CHARLOTTE, N.C. — During an emergency meeting Friday, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education voted to move spring break from April to March. The calendar change is intended to provide relief as officials work to contain the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and plan ahead for potential online classroom instruction.
Spring break will begin Thursday, March 19 and continue through Friday, March 27. The one week spring break replaces the spring break originally scheduled for April.
The board voted 7-1 in favor of the calendar change.
Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 are teacher workdays.
A decision about classes - either in-person or online - for Monday, March 30 has not been announced.
One person has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus in Mecklenburg County. That person was described as someone who is not a resident of Mecklenburg County. Their test results are being sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta for confirmation.
Around the metro, there are also cases in Cabarrus County and Lancaster County.
In South Carolina, Lancaster County and Kershaw County schools will be closed for the next two weeks after Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Friday.
During their emergency meeting Friday, members of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education discussed the balance between student safety while also giving parents time to plan ahead on issues such as childcare. Board members decided to start spring break Thursday instead of Monday with hopes of providing parents time to adjust plans.
The decision was also partially based on a need to give staff and teachers time to prepare online classes, in the event digital instruction was needed to replace in-person construction.
Chairperson Elyse Dashew is concerned the "digital divide" throughout the community could make it difficult for some students to attend instruction online.
At this time, CMS has not decided to move instructions online and are scheduled to resume classroom instruction at the conclusion of spring break.
Several schools throughout the region, including the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Queens University, and Duke University, have moved to digital instruction.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Board member Sean Strain argued the distric should close effective immediately.
Many employers throughout Charlotte have advised employees to work from home.
On Thursday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency. He advised companies to allow eligible employees to work from home while also discouraging any gatherings over 100 people.
COVID-19 is a novel strain of coronavirus. It is spread through close contact with an infected person. The symptoms of coronavirus include a fever, shortness of breath, and a cough.