Press release from Buncombe County Schools:
Governor Roy Cooper asked all North Carolina school systems to design three options (Plans A, B, and C) for a return to school this Fall. BCS has previously announced what Plans A and C will generally look like for our school system. At the July 2 Special Called Meeting, the BCS Board of Education endorsed the details below for Plan B.
**The Governor has not made an announcement regarding which plan North Carolina schools will use to begin the school year on Monday, August 17. We are sharing this summary document so parents can begin making decisions about what plans they are comfortable with, if their children need transportation, and if their children eat in our cafeterias.
We continue to refine important details for all three plans. We understand you have questions, and we will try to answer them to the best of our ability.
It’s important to note that we will likely transition between these plans throughout the school year, depending on the health situation in our area. As we move through these different plans, we will communicate with families, staff, and the community in a timely fashion.
As a reminder, if you are not comfortable sending your child to school for any in-person instruction in the fall, BCS is offering an opportunity for your child to sign up for our BCS Remote Learning plan for a full semester of remote, at-home instruction. During the week of Monday, July 6, we will send out instructions on how to begin the process of signing-up for remote-only, at-home learning for your child.
Plan A includes:
Social distancing areas of the school building where students congregate,
Frequent handwashing,
Temperature checks for students, staff, and visitors before they enter the building,
Facial coverings/masks are required for all students, staff, and visitors with some exceptions,
And, enhanced cleaning protocols, especially of shared surfaces.
There are no limits on how many people can be in a school at once in Plan A.
**A summary of the key points in Plan A is linked HERE.
Plan B includes all of the Plan A requirements and adds several more including:
No more than 50% capacity in buildings and school buses. Due to the capacity restriction, this will be a hybrid model that includes both physical classroom and remote instruction for our students.
At the July 2 Special Called Meeting, the BCS Board of Education endorsed the following details for Plan B:
*Students in grades K-8 will attend school on a rotating (A/B) schedule of one week in-person and one week remote-only. Students in grades 9-12 will be remote only and learn at home with personalized instruction from teachers. More details will be released soon. School administrators will work with families for special circumstances such as scheduling siblings on the same rotational week.
*This plan will include a staggered face-to-face orientation week for students in grades 9-12 in order to provide a smooth start to the school year. If we find ourselves in Plan B for an extended period of time, this alternating A/B schedule will be used in order for high school students to have face-to-face time with teachers in the classrooms.
Plan C is a remote connection for learning. ANY BCS family may choose this option if they would prefer at-home learning for their child. More specifics are linked HERE.
Our Remote/Virtual model has undergone some significant refinements compared to last year’s model. Thanks to clear guidance from NCDPI, we can provide a well-planned, equitable remote learning experience that includes more accountability.
There will be a combination of virtual, face-to-face class instruction, as well as assignments that students will complete at their own pace.
Principals will develop schedules for synchronous instruction that allow for flexibility and consistency while avoiding overlap and fatigue.
Attendance will be taken and work will be graded.
Teachers and instructional staff will focus on more individualized support for helping face-to-face and fully remote students master standards.
Finally, we will continue to provide hotspots to our students who may have difficulty with internet access.
We are also including enhancements such as training on various platforms for parents and guardians so they are better able to help their children with assignments.
Specific details about staffing and scheduling have not yet been finalized. We must first get an estimate of how many students would prefer this option before we can begin designing a staffing plan. You may review and provide feedback on our NCDPI required Remote Instruction Plan due Monday, July 20, via this LINK.
Please send any specific questions to communications@bcsemail.org.
Plan A is the best. Kids do not do well with home teaching. Found out that when school stopped my grandson eats in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch. Please use plan A