Yadkin County students will ease back into a five day a week in-person learning schedule following spring break this year. Last week the Yadkin County Board of Education approved the recommendation of Yadkin Schools Superintendent Dr. Todd Martin to move students from plan B to plan A with all students back on campus five days a week.
The recommendation to move to the new schedule following spring break, March 29 – April 5, will allow middle and high schools time to make the logistical changes they need to make to accommodate more students. It will also give us time to adjust bus routes, change menus and order and secure more food items for meals, Martin said.
Wednesday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 28 will remain as remote learning days for all schools as several training sessions were already planned on those two days.
“I believe this plan will allow schools to ease into the return under plan A. The first week back will be a four day week since Monday, April 5 is a workday. The next week will have four days with students since that Wednesday will be remote. It won’t be until week three following spring break that we have the first five day, in person week with all students since the week of March 9-13, 2020,” Martin said.
“This has been a long time coming,” Martin added. “I celebrate that our students will be able to have in person learning with our teachers five days a week in the near future.”
“Even though we are bringing back more students more frequently, we will still need to follow the requirements, including masking and screenings. The CDC has now changed its guidance relative to schools and has said that three feet of social distance is appropriate as long as masking is in effect. I have advised teachers who will have more students in their classrooms to arrange them so as to have three feet of distance. We have proven we can have students on campus safely and I think we are in good shape to move forward with having students attend five days each week,” Martin said.
Martin said approximately 60 percent of Yadkin County Schools staff have or will be vaccinated for COVID-19 by time more students return.
“Many of our teachers will receive their second round of vaccine this Friday. Others will receive it the week we are scheduled to go to plan A for all schools,” Martin said.
Overall cases of COVID-19 are the lowest they have been among school staff and students, he added.
“Our numbers are in very good shape and have been steadily improving. As of Friday, we only had four students or staff in isolation due to positive tests. We haven’t been that low since we came back to school in August.”
In person graduations are expected to take place this spring for all three Yadkin high schools. The Yadkin Early College High School graduation will be May 14, time and location to be determined. Starmount High School will have its graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 29 at 9 a.m and Forbush High School graduation is planned forWednesday, June 2 at 9 a.m. The ceremonies will take place at the respective school’s football stadiums.
“We will comply with the most current seating capacities at that time,” Martin said.
Kitsey Burns Harrison may be reached at 336-258-4035 or follow her on Twitter @RippleReporterK.
