Tag Archive for: #granvillecountypublicschools

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Public Schools Votes to Return to Classroom This Fall

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

At its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, September 14, 2020, the Granville County Board of Education voted 5-2 to return to school this fall with a staggered, gradual entry under Plan B.

The Board received detailed information from senior staff on the readiness of the district to receive students. Also participating in the presentation were Lisa Harrison, Health Director of GVPH, and Dr. Shauna Guthrie, Medical Director of GVPH. The information presented included facts about the following: organizational readiness of the district; COVID data from the local Health Department and NCDHHS; student, parent and educator survey data; and, information about emerging research related to COVID.

The exact plan for when and how students will return was also approved by the Board. For those students whose parents did not commit to full virtual learning for the first semester, the 2-step process for a gradual, staggered return to school begins on September 28, 2020. Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and students who receive special education services in a separate setting will return to school on September 28. All other grade levels will return on October 12.

For the first step, students will report to school divided into FOUR groups, each group attending school one day a week. Then, in as soon as two weeks, these same students will transition and begin to report to school divided into TWO groups, with each group attending school two days a week.

The chart below lists target dates and student groupings for a staggered, gradual return.

Pre-Kindergarten,

Kindergarten, &

Self Contained EC classes

(Special Education students who receive instruction in a separate setting)

Return to school the week of September 28

Grades 1-12

Return to school the week of October 12

STEP 1: PLAN B – Gradual, Staggered Entry

Only up to 25% of students return to school at the same time

ALL GRADES

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

GROUP A1

Up to 25% of Students

Face to Face

GROUP A2

Up to 25% of Students

Face to Face

ALL STUDENTS
REMOTE

Building Disinfecting

GROUP B1

Up to 25% of  Students

Face to Face

GROUP B2

Up to 25% of Students

Face to Face

STEP 2: PLAN B – Gradual, Staggered Entry

Only up to 50% of students return to school at the same time

ALL GRADES

Group A  Students

Face to Face

Group A Students

Face to Face

ALL STUDENTS REMOTE

Group B Students

Face to Face

Group B Students

Face to Face

Group B Students Remote

Group B Students Remote

ALL STUDENTS REMOTE

Group A  Students Remote

Group A Students Remote

Full-time virtual students will remain virtual

through 1st Semester

Families will begin to receive information about their child’s particular schedule in the coming days. Please be sure to check in regularly with your child’s teachers for important information that may be shared during this transition from Plan C to Plan B.

During this transition time back into our schools, it is very important for families to remember that new safety practices and procedures will be in place. All students and staff will be screened every time they enter GCPS campuses. Anyone with COVID-like symptoms will not be allowed in school. Also, face masks are required at all times while on GCPS property.

A supply of five reusable, cloth face masks will be provided to each student. Families are responsible for making sure students have a clean face covering each day. Face mask breaks will be provided during the school day. Also, every person must maintain proper social distancing while on school property. A minimum of 6’ should be maintained at all times.

Families and students will note many changes in how school ‘looks’ and ‘feels’ when they arrive back. First, no visitors will be allowed on any campuses unless it is an emergency. Movement in and around the school will be limited and structured. Meals will be served in the classrooms. On days when students are not in school, curbside and remote site meal service will continue. All meals are free to students aged 3-18 until December 31.

Students will be also asked to wash hands or use hand sanitizer more frequently. Finally, students who ride the school bus will be required to present an “attestation” form prior to boarding the bus. This form, which will be provided by schools, should be signed by a parent or guardian each day indicating that the child is symptom-free and has not had exposure to COVID.

Students will be socially distanced while riding on the bus; however, family members will be allowed to sit together. Every student will be screened each day upon arrival at school after getting off the bus. All car riders will be screened before being allowed to exit their vehicles. All of these practices will be new to students, parents and staff, so please be patient and be sure to follow all processes as they will be strictly enforced.

GCPS is very excited to have students return to school this fall. We need everyone’s support to help ensure the process is safe and healthy for everyone. Your cooperation and communication will be very important to this process. Please be sure to reach out to your child’s school with any questions or concerns. Together, we can make this work!

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting Sept. 14

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular Board meeting on Monday, September 14, 2020, 6 p.m. at Tar River Elementary School, 2642 Philo White Road, Franklinton, NC.

Members of the public are invited to view livestream. To join the livestream meeting, please use the following link:
https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

The Board will also meet in Closed Session in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 for Personnel, and Attorney/Client Privilege.

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting will be required to wear face coverings, undergo health screenings before entering the building, and cooperate with social distancing requirements. There will be limited seating
available.

Individuals wishing to participate in public comment may do so in person. Those wishing to speak must provide their name and topic on a sign-up sheet to be posted in front of Tar River Elementary School from 5 – 6 p.m. on September 14.

Comments will be received by the Board in the order of sign up and will be limited to no more than five minutes per person. Board Policy 2310 allows for 30 minutes of public comment.

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

Granville County Public Schools

School Re-Opening on Granville Board of Education’s Afternoon Retreat Agenda

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a Board Retreat on Monday, August 17, 2020, at 2 p.m. This meeting will be held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US-15, Oxford, NC.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss board operations and long-term planning and to discuss topics related to the re-opening of schools.

The Board will also meet in Closed Session in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11(a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 for Personnel, and Attorney/Client Privilege.

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting will be required to wear face coverings and cooperate with health screening and social distancing procedures.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education Votes to Begin Academic Year Remotely

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

At a special called meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2020, the Granville County Board of Education voted 5-2 to begin the 2020-2021 academic year with remote entry for all students. The Board also granted the Superintendent the authority to reassess and make modifications to the reentry plan in consultation with the local Health Department at the four-week mark.

District and school leaders will begin the process of providing detailed information to families on what back to school will look like for children this year. GCSP knows that parents will have many questions and will strive to get answers flowing quickly to help with the transition back to school.

GCPS thanks you for your patience and understanding as it works through this difficult time.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools Moving Forward With ‘Plan B’

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

On Tuesday, July 14, 2020, Governor Cooper announced that all schools will open this fall under the state’s “Plan B.” Plan B includes moderate social distancing, in which only half of the students may physically report to school at a given time, while the other half of the students will participate remotely.

This is a balanced, flexible approach that also includes extensive daily screening and cleaning processes as well as a requirement for ALL students and staff to wear a face mask while at school.

Our Board of Education recently approved the general framework for Plan B in GCPS, which includes two separate groups of students alternating between two consecutive days of face-to-face school each week, with Wednesday being a remote learning day for all students. So, essentially, students will physically report to school for two days of “face-to-face” learning at school and remain at home for three days of remote learning each week.

Our Board also approved a provision to allow the district to begin this schedule on August 17, 2020, using a ‘staggered entry’ approach. This means for the first two weeks of school, smaller groups of students will physically report to school in order to learn and understand the new screening processes, social distancing expectations, use of PPE and modified class schedules.

This school year, all students and parents will be learning about many new expectations, processes and procedures for how school will operate. Therefore, it is important that we do this with smaller groups of students in a staggered manner, initially, to ensure the safety of everyone on our campuses.

Granville Early College High School will also operate under Plan B, but with a modified format, which will be different from all other schools. Their individual plan will accommodate VGCC’s decision to have all of its courses delivered in an online format only.

GCPS is committed to providing CHOICES to our families. Starting later this week, families can expect to receive additional information about how to sign-up for other choices they have available. This process, known as “SaFE”, or Sign-up for Fall Entry,” will allow parents who do NOT want their children to physically report to school under Plan B to either: (1) apply to Granville Academy (our K-12 blended learning school); or (2) receive full remote instruction at their base school. We want parents to feel comfortable about their decision for their children. Everyone should remain on the lookout for more information about the “SaFE” process in the next few days.

Finally, GCPS will join a number of other districts in extending the suspension of all athletic activities until the NCHSAA gives further guidelines following Governor Roy Cooper’s announcement today. We understand that may come later in this process. Therefore, summer workouts that were planned to begin on July 20 will be suspended until further notice. All other non-athletic extracurricular activities are suspended until further notice, as well.

We understand that this is a very difficult and stressful time for our families and students. We will continue to provide frequent communication and updates to our families using our automated phone system, emails, social media, our district website and our partners in the local media.

Granville County Public Schools

Re-Entry Plans, Budget Amendments Topics of July 13 Granville School Board Meeting

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a Special Meeting on Monday, July 13, 2020, at 1 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting is for the Board of Education to review budget amendments, consider technology purchases and receive updated information on school re-entry plans for the upcoming school year.

However, due to the current statewide State of Emergency, and in order to protect the health and safety of board members, staff and the public, this meeting will be conducted electronically, with members of the public invited to view the live stream.

To join the live stream meeting, please use the following link:

https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj

The Board will also meet in Closed Session in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 for Personnel, and Attorney/Client Privilege.

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

Rob Rivers

Rob Rivers Resigns from Granville County School Board

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education held a special called meeting on Monday, June 29, 2020. After the conclusion of official business items on the agenda, Board Member Rob Rivers announced his resignation effective September 30, 2020.

Rivers stated, “To my fellow citizens of District 3, I will be forever grateful for the trust you placed in me to be your representative on the school board. However, I have regrettably concluded that I can no longer function effectively and productively on the Board to the level that I expect.”

Mr. Rob Rivers has served the constituents of District 3 for two years as a member of the Board of Education, having been elected to the position in May of 2018.

Rob Rivers

Granville County School Board Member Rob Rivers announced his resignation effective September 30, 2020. Rivers has served the constituents of District 3 since May of 2018. (Photo courtesy GCPS)

Superintendent McLean and Board Chairman Richardson both expressed their appreciation for Mr. River’s service to the students of Granville County.

The Board will continue with six members until a replacement for District 3 is appointed. Per Policy 2115 – Unexpired Term Fulfillment, the Granville County Board of Education will proceed with the process for filling the District 3 seat made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Rob Rivers effective September 30, 2020.

It is the intent of the Board to identify and appoint a suitable candidate for this position using the process outlined below, with the ultimate goal of serving the students of Granville County Public Schools.

Interested candidates should review the “Duties of the Board” guidelines issued by the NC School Board Association, which may be found at the NCSBA website  https://www.ncsba.org/news-resources/board-member-knowledge-base/duties-of-the-board/

Candidates should submit a letter of interest, a C.V. or resume, and three letters of recommendation to the Clerk of the Board of Education, Ms. Lynn Henderson, by the close of business, August 31, 2020. These documents should provide information that highlights the candidate’s ability and experiences related to education and service to children.

All candidates must reside in District 3 in order to be considered for this position. Proof of residency will be required. District 3 map and information may be found at the Granville County website  https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/county-commissioners/district-map/

During its regularly scheduled meeting on September 8, 2020, the Board will review the documents submitted by each candidate and vote to issue invitations to those the Board wishes to interview.

In September, the Board will hold a Special Called Meeting for the purpose of interviewing candidates (the Board will use a list of questions asked of each candidate, chosen at the beginning of the meeting).

At its regularly scheduled meeting on October 5, 2020, the Board will then vote on who will fill the unexpired term of District 3. (Note: Interviews and vote to take place in Open Session)

At a date to be determined, the chosen candidate will take the oath of office.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Public Schools Delays Athletic Skills Development Training

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

With guidance from the NCDHHS and the NCHSAA, Granville County Public Schools had planned to begin athletic skill development training for high school sports on Monday, July 6, 2020.

However, given the increased rate of positive COVID 19 cases throughout our community and state, this date will now be delayed until Monday, July 20, 2020.

This new date is consistent with those of some neighboring school districts and schools that are in our athletic conferences.  This delay will also allow additional time to refine and strengthen our staff training and the implementation of local and state-mandated screening and cleaning protocols and practices.

When skill development begins, it will be limited in scope per NCHSAA regulations and restricted to outside activities only.  All GCPS buildings remain closed to the public and students this summer.

As we get more guidance from our Governor and the NCHSAA, we will update you on any necessary adjustments involving our athletic programs.

GCPS believes strongly in the value of our athletic programs as positive influences on the lives of our student-athletes. We will continue to monitor and plan for ways to resume these activities as soon as possible while keeping the health and safety of our students and staff a top priority.

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS Addresses Possible Re-Entry Plans for Fall, Announces Special Called Board Meetings

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Public School Districts throughout the state have been receiving guidance from both the DHHS and NCDPI about what school might look like on August 17, 2020. Two specific documents may be found at this link HERE. As outlined specifically in the “Lighting Our Way” document from the state, all public schools have been preparing three separate ‘re-entry’ plans for this fall.

Under Plan A, Granville County Public Schools (GCPS) would begin school with minimal social distancing. This means all students and staff would report to school, much like in a regular year, but with special safety and cleaning practices in place.

Under Plan B, GCPS would begin school with moderate social distancing. This means that only some students would physically report to school at any given time. Under this plan, school districts would have some type of alternating schedule for different groups of students. These schedules could look different at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Under Plan C, no students would physically report to school in the fall. Instead, all learning would occur remotely, either through connected technology devices and/or hard copies of instructional materials and assignments.

Governor Roy Cooper will make an announcement by July 1, 2020, about which of these three plans will be in place for the start of the school year. School districts may choose a more restrictive plan than what he announces, but may NOT decide locally to have a less restrictive plan.

GCPS has been busy planning details for what each of these three plans will require. Plan A, which is the least restrictive, looks a lot like “regular school,” just with more cleaning and attention to the health and safety of all students and staff.

Plan C, which is the most restrictive, looks a lot like what happened in our schools this past spring. We have been working hard to plan for improvements in both the quality and range of service and support for students and families should this plan be implemented.

Plan B, of course, is in the middle. Under this plan, districts have flexibility in choosing how to create alternating schedules and services for students and their families. To date, we have more than 4,500 parent responses to the two surveys we have administered. Part of the questions on this survey will help inform our Board of Education in determining what Plan B looks like.

On Monday, June 29, our Board will be holding a special called meeting. Part of this meeting will be reserved for discussion and sharing of information about these three plans, with a specific focus on what Plan B might look like for our district.

The Board also plans to hold a special meeting on July 2, 2020, after the Governor makes his announcement, to officially vote on and approve a plan for the school district.

It is also important for GCPS families to know that if Plan A or Plan B are implemented, we realize that there are many who may not feel comfortable sending their children back to school. Some children and their family members may be at a higher risk for the virus or simply are not ready to physically return to school. If either Plan A or Plan B are put in place, we will have blended and remote learning options available for these families. We want to make sure that there are options for everyone.

Finally, we want everyone to know that regardless of which of the three plans are chosen by the Governor, we are making specific plans to provide strong support for any students with special needs. We will also be making sure to continue our meal service programs so that no children go hungry during these difficult times.

We thank you for your support and patience and will continue to provide updates with any new information or decisions as they are made. We are all, indeed, in this together!

Book Bus

The ‘Book Bus’ Bringing Books, Snacks to Granville Co. Children

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools announces upcoming dates and sites for the “Book Bus.” The Book Bus will travel to different areas in the county to give a book and snack to each participating child.

This is a great way to build your home library! Drive-up and walk-up service, with social distancing, will be available. The Book Bus will not run if rain prevents the use of social distancing protocols.

Please see flyer below for times and locations: