Mooresville Schools Considering 2 Options For Classes This Fall

MOORESVILLE, NC — Mooresville Graded School District will soon announce what school will look like for its students when the new academic school year begins next month. This week, school officials are surveying parents, asking which of two scenarios they intend to pursue: in-person instruction with safety protocols or full-remote learning.

The school district said it expects to make a final decision by next week.

Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced that schools throughout the state would reopen the week of Aug. 17 with in-person instruction with implemented safety protocols, such as mandate that all students, teachers and staff wear masks, while also offering families the option for full-remote learning.

Following Cooper's announcement, MGSD said it would begin studying how the governor's guidelines impact the school district's previous plan for resuming instruction, and that it would seek feedback from parents through a survey to be sent out by Thursday, July 16.

"The results from this survey will be shared along with our Plan recommendation to the Board of Education at a called meeting that will be scheduled for next week, where a decision for opening schools will be finalized," MGSD said in a July 14 statement.

Under MGSD's in-person plan, the following protocols would be put into place, the school district said:

• Face coverings required for all K-12 students, teachers, and staff (five reusable face coverings will be provided for each)
• Limited number of students, staff, and visitors in a school building to the extent of maintaining six feet distance
• Symptom screenings each day before students enter the school building or load the school bus
• Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces
• No activities that bring together large groups
• Established process and dedicated space for people who are ill

Should a teacher or student test positive for COVID-19, anyone who could have been potentially exposed will not be allowed to attend school in person for at least 14 days from the date of contact. "This potentially means that an entire class would not be allowed to return to school for 14 days should a classmate or teacher test positive for COVID-19," MGSD said.

If a student or teacher begins to exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms, such as a fever, cough, or loss of smell, they will be required to go home immediately and seek medical care, the school district said.
The options outlined by Cooper are meant to give school districts flexibility, he said. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education, for example, voted in an emergency meeting Wednesday night to bring students back into their classrooms for a two-week in-person orientation implementing safety protocols, then transition to full online remote learning.

The threat of COVID-19 has already created a disruption for school-related activities. Mooresville schools suspended all co-curricular activities Monday, citing the risks of novel coronavirus, as COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the state and community. The decision impacts all of the Mooresville Graded School District's ongoing optional summer activities, such as football workouts, ROTC hikes and band camp.

"We have made the decision to suspend optional co-curricular activities (this includes athletics, band, ROTC, etc) effective today," Mooresville Graded School District's said in a statement, via Facebook. "Each time an individual exhibits symptoms, there is a turn-around time of at least three days to receive test results. This leaves us in limbo when deciding how to proceed with activities," the school district said. "We have decided at this time that the risks outweigh the benefits for our staff and students."

State public health officials in North Carolina said Thursday that the spread of novel coronavirus had grown to 93,426 confirmed cases — 2,160 more cases than reported Wednesday. As of Thursday, 1,234 confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Iredell County, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

SEE ALSO:

• Mooresville Schools Suspend Football Workouts Due To COVID-19
• All NC High School Sports Delayed Until At Least Sept. 1
• NC Schools To Reopen, Offer Choice For Online Learning: Cooper