Positive COVID-19 cases close 2 CMS schools on first day teachers return

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers and staff returned to their schools Thursday for the first time since March, but Channel 9 learned two facilities remained closed due to positive COVID-19 cases.

CMS officials confirmed that both W. G. Byers School and Hawthorne Academy were not open Thursday for personnel and that all staff worked remotely while the facilities were cleaned and disinfected.

Hawthorne Academy was also still closed Friday after it was cleaned. District leaders said no other schools were closed Friday due to COVID-19.

Channel 9 has reached out to CMS leaders to find out what rooms were cleaned at both schools, but have not heard back at this point.

[SPECIAL SECTION: Return to Learning]

District leaders said they had safety precautions in place at their buildings across the county. Everyone had to wear a mask while on campus and maintain six feet of distance. They will have to also get symptom and temperature checks daily.

The district said teachers are required to show up in person through Aug. 14 because they need to go over special planning and training for virtual learning. Last week, CMS switched to a fully virtual plan.

[CMS reverses course, will re-open with full remote learning]

Many CMS teachers said they are questioning why they have to return to the school buildings while most of their work through next week can be done virtually.

“The general feeling of educators is that it’s very nerve-racking, and we’re not sure why we’re being told we have to be in the building,” said Melissa Easley.

Easley is a CMS middle school teacher and a co-founder of North Carolina Teachers United. The group advocates for teachers and students nationwide.

“I’m one of the 25% of teachers that has an underlying condition so I was able to receive accommodations, but my co-workers were all in their classrooms with their masks, and everything was virtual,” she said.

For teachers going back, CMS plans to send daily emails asking them to answer three symptom screening questions. A green checkmark means they can come to work and a red X means they should not report to work and should contact a supervisor.

“My understanding is that wasn’t working today yet and so principals and individuals were screening at the door,” Easley said on Thursday.

CMS also sent a message to staff saying they were aware of the issue and were working as quickly as possible to resolve it. When Channel 9 asked why the training needs to be done in-person, CMS sent the following statement:

“These seven days will be best supported in an on-site environment where staff will have the opportunity to have all their resources readily available, and be able to collaborate in-person, social distancing, to carefully plan and level-set for the weeks and months ahead.”

While some teachers don’t agree, those who Channel 9′s Gina Esposito spoke with did want to stress that CMS has been doing a great job of preparing teachers for virtual learning this fall and that students can expect rigorous course work.

[CMS superintendent lays out what families can expect this school year]

District leaders said the rate of positive tests is currently too high to send kids back to classrooms. The district is also short dozens of employees in vital positions like bus drivers, nurses and custodians.

While teachers gear up for this unusual start to the year, the state board of education will also vote on two options for standardized testing -- like the third-grade reading exams.

When the pandemic first hit, school districts across the state received a waiver so students did not have to take the tests last school year. But, so far, the state has not received a waiver for the upcoming year.

The board will vote on two options for standardized testing for the upcoming year since they have not received a waiver yet.

The first will have students take the tests whenever they return to school, while the second option gives school districts the choice to bring students back just for the testing.

They would have to follow safety rules like wearing masks and social distancing.

Because students didn’t have any testing in the spring, the Department of Public Instruction is proposing to use those tests when school begins again to gauge students learning.

CMS reverses course, will re-open with full remote learning CMS reverses course, will re-open with full remote learning

Cox Media Group