will teachers need to be vaccinated but so will staff members such as nutritional aides, custodians and bus drivers.
Ultimately the school board took no action and chose to remain in the current Plan B setup.
“Currently, we are offering the maximum amount of in-person instruction allowed within the state guidelines,” Baldwin said. “Until those guidelines change, either via Senate Bill 37 or the Governor’s office, we are doing the most we can.”