GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Gaston County’s youngest students returned to the classroom Monday morning as the school district transitions elementary students to a four-day plan.
Kindergartners through fifth graders will go Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays will be a remote learning day.
They must wear masks inside buildings and on the school bus.
“It’s kind of scary,” parent Stacie Bragg said about her 10-year-old daughter returning. “I told her make sure at all times, keep your hands in the pocket you are on the bus.”
Officials said schools will also limit movement between classes.
The school board voted to take this step three weeks ago knowing 6-feet of social distancing would be nearly impossible. They believe 3-feet of social distancing is possible.
This move, unlike other efforts to go in-person in Gaston County, seems to have approval by most teachers. Some told Channel 9 they are concerned that the lack of socialization has hurt the development of students, especially the younger students.
“Because they have had to stay away from each other and not been able to be together and not be able to have the circle time on the carpet so I’m excited that we are going to be able to give the a little bit of what kindergarten is supposed to be like,” teacher Lisa Byrd said.
It also helps that teachers are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in North Carolina. Some teachers who spoke to Channel 9 said that gives them some level of protection and some have cited studies among students appear to be much lower than in the community.
Middle and high school students will stay on the hybrid Plan B for now.
The change comes even as Gaston County remains in the Red Zone on the state’s county alert map, which means they have a critical level of COVID-19 spread.
Bragg said she still is worried because the rate of infection in Gaston County has been among the highest in the state.
Bragg also has a three-year-old daughter at home.
“She comes home to a younger child and exposing all of us to it,” Bragg said. “I don’t know if they are jumping the gun.”
Right now, Gaston County has a test positivity rate of just under 10 percent.
In its most recent report, there were 16 positive cases at Gaston County elementary schools.
The principal at North Belmont Elementary School said they are taking steps to help reduce the possibility of spread, which includes having lunch in classrooms and grouping students in pods so that everyone isn’t sharing the same space on campus.
“Everything is thought out and a process is place, so everyone is safe from this virus,” said Justin Beam, principal of North Belmont Elementary School.
He said this first day of full classes went exceptionally well, and everyone has kept their masks on.
Kara Lesperance is a nurse and happy to bring her son back in class.
She said doing two days on campus a week has been harmful to the learning process.
“They don’t get the one-on-one contact with the teacher,” Lesperance said. “If they don’t understand it and parents don’t understand it, they’re stuck until they go back to school”.
Sign up has begun for several sports.
Try outs for boys’ soccer and softball started Monday.
Jayden Bates is looking forward to track and field, which was canceled during tryouts last year.
“A little discouraging, disappointing for sure,” Bates said.
He will start tryouts next month.
Cox Media Group
