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CMS' youngest students return to classrooms for first phase of in-person learning

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' youngest students arrived on campuses Monday morning wearing masks and were greeted by staff covered in medical gowns, masks, gloves and goggles.

The first phase of the CMS return to in-person learning began Monday, and as most Pre-K students went back to class for the first time this school year, Channel 9 learned new information about COVID-19 cases within the district.

On day one of Phase One, we’ve learned 18 employees were COVID-19 positive last week. That’s up from seven cases the week before. Zero students were positive, which was down from one case.

One of the steps to keep the numbers low is temperature checks, which we could see happening Monday morning.

Principal Danah Telfaire of Merry Oaks Academy was very excited about welcoming Pre-K students back to the classroom.

She created a video and shared it with families to walk them through what school will look like in person. She showed students that staff will be dressed in a white personal protective equipment gown, wearing a mask, gloves and goggles.

In the video, the school’s mascot, Mo, played the role of a student. Once a child gets off the school bus, they will have their temperature checked. Instead of walking through the front door of the school, students will go through the door closest to their classroom.

Students will also have colored tags attached to their backpack. They’ll be assigned a red or blue tag depending on what rotation they’re on. Bus riders will also have a yellow tag along with their rotation tag.

The tags will have the child’s grade, name, teacher name and a CR code on them. A photo of the child will pop up when the code is scanned with a cell phone.

Every day, parents will get an email from CMS with a COVID-19 screening tool they’ll be asked to fill out.

It asks whether your student has been near anyone who tested positive, if they have any symptoms or if they tested positive for the virus.

Only Pre-K started school Monday. Kindergarten through 5th-grade students return for in-person learning on Nov. 2.

Breakdown of CMS reopening phases:

  • Pre-K students will return Oct. 12
  • K-5 students will return Nov. 2
  • Grades 6 through 8 will return Nov. 23
  • Grades 9 through 12 would return Dec. 14 for high school EOC testing
  • High school students would return for in-person Jan. 5