During last Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, Dr. Aaron Woody, superintendent for Asheboro City Schools, outlined the district’s plans for reopening schools. State officials have requested all school district’s develop three plans (Plan A, 100% in-person; Plan B, 50% occupancy; and Plan C, 100% remote learning). The plan the district operates under will be based on state and local officials, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction guidance, along with guidance from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
In addition to developing the three plans, Asheboro City Schools will be offering a remote learning option (ACCESS Ed) for families who are not ready or able to send their children back to school.
“We anticipate the need for staff and families to be flexible throughout the school year, as we may begin the school year under one plan, and shift to another as needed,” said superintendent Woody. “I am proud of the work of our team to thoughtfully develop plans to meet the needs of our students and provide meaningful learning opportunities at all levels,” continued Woody.
Asheboro City Schools plans are:
Daily In-Person Instruction (Plan A) Under this plan, PreK-12 students will attend class in the school building, in-person with their teachers and classmates each school day. Students receive daily, in-person instruction; however, teachers will still utilize an online platform for assignments in case we are required to transition between plans A, B, and C throughout the year. Students in the ACCESS Ed Program will receive teacher-directed instruction remotely as part of their class for scheduled portions of the day during school hours and will work independently for the remainder of the day.
Blended Instruction (Plan B) PreK-12 students will experience a combination of in-person learning in the school building with their teachers and classmates two days each week and remote instruction through an online platform for the remaining three days. Both learning environments will have high expectations and will result in work that contributes to the student’s overall numerical grade. Teachers will prioritize learning opportunities in each environment to create an overall experience that aligns to rigorous state standards for the grade level or course. Experiences during remote instruction will be a combination of recorded and live instructional sessions. Students in the ACCESS Ed Program will experience a combination of teacher-directed remote learning two days each week and remote instruction through an online platform for the remaining three days.
In anticipation of potential transition between plans, all students will be assigned to one of two groups (Group A or Group B). Siblings across schools will be scheduled in the same group. Students in ‘Group A’ will attend school on campus on Mondays and Tuesdays and will be working remotely on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Students in ‘Group B’ will attend school on campus on Thursday and Friday and will be working remotely on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Students in the ACCESS Ed Program will receive their instruction remotely all five days; however, they will be assigned a group and expected to connect with classroom instruction on either the A or B schedule.
Fully-Remote Instruction (Plan C)
Under this plan, all students will experience fully-remote instruction as a result of school closure based on decisions from state and local officials. All learning opportunities will occur remotely and will include a combination of recorded and live instructional sessions along with remote work assignments. Students in the ACCESS Ed Program will receive instruction following ‘Plan C’ along with all other students in the district.
In addition to the robust instructional plans, Asheboro City Schools is developing new procedures and protocols to address the many health and safety measures necessary to open schools safely. “As with any school year, we want our students, families, and staff to be safe, healthy, and ready to learn,” said Woody. “We also want all groups to feel comfortable and confident in sending their children to school.”
Asheboro City Schools will comply with all requirements outlined in the StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit, including daily health screenings, face coverings, social distancing and more. Enrollment for the ACCESS Ed Remote Learning Program will open on July 15th. Interested families will find additional information on Asheboro City Schools website, or they may contact their child’s school.