CMS votes to bring middle, high schoolers back for more in-person learning

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — CMS voted, 8-1, Tuesday night that middle and high school students will move to Plan A, which means they would attend school in-person four days a week and have one day of remote instruction.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Return to Learning]

That will start on April 12.

The plan aligns with schedules already in place for students in elementary and K-8 classes.

The plan is to return all students, not enrolled in the Full-Remote Academy, back to class five days a week starting May 10.

If a student is enrolled in the Full Remote Academy, nothing will change. Parents have until April 1 to make a call on either opting in or out of the Remote Learning Academy.

Pre-K students will continue to receive in-person instruction five days a week, as will students with disabilities whose IEP plans require in-person learning.

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Teachers, parents still have mixed feelings

There have been mixed feelings about sending kids back to the classrooms more frequently.

“We owe it to them to try to protect them from infection any way they can,” Kim Corpening, a CMS teacher said. “We need more time to correctly implement a plan like the one you will be considering tonight.”

Some parents want their kids back in the classroom full time, while others say it is too soon.

“I think that we should be able to go back full-time in school,” parent Ana Hubert said.

Hubert would like to see even more time in school but said this would make a positive difference for her children.

“Yes, for their mental health especially. They’re all smart kids and I’ve seen a decline in their performance, school performance because of online, and they get lost. They space out during zoom meetings, it’s nothing like in-person learning,” Hubert said.

“My children, like many other kids with hearing loss and disabilities, need to be in school more than two days a week,” parent Julie Chasnis said.

One local grandmother is worried it might all be too soon.

“I think they’re so close to the vaccine now that it’s kind of taking too big of a risk to bring them back to school right now,” said Angela Lapan.

NC state Board of Education issues new guidance on reopening public schools

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