Ahead of a possible ice storm this weekend, the local school systems are preparing for the possibility of school cancellations and remote learning.
The Wake County Public School System is getting ready for the possibility of remote learning, and many students will take home paper packets of assignments beginning Thursday. The packets would be used next week if school is canceled.
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Precipitation and cold temperatures are forecasted for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with an ice storm possible for Sunday. Overnight refreezing of any melting ice is likely for multiple days after that.
Durham Public Schools sent families guidance on how to keep learning on a snow day.
Edgecombe County Public Schools is sending students home with remote learning packets and assignment plans ahead of the weekend.
"Once the packet or assignments come home, please take a few minutes to review them with your student and make sure they have everything they need and a plan in place - just in case," Edgecombe County Public Schools said in its announcement of its plans so far.
All Wake schools except for traditional calendar schools are scheduled to be in session Monday.
Traditional calendar schools have a teacher workday Monday, and year-round students on Track 3 are tracked out for three weeks, beginning Monday.
Traditional calendar schools are otherwise scheduled to be in session the rest of next week.
Per internal procedures, Wake can shift to remote learning before all banked days and teacher workdays are used if the superintendent can see a storm coming days in advance that poses a threat to schools. Other school districts have similar approaches.
Public schools can only use up to five days of remote learning in a school year, under state law.
Remote learning isn't necessarily virtual or conducted via web call, requiring a laptop and internet access. Sometimes it's packets of paper assignments and lessons. Sometimes it does require internet or a laptop but is strictly digital assignments, not a live class hosted via video.
In Wake County, live instruction won't take place during remote learning. Content won't be new, and it will focus on "reinforcing skills and concepts students have already learned and will emphasize practice, creativity, and connection," the school system says.
Students will have five days after returning to school to complete the remote learning assignments.
Wake explained the process in an email to families Wednesday night.
Here's what Wake says it will look like at different grade levels:
- Pre-kindergarten through second grade: Activities and assignments will be primarily delivered to students in paper packets going home Thursday with students. "Activities may include skill practice, reading and writing tasks, creative choice board activities, and family engagement activities that can be completed at home. Teachers will also send message via Talking Points."
- Third through fifth grade: Assignments and activities will be on Canvas. Those activities may include practicing skills, reading and writing, creative choice board work and family engagement. Teachers will take attendance by looking at which students logged into Canvas and completed tasks. Students will be able to take home their Chromebooks but not their chargers. The school system says they "don't have the capacity" to send the chargers home and encourage people to be mindful of their use of the Chromebooks because of that. However, the computers are compatible with USB-C chargers that people could use if they have them at home.
- Middle and high school students: They'll also use Canvas to access assignments. Those will focus on the review, reinforcement or applying concepts students have already been taught. "Because the new semester is beginning next week, some of this work may focus on reviewing the syllabus, getting to know the structure of each course, and setting expectations. Teachers will work to ensure Special Education asynchronous assignments on Canvas reflect IEPs, including accommodations/modifications."
Third through 12th-grade students with limited internet or device access at home can receive paper packets Thursday.
The district says the activities aren't designed to be time-intensive.
"We do not expect children to work for hours at a time or to follow a traditional school-day schedule at home," the message reads. "Instead, families are encouraged to allow children to work in short, manageable chunks, take breaks as needed, and balance learning with rest and family routines."