Pender Co. School Board votes to delay re-opening on Plan B for one day

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — At an emergency meeting Friday night, the Pender County School Board voted unanimously to delay re-opening under plan B learning for one day.

Pender County Schools were originally scheduled to open under plan B learning on Monday, August 17, but that will now be delayed one day.

“Basically what we’re suggesting is that Monday, we open with a virtual day,” Superintendent Steven Hill said. “Just one day, and the reason behind that is staff are still working to changes to students’ schedules as they have to adjust students for online courses.”

The School Board voted to start school on Monday with plan C learning, all virtual. Then, move to plan B learning on Tuesday, August, 18 to give the teachers and students a day to adjust.

“In the past 48 hours, there have been 241 requests to go online,” Hill said. “School staff are working through class changes, class inspections and district staff are working to assign online students to online courses.”

All schools in the county except for Pender Early College High School will start school Monday all online.

Pender County Schools also announced Heide Trask High School will operate on Plan C until August 28th. 

“If there’s too many, or too little, or somebody’s not represented where they need to be, it’s a lot easier to fix that on a screen, than to be worried about the safety of teachers their first day,” Hill said.

Hill says the district reported 24 COVID-19 exposures Friday.

Because of unfilled positions, previously requested leave and recent COVID exposures, the district also says 24 Heide Trask staff members won’t be available to teach in-person Monday. Because of these vacancies, they say there won’t be enough staff for in-person learning at this time.

Hill also say PPE is arriving Friday night, and going out to the schools over the weekend, so delaying a plan B start gives staff time to get acclimated with the equipment.

He says most devices have already been given out to students, but teachers will be able to get in touch with anyone who still needs a device during this remote first day of school.

Click here to watch the meeting.