OXFORD — Granville County Public Schools will continue with all remote learning, or Plan C, after returning from winter break until at least March 15, the Granville County School Board voted Monday.

The decision passed 5-2, with board members Amanda J. LaBrecque and G. Thomas Houlihan voting against. 

The district cited rising COVID-19 numbers and a lack of staff as reasons to delay the return of in-person classes. Granville schools first returned to all remote learning before winter break.

"Our hearts' desire is to have children return to school as soon as possible,” Superintendent Alisa McLean said in a statement. “Unfortunately the indicators are simply going in the wrong direction."

The vote came after a presentation from  Dr. Shauna Guthrie, the Granville Vance Public Health medical director, who warned the number of COVID-19 cases in the county is rising quickly. Granville County continues to be considered “red” for coronavirus spread, indicating critical spread of the virus. Every metric she presented was rising, although she said younger children are still at low risk of severe illness and having symptoms. 

There is also a shortage of staff at schools. Nearly a third of the district's 855 full-time employees have had to quarantine at home since the start of the pandemic, officials said in a press release.

“Our ability to maintain sufficient staff in our buildings to safely supervise children continues to decline as the pandemic drags on,” said Stan Winborne, an assistant superintendent. “It is not just our teachers who are being impacted, but the countless others who play critical support roles in serving our children and making sure our operations run smoothly and safely.”

Since December, there has been a 20% increase in the number of staff required to quarantine, he said. Last month there were more than seven days when at least 25 teachers were quarantining. Substitute teachers are also lacking. 

This motion was made after hearing comments from the public. The board received eight virtual submissions and all of them, except one, asked the board to reopen schools. Many of the comments came from mothers who said they are feeling the strain of playing many roles: mother, educator and employee.

The commenters said they lack consistent technology, young students require in-person learning and a lack of socialization is hurting their children. Teachers have no accountability in an online format, some said. 

One mother said that there was no difference between sending her child to school and to the essential workers in camp. One woman added virtual learning is almost impossible for little children.  

David Richardson, chairman of the Board of Education, said remote learning is not prefered and the goal is to get students back in the classroom as soon as it is safe. 

“With the vaccines ramping up, it is my hope we can begin to turn the corner on this soon,” Richardson said in a statement Tuesday. “In the meantime, we must do all we can to ensure the quality of our instruction and services to our children while on remote learning.”

The superintendent remained positive, looking for a way to get creative with learning and emphasized that since remote-learning has been decided on, the quality of the education must be outstanding.

LaBrecque suggested the community get involved and parents work together to rotate students in groups. The board appeared optimistic about the idea for an interaction between parents, principals and the community.

Other business

Also at the meeting, the school board was updated by district staff on plans at the four restart schools. State law gives low-performing schools with restart status more freedom and flexibility in an effort to improve student achievement. 

The four schools that applied for restart status are Creedmoor Elementary, West Oxford Elementary, Butner-Stem Middle and Northern Granville Middle.

The board also approved a temporary amendment to the high school exam grading policy, curving final exam grades with the two course grades if lower, and adding it to them if higher. This will prevent the final exam score to lower the course average.

Special recognitions were given by the N.C. State Board of Education to the Granville Early College High School for its 97.2% graduation rate last year.

Winborne praised the school at the meeting, saying: "This is quite an achievement. We are very proud of our staff and students to be recognized at the state level. Go Spartans."