The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools board is set to consider moving to a Plan B model of learning for its spring semester at its upcoming meeting.

Set for Thursday evening, the CHCCS Board of Education will hear options from the superintendent and district staff on what learning model to implement for the start of 2021, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to present complications to operations. Despite hearing proposals for the hybrid plan of holding in-person instruction for some students while others learn remotely in October and November, the school system’s board refrained from approving this move to monitor COVID-19 trends. Since then, North Carolina’s cases and hospitalizations from the virus have seen steady increases, culminating in single-day records for both data points.

Interim Superintendent Dr. Jim Causby wrote to parents of CHCCS students on Friday, saying the decision to return students for partial in-person instruction is the biggest facing a community that’s conducted exclusively remote learning since March.

“We all have strong opinions about that issue,” he said. “Unfortunately, as a community, there is no consensus. While we all hope to be getting closer to returning on site, the recent numbers have not worked in our favor. I noticed more school districts in our state shutting down this week, and our Governor has ramped up restrictions. Our Board has not made a decision on when or if we will return to in-person instruction under Plan B, but they will be discussing this topic.”

A poll conducted in October of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools community gauged feelings about returning to in-person instruction. From more than 9,000 parents, around 53% of respondents said they would prefer their child attend school in person compared to those who prefer for them to continue learning remotely. A similar poll of faculty saw 73% say they preferred working remotely for now compared to teaching on site.

CHCCS school board member Rani Dasi spoke to this issue during 97.9 The Hill’s For’em On the Hill on December 8. She said teachers

Dasi also pointed to the state’s changing COVID-19 trends having worsened in the last few months. While Orange County is experiencing less severe community spread of the coronavirus, according to state health experts, it has also seen increases in positive reported cases. Dasi said the virus also does not abide by county lines, meaning the rest of North Carolina’s metrics are an important factor to the board’s decision.

“We have to take into account what’s happening through the state, particularly with its impact on the hospitals,” she said. “We have more of an impact because [of our location] in Chapel Hill where UNC and the hospitals are. Thinking about how we keep students and staff safe is a primary consideration. But, also, the other side of safety is the mental health [effects of students] continuing to not be in schools.”

The virtual Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools Board of Education meeting is set to begin around 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Photo via the Town of Chapel Hill.

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