GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — The first day of school is Monday, August 17th. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Guilford County Schools is starting the 2020-2021 academic year with remote learning only.
Depending on public health data and trends, students will be able to return to school for in-person learning no sooner than October 20th. The school district's goal is to serve the most students for the greatest amount of time possible while keeping students and staff healthy and safe.
During the first three weeks of remote learning, students will have pre-recorded content and activities. Teachers will spend two hours daily meeting with students in small groups, individually, or holding short live interactions.
Each school will contact parents to schedule an orientation session. During the scheduled sessions, teachers will make sure students can access and navigate all online learning systems, tools, and resources. School staff will also make sure students and parents understand the health protocols that will be in place when schools reopen for in-person instruction.
"As teachers begin to reach out and welcome students to the 2020-2021 school year, that will be a great time to mention how to set-up those tutoring services and any extra support that students might need,” said Dr. Whitney Oakley, Chief Academic Officer with GCS. “During those orientation sessions at the beginning of the year would be a great time to get on the same page as your child's teacher and get those scheduled as part of the remote learning.”
As part of the remote learning experience, teachers will provide feedback and grades on submitted assignments. Teachers will also begin live, online instruction, virtual small group sessions and individual check-ins with students after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 8th.
To learn more about the reopening plan or remote learning process, visit GCS website.
Reopening Plan:
- Why is GCS starting school on August 17 instead of August 24 as originally planned? A new state law passed this spring mandates that all North Carolina public schools start on Monday, August 17. The new state law also added five instructional days for students; the new student days replace five teacher workdays/professional learning days.
- Why is GCS opening on Plan C (remote learning only) when the Governor said school districts could open with either Plan B (mix of remote and in-person) or Plan C (remote only)? Current public health data trends in North Carolina and Guilford County do not support reopening schools in August. For more information about public health data and trends, please see the North Carolina Division of Health and Human Services COVID-19 data dashboard and the Guilford County Department of Public Health COVID-19 webpage.
- How many weeks of remote instruction is GCS planning? Students will learn remotely for nine weeks (the first quarter). Pending a review of public health data, GCS will reopen on Tuesday, October 20, following the plan approved by the school board.
- What if I don’t feel comfortable sending my child back to school when schools reopen for in-person learning? Parents/guardians of currently enrolled GCS students may apply for a transfer to the appropriate virtual academy. While we cannot guarantee all transfers or new enrollments from non-GCS students that are requested after the new September 15 deadline will be granted – due to staffing considerations – we will grant as many requests as we can while still serving children well. However, if you plan to keep your child out of school all year due to the coronavirus pandemic, you should consider registering your child now in the appropriate virtual academy. The deadline for enrollment/registration has been extended to Tuesday, September 15.
- Who will teach my child during remote learning? Teachers from your child’s school will be assigned students and will instruct their classrooms virtually, with rare exceptions. Exceptions include changes triggered by the state’s classroom size mandate in grades K-3 and schedule changes.
- I am not a trained teacher. What supports will be in place to help parents and guardians support our children during remote learning?During the orientation sessions hosted by each school, teachers will share their classroom’s daily schedule. Teachers will also check-in regularly with students and their parents/guardians, as will school counselors and social workers. In addition, Guilford Parent Academy will host virtual workshops featuring GCS educators to help students and their parents/guardians experience more success during remote learning. Topics include but are not limited to:
- Navigating Canvas
- Understanding Google Apps for Education
- Accessing digital textbooks
- Participating in live instruction
- Submitting assignments
- Accessing recorded lessons
- Understanding your child’s remote learning day
During the first few weeks of school, we will also operate a multi-lingual call center to assist students and parents/guardians.
- My spouse and I both work during the day. We will only be able to help our children at night or on the weekends. GCS is asking teachers to record lessons, where possible, so students and their parents/guardians can view them later, or multiple times, if needed. To prevent learning loss, the school district says, all students need to engage in online learning daily to the maximum extent possible.
- Will teachers at my child’s school continue to provide remote learning when schools reopen for in-person instruction if choose to keep my child at home? When schools reopen, classroom teachers at all but our two new virtual academies will shift from online to in-person instruction. We do not have enough staff to maintain both methods of instruction at the same time when schools reopen.
High School Options:
- What about high school students? Do they have more remote/online learning options than other grade levels? Yes. During the district’s nine-week remote learning period, high school courses normally taught in-person in our classrooms will be taught remotely by each school’s teachers. High school students may also register for courses through the district’s new virtual academy program, while remaining enrolled at their home or assigned high school. In addition, GCS high school students have always had the option of taking additional classes online through APEX (taught by independent instructors), the North Carolina Virtual Public School or online classes through the state’s Career and College Promise Program, which pays the tuition for eligible juniors and seniors who want to take classes and earn college credit at local public 2-year and four-year colleges and universities. Students may be responsible for books and transportation. Students enrolled in early/middle colleges may also take online courses and earn college credit through their respective colleges/universities. For additional guidance, contact your child’s school counselor.
Early/Middle College:
- What will remote learning look like at our early/middle colleges, especially since teachers only have two workdays to prepare before school starts? From August 3-7, early and middle colleges will focus on remote learning instructional activities, device distribution and professional learning for teachers. Remote learning activities will continue the next week, along with individual student orientation sessions and virtual sessions with school counselors. Live instruction and regular daily coursework for high school classes begins August 17-21; online college classes begin August 17-21 as well.
Pre-Kindergarten (PreK):
- What about PreK students? Prekindergarten programs in our state are governed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which currently permits remote learning for PreK students through September 7. PreK teachers will have weekly check-ins with families to monitor student progress and provide feedback during remote learning. Re-entry for PreK students will be based on public health guidance for licensed childcare facilities. During remote learning. K-12 public schools are governed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, which has issued different guidelines for remote and in-person instruction. In-takes for EC PreK students will continue following health protocols. Schools will work with families to provide manipulatives and printed copies of materials as appropriate.