UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A portion of students in Union County started back to class Monday under Plan B, which is a mix of in-person and remote learning.
Under this plan, students will attend school in person one day between Monday and Thursday. Students will do remote learning the other days, with all students learning remotely on Fridays.
Union County also gave families an option to choose Plan D, which is a full-time virtual learning option for grades 2 through 12.
WCNC Charlotte toured Wesley Chapel Elementary School and Sardis Elementary School on the first day of classes.
From the moment students are dropped off, there are symptom screenings and temperature checks.
Face coverings are mandatory, and desks are spaced out. In the hallways, students are kept six feet apart at all times, with arrows and markers on the ground guiding the foot traffic in the hallways.
“Students have to learn new procedures, new routines, social distancing, you know, keeping their face coverings on,” said Andrew Houlihan, Union County Public Schools superintendent.
Bryan Allen, the parent of a kindergartner at Wesley Chapel Elementary, said he felt safe with his daughter starting school and had no worries.
"Wish it could be a little more often and one day is better than none,” Allen said. “Obviously, it's tough for a five-year-old to get in front of a computer and learn."
With students rotating days for in-person learning, the smallest class size on the first day at Sardis Elementary School was one student. The largest class size at the school was seven students.
Nick Wagner, a music teacher at Sardis Elementary, said the smaller class size allowed for more individualized learning.
"I had a ukulele class with second graders, and I had just two students in that class,” Wagner said. “So, I was really able to focus on those students and getting their technique, their picking technique and chording correct."
Wagner said he felt safe welcoming students back for in-person learning.
"All the, you know, precautions the staff has taken, everybody's following the social distancing guidelines, temperature checks, all that,” Wagner said, “so I feel totally cool as a cucumber."
Other teachers have voiced concerns about reopening under Plan B. A group of Union County Public Schools employees held a drive to stay alive procession Sunday, complete with a hearse and grim reaper to make their point.
"Some of these signs are graphic because we do have employees who genuinely fear for their lives,” said Ashley McIntyre, a teacher at Cuthbertson High School.
According to a survey by the Union County Association of Educators, more than 75 percent of respondents did not feel comfortable returning to work under Plan B.
The group protesting on Sunday called for the district to reopen under Plan C, or all remote learning until Union County’s percent of positive COVID-19 tests is at or below five percent. According to state data, it’s currently at eight percent.
The Union County Public Schools Superintendent said accusations that he has not been listening to teachers are “absolutely false.” Houlihan said he worked with the Teacher Professional Advisory Council, which he said includes one representative from each school in the district, to get their feedback on the reopening plans.
"Want to ensure all of our employees, not just teachers, but teachers, bus drivers, etc.,” Houlihan said, “your health and safety in this is going to be absolutely paramount and the number one priority."