Despite requests from principals, district leaders, board denies Plan B delay

For the first several hours of a five-hour special meeting of the Wayne County Board of Education, Central Office leaders unwrapped their respective departments’ progress ahead of the district’s planned reopening.

These are some of the highlights from their presentations. A more comprehensive recap of the meeting follows:

• Technology: Assistant Superintendent Dr. David Lewis told the board the district still does not have nearly enough laptops — or hotspot devices — to facilitate a simultaneous Plan B reopening and the state-mandated Virtual Academy. The laptops should arrive between the last week of September and the first week of October. Some hotspot devices have already been delivered to WCPS, however, not nearly enough to support the 1,500 students who have requested them.

• Privacy concerns: Assistant Superintendent Tamara Berman-Ishee said there are serious questions about whether or not teachers can legally videotape instruction sessions that include interaction with students. That goes for everything from virtual classes where students’ voices can be heard to recording of face-to-face instruction while some students are in school under Plan B while their classmates are in their “virtual” phase of the rotation. The board attorney assured the board that something could be arranged, but that it would likely require release forms from parents — and would take time to execute.

• Transportation: Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tim Harrell said the district is confident that all bus routes will be set by next week, but there are lingering concerns about the number of bus drivers available and the volume of routes — a staggering 552 — required since far fewer students can ride buses at one time.

• Sanitation: Harrell told the board that the district has a three-month supply of hand sanitizer at the ready and that fog machines are still rolling in, but concerns remain about a lack of wipes for classrooms and touch points. He acknowledged that there is a supply problem nationally and that it will take time to ensure there are a sufficient number of wipes available. He also noted that once wipes do arrive, it is unclear how many it will take to clean desks, touch points and other areas of import — in other words, how long they will last. Harrell also said that WCPS would need to use an “all hands on deck” approach to sanitation, meaning teachers and other school staff would need to assist custodial staff with cleaning duties.

• Canvas: Berman-Ishee told the board that high school teachers were not yet ready to deliver quality instruction on the state-mandated Canvas platform. She added that students, parents and staff were all having trouble and that more time to work with the program was necessary. She also stressed that elementary and middle school teachers were facing similar problems and noted that across the board, the majority of WCPS educators were not ready for a simultaneous Plan B and state-mandated Virtual Academy.

• Substitutes: Assistant Superintendent Dr. Yvette Smith Mason told the board that at the beginning of a typical year, WCPS has more than 450 substitute teachers at its disposal. To date, the district only has roughly 150 subs, which could be problematic if teachers are required to miss work or quarantine. WCPS is also attempting to train subs on Canvas and other virtual learning platforms to ensure when they are in a teacher’s room, they can attempt to assist students. That training hasn’t happened yet.

• Principals: By the end of the meeting, Berman-Ishee had heard from 20 principals Friday who said they needed more time before students returned to ensure staff was prepared to deliver a quality education. Seven said they could “probably” make it work. The others had not yet responded. 

• Vacancies: The district is actively recruiting six custodians to fill existing positions and has eight open maintenance jobs. WCPS is also short some 20 bus drivers, although Harrell said they won’t know just what impact the bus driver shortage will have on the district until its 550-plus routes are up and running.

• Child Nutrition: Participation in curbside meal service for the district was 13 percent for the first week of Plan C. Harrell said in the spring, WCPS averaged more than 50-percent participation, which translates to 25,000 to 30,000 meals. That discrepancy is significant, because funding for the nutrition program depends on the number of students who accept meals.

• Virtual Academy: Despite its attempt to recruit more teachers for the state-mandated Virtual Academy, WCPS only has 125 teachers for the roughly 6,000 students who are officially enrolled. The shortage was blamed on teachers’ concerns that they would be in jeopardy of losing their positions at their current schools if they requested placement in VA.

• Teleworking: Interim Superintendent Dr. James Merrill is currently reviewing “numerous” requests from teachers to telework, which would allow them to work from home without having to use the 80 hours of paid COVID-19 leave guaranteed to them in the CARES Act. It is unclear how their departures from their respective campuses would affect those students who return for face-to-face instruction under the Plan B model.

• Nurses/COVID cases on campus: The district currently employs 20 nurses, but Assistant Superintendent Dr. Marcia Manning told the board WCPS is short 11, because the state allotment has not enabled the district to put a nurse on every campus. This could prove problematic as the nurse is the person on campus responsible for contact tracing should a student, teacher or staff member test positive for COVID-19. WCPS is waiting for word on whether it will get additional state or federal funding to fill that need. Each school has identified an “isolation room” for students and staff who develop COVID-19 symptoms during the school day, however, nurses can’t be in the rooms because their jobs require them to come into contact with other students, so there is still some question about who will supervise those people who are in “isolation.” Staffing of the isolation room will be determined by individual schools’ principals.

After more than three hours of presentations by Central Office staff outlining the district’s readiness to open Sept. 8 under Plan B, three unsuccessful votes to change the reopening plan and more than 45 minutes of discussion trying to reach a consensus, the Wayne County Board of Education decided — nothing.

Because there was no successful motion to alter the reopening plan, all Wayne County students will return to school under the hybrid model — two days in the classroom and two days under virtual learning each week for K-8 and one four-day week on campus and two weeks virtual for high schools — the same decision board members made Aug. 6. 

All schools will operate under early dismissal so teachers can assist virtual learners.

The question was whether the district was able to make a return the day after Labor Day work — to make sure all students had devices to learn on, whether teachers were trained and ready to manage the hybrid model, whether there were enough cleaning supplies to support a safe experience in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and whether more time before going to the hybrid opening was going to make any of that better.

The board was divided over the need for children in kindergarten through eighth grade to get back in the classroom and whether the K-8 teachers needed extra time to make their learning more productive.

What nearly all the board members agreed on — and administrators emphasized — was that high school teachers were doing a great job, but that they needed more time to prepare to manage virtual learning and in-classroom instruction and that the state’s new learning management system, Canvas, has been a challenge for teachers and students.

The meeting began with updates from the district’s cadre of assistant superintendents reporting on what had been accomplished so far and what obstacles remained before the early September hybrid start date.

They discussed everything from cleaning supplies, technology devices and hot spots that were not in or not available in the quantity necessary to sustain classroom and at-home learning; concerns over the use and implementation of Canvas; the difficulty in coming up with a workable model for having virtual learning going on simultaneously with in-person instruction; shortages of bus drivers, custodians and maintenance personnel and substitutes; worries about the slow start of the child nutrition program and its ability to sustain itself with reduced participation; and concerns expressed by administrators about their schools’ readiness to welcome students, even with extraordinary effort by leadership and teachers.

Berman-Ishee outlined many of the challenges facing classroom teachers at all levels, including the struggle with gaining enough proficiency in Canvas to help students and parents manage it while trying to figure out the best way to handle in-person and remote learning as privacy concerns and legal obstacles loom.

Berman-Ishee also mentioned that she had polled principals Friday morning about their schools’ readiness for a Sept. 8 opening, with the vast majority saying they needed more time.

After the presentations, board member Len Henderson made a motion, which was seconded by former Goldsboro High School Principal Pat Burden, that the board reconsider its plans to open under Plan B Sept. 8.

The motion passed 5-2, with Jennifer Strickland and Wade Leatham voting no.

Board Chairman Chris West began the discussion with a caveat he has mentioned since the reopening discussions began.

“There is no right answer,” he said, adding that there would be someone mad no matter what decision the board made.

“Every kid needs to be back face to face,” West said.

But, he argued that the need was greatest for kindergarten through eighth-graders — and said high school teachers are facing a tremendous hurdle.

“We need to look at maybe giving these high school teachers some relief,” he said.

Board member Ven Faulk said he would consider letting the 9-12 grades return later if the K-8 start date remained the same.

Faulk said he has talked to many principals — a statement almost every board member made during the debate — and that one of them told him something he thought supported a Plan B reopening Sept. 8.

“We can practice, practice and practice, but you do not know how it will go until you get out there,” he said.

Burden spoke up for the elementary and middle school teachers, adding that they are facing just as many hurdles as their secondary school counterparts.

They, too, are learning a new system and trying to handle the virtual/in-person mix, she said.

“I don’t think we need move by levels,” Burden said. “We need to make the decision on when school is going to open and move forward.”

Berman-Ishee agreed, saying that elementary and middle school teachers are also facing a heavy load and steep learning curve.

Strickland said while she understands the hard work the teachers are putting in, she is worried about students with individualized learning plans and other special needs, adding that their being away from the classroom is particularly stressful.

She added that she has talked with officials in Union and Pitt counties and they are not facing any serious challenges and are continuing under Plan B.

“I am seeing how well it is working at private schools, Wayne School of Engineering and these monster school districts,” she said. “I am just asking that we give it a chance to work (here).”

Burden said comparing private schools to Wayne County’s situation is disingenuous, adding that the numbers just don’t compare.

She said if the teachers get the first nine weeks to perfect the hybrid model, there will be less disruption and more consistency.

Then, she offered her own sports analogy.

“You practice your sport until you play your first game,” she said. “If it is canceled, you keep practicing.”

She added that there are options available for students who need to see their teachers — like allowing for tutoring and small-group sessions while the district remains in Plan C.

Plus, delaying the start date allows the district to get information out to students and parents and shows support for the staff, Burden said.

“Focus on the areas where we need time to get things done,” she said.

Leatham agreed that teachers and staff are working hard, but said he has heard from many parents, and that “67 percent” of them want their children back in school.

“We’ve got a lot of single parents and they say, ‘We don’t know how we are going to do it,’” he said.

He added that he has also heard from students who are saying that virtual learning is not giving them the education they need to succeed and to move on to college.

Henderson said the discussion should be based on facts — and those include that COVID-19 is here in the county — and noted that Dudley is among North Carolina’s hotspots — and administrators have told the board they are not ready.

“I believe every child needs to be back in school,” he said, but added that safety should be top priority. “After Labor Day, we are going to see a bump and it is not going to be a good bump.”

Waiting is the best choice for all students, he said.

Burden added that counties around Wayne are also pumping the brakes on school reopening under Plan B, including neighboring Johnston County. Its school board recently voted to remain in Plan C.

“We are having issues right now,” she said, referencing the more than a dozen COVID exposure announcements in WCPS since teachers returned to campuses.

Burden said she has also talked to principals and administrators and that while they want to do what the board has asked, they are realistic, too.

“They know that without their staff, there will be no instructions,” she said.

Burden then made a motion that traditional schools and Goldsboro High School remain on Plan C through the end of the first grading period — which would end around Oct. 16. An exception would be made for Wayne School of Engineering and Wayne Early Middle College High School.

The motion failed 5-2, with Strickland, Leatham, Democko, West and Faulk voting no.

West reiterated that the children in the elementary grades could ill-afford to have no contact with teachers for the first nine weeks.

Leatham made a motion that the district open schools in Plan B, with Strickland seconding the motion.

The motion failed, with Faulk, West, Burden and Henderson voting against the measure. (This was the original motion that the district passed in early August 5-1 — Henderson was absent during the vote.)

West then made a motion that the district allow K-8 to return on Sept. 8, but give high school teachers three extra weeks to continue Canvas training.

The motion failed, with Leatham, Henderson, Strickland and Burden voting no.

After the third failed motion, Berman-Ishee asked to speak.

She said her total of principals contacted was up to 26, with 20 of them saying they needed more time.

She likened the decision to being on an airplane and being asked to adjust your oxygen mask before adjusting your child’s.

“If we do not take care of our staff, we will not be able to take care of our kids,” she said.

Democko said that when he originally voted for the Plan B start he told the community that if there were concerns, the board would reconsider its decision.

After listening to Berman-Ishee and other administrators, he said it was time to look at the decision again.

“I think some things have changed,” he said.

There was some discussion about potential return dates and if starting school before the end of the first nine weeks would affect grading.

Burden then made a motion to open schools on Plan B on Sept. 28 — an adjustment from her first suggestion that schools open on Oct. 16, but the motion failed for a lack of second.

West repeated that the holdup was the K-8 start date.

Leatham said the board needed to move forward.

“COVID is here,” he said, adding that recent studies indicate it is not going away anytime soon. “If we wait six more weeks, COVID is still going to be here.”

He said “recent studies” and “statistics” indicate that children are at little risk from COVID.

“Your chances of getting struck by lightning are higher than dying of COVID,” he said. “COVID does not affect children the same way it affects adults.”

Leatham quoted a study by the American Association of Pediatrics looking at children and COVID around the world, saying that it indicated that transmission rates were low.

Leatham said that “if we are following the science,” the science says with the proper safety procedures, it is safe to bring children back to schools.

Henderson disagreed.

And Burden continued to emphasize that administrators and Central Office staff advised that more time was needed to make sure the Plan B opening was successful, adding that the board now had feedback from 20 principals — and a great deal of teachers — who said they need the time to make the learning environment better for their students.

“There is much more to be done and there is no time to get it done,” she said.

West said that if the district opens under Plan B Sept. 8 and there is a spike or a serious problem, the situation would have to be re-evaluated.

Strickland said she was unwilling to budge on her vote because she said special needs students and others are not getting the support and the education they need.

She also said sexually transmitted diseases, drug use and pregnancies among teenagers were on the rise because schools were closed.

They are the ones who will suffer most from an extended delay, she added.

So, while she said she is sympathetic to the teachers and administrators’ concerns, her decision was made in their best interest.

“Every time I am going to fall on the side of the students,” she said.

After some discussion with the board attorney and some confusion about the votes, it was decided that since there had been no successful change to the original vote, the board’s August decision to return under Plan B Sept. 8 would remain. Goldsboro High School will return Sept. 3.

Democko said it was a “shame” that the board could not come to an agreement.

Henderson said that while the students’ needs are important, the board had to look at the community, staff and teachers’ concerns as well.

Burden said she was disappointed and hammered the board for its inability to make a decision — even if it meant a vote that went against her recommendation.

“I don’t know what it takes for us to come together as a board,” she said. “We sit here and we cannot even come up with a motion that a majority can agree on. It is really disappointing.”

Faulk said that he was “satisfied” that “our kids will get some face to face time,” adding “I am hoping we have a good result on Sept. 8.”

Strickland said that she thinks all students should be back in school, adding that she has sent a message to Gov. Roy Cooper encouraging him to allow schools to return under Plan A.

“This is a mess all the way around,” she said, adding that she was excited to go home and tell her own children they would be able to return to the classroom.

And then there was the board chairman, who offered a warning to the others — that the decision could have serious consequences, suggesting that teachers have other places they can work and adding that he hopes they will stick with Wayne County.

“I hope that the board is prepared for the outcome of the actions that we’ve taken today and for the hard work we’re putting on high school teachers,” he said. “We have a lot of dedicated teachers who do it for the passion and probably not for the money, obviously … to educate our kids. There are other forms of employment out here for college educated people.”