Bladen County students, all of them, to begin second semester in remote learning

ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County Schools students will return to in-person classroom instruction a little later than the start of the year, the Board of Education decided in its Monday night meeting.

The delay is so a buffer of time is in place in the event of more surge in COVID-19 positive tests. The date set is Jan. 25. Students are finishing exams this week and end the first semester Friday.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Taylor, who has tendered his resignation to take a deputy state superintendent job, gave the board a recommendation. Classes will resume Jan. 4 as scheduled, but will be remote learning for all grades K-12. The state calls it Plan C.

Taylor said that teachers and staff will report to their respective buildings for work, practicing social distancing and following all guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Food service to children will be provided, using previous schedules.

Taylor said a second phase, if conditions with the virus are favorable, would be to transition to what the state calls Plan B. That is the plan that enables students to receive in-person instruction two days a week, either Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday, and have learning through the internet the other three days. This would extend for all grades K-12.

“Parents will still have the option for their children to remain on remote learning,” Taylor said.

He said a third phase would be set to begin Feb. 15, three weeks later. That would send students in grades K-4 back into Plan A, which is in-person instruction four days a week with Wednesday used as a deep cleaning day. Grades 5-12 would remain in Plan B.

“Grades five through 12 will continue with Plan B, which is currently the maximum approved level by the governor’s office,” Taylor said. “Parents will still have the option for their children to remain on remote learning.”

Additional progress and changes such as increasing days for other grade levels is contingent on executive orders and health conditions, Taylor said.

The recommendation by the superintendent passed with only two — Dennis Edwards and Alan West — against the measure.

“We recognize that as a community and a nation we are probably at the most critical time for COVID cases as it relates to where we are,” Taylor said.

As the board met, the county remained on pace for its worst month since the pandemic began. The county recorded 190 positive tests in the first 14 reports of December; the worst month thus far was June with 271 positive tests reported.

Taylor’s new position is expected to begin in early January, after Catherine Truitt is sworn in as the state superintendent. Dr. Jason Atkinson will step into an interim role as superintendent at that time.

Two motions made in regards to athletics did not pass the board. One was to allow the superintendent to make the decisions regarding athletic participation. That motion died as it was divided half and half. Gary Rhoda, Cory Singletary, Glenn McKoy and Roger Carroll were for the motion.

The second was regarding playing basketball with face coverings, as the N.C. High School Athletic Association has enacted. Three voted yes for that — Chris Clark, Edwards and West. Practices began Dec. 7, and athletics directors and the superintendent met last week and decided against going forward with competition until COVID-19 metrics improve, citing safety in playing.

The board’s decision affirms the intentions of the superintendent and his ADs from last week, even though the other decision strips that authority away going forward.

A one-time supplement support of $60,000 will go toward the athletic departments of middle and high schools. This will help with the financial shortfall from the lack of revenue caused by sports not being played, or being played in front of audiences limited by state guidelines.

Carroll and McKoy were reelected chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Election Day winners, which included McKoy, Clark and newcomer Tim Benton, were sworn in before the meeting.

The board also recognized Berry Lewis for his four years of service on the board.

Vinston Rozier was absent from the virtual meeting.