CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Tuesday is the first time since last semester that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is welcoming students back into the classroom for in-person learning. The district moved to remote learning in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district is welcoming students back in phases beginning with Exceptional Children which are students with special needs.
Earlier this month, WCNC Charlotte spoke to a mother of a special needs child. She says her daughter was struggling to learn at home.
"She just doesn't understand, she doesn't comprehend,” said Melanie Miller.
CMS took those needs into consideration which apart of why students who need extra attention were the first to return.
The district also took safety into consideration. With the help of nearly four million dollars in money from the federal government, CMS is planning to provide every school in the district with personal protective equipment like thermometers, hand sanitizer and masks.
As an extra layer of cleanliness, the district is asking students, staff and visitors to take an electronic symptoms survey to ensure COVID-19 is staying out of the schools.
One September 16, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board voted in favor of the phased-in approach to bringing children back into schools under Plan B.
- Phase 1: Pre-K return October 12
- Phase 2: K-5 return November 2
- Phase 3: 6-8 return November 23
- Phase 4: High School return December 14
Students will return to classrooms on an alternating schedule in order to reduce class size and allow for more social distancing.