State of Emergency

Updated information about opening schools 9/25/2020:

The information below regarding the return to in-person instruction for students was approved by the Board of Education at their meeting on Wednesday, September 23:

GPS will return on October 12 on Plan A for in-person instruction on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesday will remain a remote learning day for all GPS students. Any student currently on 100% remote by choice will be allowed to move to Plan A at any time if requested. Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so at any time as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County) and will be placed on Plan A unless they choose 100% remote. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 12.

CIS will return on October 12 on Plan A for 4th and 5th grade students for in-person instruction on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesdays will remain a remote learning day for all CIS students. . Any 4th or 5th grade student currently on 100% remote by choice will be allowed to move to Plan A at any time if requested. Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so at any time as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County) and will be placed on Plan A unless they choose 100% remote. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 12.

CIS will return on October 12 on Plan B for 6th grade students for in-person instruction on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Wednesdays will remain a remote learning day for all CIS students. Given the number of students enrolled in our 6th grade classes and the number of students currently on 100% remote by choice, we are able to get all Plan B 6th grade students in classrooms at the same time and maintain the social distancing requirements. We are not able to do that on buses. Therefore, we will have 6th grade students riding buses with CMS students rather than GPS students as they would have in the past. Any student currently on 100% remote by choice will be placed on a waiting list to move to Plan B if requested due to space/social distancing issues. We will need to confirm that there is an available seat on the bus and in the classroom before we can allow the transition.  Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so on 100% remote as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County). If requested, these students will be placed on the waiting list to transition to Plan B due to space/social distancing issues. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 12.

CMS will return on October 19 on Plan B.  Group A students will attend for in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays and Group B students will attend for in-person instruction on Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will remain a remote learning day for all CMS students. Any student currently on 100% remote by choice will be placed on a waiting list to move to Plan B if requested due to space/social distancing issues. We will need to confirm that there is an available seat on the bus and in the classroom before we can allow the transition.  Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so on 100% remote as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County). If requested, these students will be placed on the waiting list to transition to Plan B due to space/social distancing issues. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 19.

CECHS will return on October 19 on a hybrid Plan B. Group A students will attend for in-person instruction on Mondays and Group B students will attend for in-person instruction on Fridays.  All CECHS students will be remote learning on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Any student currently on 100% remote by choice will be placed on a waiting list to move to Plan B if requested due to space/social distancing issues. We will need to confirm that there is an available seat on the bus and in the classroom before we can allow the transition.  Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so on 100% remote as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County). If requested, these students will be placed on the waiting list to transition to Plan B due to space/social distancing issues. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 19.

CCHS will return on October 26  on a hybrid Plan B. Group A students will attend for in-person instruction on Tuesdays and Group B students will attend for in-person instruction on Thursdays.  All CCHS students will be remote learning on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Any student currently on 100% remote by choice will be placed on a waiting list to move to Plan B if requested due to space/social distancing issues. We will need to confirm that there is an available seat on the bus and in the classroom before we can allow the transition.  Any student enrolling from another school district, homeschool, charter school, or private school will be allowed to do so on 100% remote as long as they meet the criteria for enrollment (live in Camden County). If requested, these students will be placed on the waiting list to transition to Plan B due to space/social distancing issues. Transportation and other things will be ready by October 26.

A few things to keep in mind:

1 – Plan A is not a return to the way things were prior to COVID. There are still guidelines that must be followed.

2 – Face coverings are still required.

3 – Temperature checks and other screenings are still required.

4 – We will still have to follow the guidelines in the Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit

5 – We will have to stick firmly to the plan for utilizing a waiting list for students requesting to return for in-person instruction on Plan B from Plan C due to space and social distancing guidelines.

You will be getting additional information from principals and others as the plans progress and we get closer to the opening days.

 

Information about reopening schools guidelines: StrongSchoolsNC: Public Health Toolkit – K-12, Frequently Asked Questions

Preschool programs located in public schools, including NC Pre-K, EC, Title I, and Head Start, should follow the Interim Guidance for Child Care Settings ChildCareStrong guidelines.

 

Update from Superintendent’s office 9/17/2020: This afternoon, Governor Roy Cooper announced that school districts across the state may now elect to bring back PreK – 5th grade students on Plan A(in-person, full-time instruction) when districts are ready to do so, but no earlier than October 5th. District leadership continues to plan for the transition back to in-person instruction. A Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23rd at 6:30pm to discuss this latest executive order. We will communicate decisions as soon as they are made. Please know that we are working diligently to finalize plans. As you know, this order just came down on Thursday around 3:00pm. Thank you for your continued support of Camden County Schools.

Update on Reopening 8/14/2020: Good afternoon. I hope that you are continuing to be safe and well. I am contacting you this afternoon to inform you that CECHS had a successful start to the school year this week and we are looking forward to the start of a new year at our other four schools on Monday, August 17. As you know, the Camden County Schools Board of Education, at my recommendation, made the decision to start the school year on Plan C (this is 100% remote learning for all students) for the first nine weeks of the school year. The Board also made the decision to set a target date of September 8 to move Grandy Primary School to Plan B (this is the 50% maximum capacity plan). At our monthly Board of Education meeting last night, it was decided that Grandy Primary School will remain on Plan C for the full first nine weeks of school like the other schools. At this time, all Camden County Schools will operate on Plan C (100% remote learning) for the first nine weeks of the 2020/2021 school year. Please know that we are aware that this creates challenges for our families. That is not lost on us as many of us have children who will be remote learning as well. Two important points to remember is that our teachers and other staff members have worked to ensure a much more robust remote learning plan is in place for our students and we will continue to monitor this situation and make decisions regarding plans for after the first nine weeks grading period as soon as possible. Please know that our Board of Education and staff want nothing more than to get students back in school on a regular schedule and that we will work toward that goal keeping safety at the top of the priority list. If you need assistance or are having difficulties with remote learning, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s school. I am also happy to assist you in any way as we all work together for what is in the best interest of our students. Thank you for your support of Camden County Schools.

Update on Reopening Plan 7/24/2020: During our Board of Education meeting last night, it was decided that Camden County Schools will begin the 2020/2021 school year on Plan C, which is 100% remote learning for students for the first nine weeks grading period. As a reminder, Camden Early College High School will begin classes on August 12 and all other schools on August 17. It was also decided that Grandy Primary School will begin the school year with 100% remote learning with a target date of September 8 to transition to Plan B which is a mix of remote and face-to-face instruction with no more than 50% of students in the building at any given time and some strict safety guidelines in place. We have a plan for remote learning that will soon be communicated to all families. Please know that we recognize the need for a robust remote learning plan and that we are working on that. We will also continue working on the Plan B details for Grandy Primary School. We plan to update our Board of Education on the plans at the August 13 meeting and will be communicating the plans to Grandy families as we move toward our target date of September 8. Thank you for your patience as we continue to plan for the opening of the 2020/2021 school year. Please contact me if you have questions or comments. Thank you for your support of Camden County Schools.

Update on End of Year Grading 4/29/2020: State Board of Education Policy for Grading Practices for Students Grades K-11

Update from Superintendent 4/24/2020: I’m sure by now many of you have heard that Governor Cooper has made the decision that schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year. I’m also sure that decision will cause many questions and concerns. In addition to letting you know about the decision, I also want to let you know that we will begin working on plans for how to continue remote learning, child nutrition services, and closing out the school year next week and communicate with you as soon as we have plans in place. In addition, I know that many of you have questions about grading, graduation, students who need things for going off to college or the military in the fall, and other important details that come with the ending of a school year. We will also be communicating about those things. Please know that principals are working with staff to handle communication specific to the needs of each school building. That will continue. Announcements and information from me will be more big picture items. Thank you so much for what you have done for your children and our students during this unprecedented crisis. I will be in touch soon. Take care and be well.

Update from Governor Cooper’s office 4/24/2020:  https://governor.nc.gov/news/governor-cooper-state-education-leaders-remote-learning-continue-through-end-2019-2020-school

Update from Governor Cooper’s office 3/23/2020: Executive Order to close K-12 public school statewide through May 15, bans mass gatherings over 50 people, closes some businesses.

Update from Superintendent 3/14/2020: Governor Cooper has just announced that all NC Public Schools will be closed for at least two weeks beginning Monday, March 16. At this time, this is all we know. There is a conference call scheduled for Sunday, March 15 at 3:00pm to provide guidance to superintendents and School Boards. There will be many questions about many areas (how to continue educating students, child nutrition, employee pay, etc.). Please know that we will get accurate information to you as soon as we have it. I ask that you please wait for information and guidance from us rather than relying on information and guidance being offered on Facebook and other social media outlets. This is a time for facts, not fear and misinformation. My promise to you is to keep you informed as I become informed. Thank you for your support and be well.

Original Post 3/11/2020: Camden County Schools is aware of the State of Emergency regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) declared by Governor Roy Cooper on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.  We will comply with all of the requirements set forth in the Declaration.  At the present time, schools will remain open and will follow the regular school day schedule.  The website will be updated as information becomes available.

 

The following links provide additional information about the Corona Virus:

 

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) NCOV Factsheet.pdf

 

NCDHHS COVID-19: Individuals and Families

 

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – Resources for Home

 

CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) – How to Protect Yourself

 

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction – Press Release

 

COVID-19 Case Count in North Carolina