THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Dr. Anthony Jackson, superintendent for Vance County Schools, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

Jackson discussed the Vance County Board of Education’s decision at a special called meeting held July 17, 2020, to begin the 2020-2021 academic year under the state’s Plan C fully remote learning option for the first nine weeks. Current plans include implementing Plan B at the start of the second nine weeks.

The school year begins on Friday, July 31 for Vance County High School and Vance County Early College High School students, and on August 17 for all other Vance County schools, including the new Vance Virtual Village Academy (V3).

While Governor Roy Cooper announced on July 14 that NC schools could choose Plan B – a moderate social distancing measure that allows for a combination of in-person and remote learning – individual school districts are permitted to choose the more restrictive Plan C – fully remote learning.

Jackson said continued evaluation of data received from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Granville Vance Public Health factored heavily into the school board’s decision.

“Our Board of Education chose to go with the more restrictive plan based on our local data. The data says our cases continue to increase and that we are struggling with community spread, and so it would be best to minimize congregate experiences. In the best interest of keeping everyone safe and being as cautious as possible, they chose Plan C.”

Acknowledging the “tremendous amount” of factors that went into the decision, Jackson said the most important was the effectiveness of remote learning. “Most importantly, what went into the decision was the question of ‘can we educate kids effectively in a remote setting?’ The staff that we have, our principals and our teachers, felt this option would be supportive of all the kids and will keep them safe.”

According to Jackson, VCS students will be provided with the necessary technology and internet access needed for remote learning. The school district and/or individual schools will be in touch with parents with more details.

Jackson said he wants to assure parents that VCS understands this is a learning curve for all but believes online learning is now better developed than it was when school buildings closed in the spring.

“The remote learning you will experience for at least the first nine weeks of the new school year will not be the same remote learning that you experienced March through June,” Jackson explained. “It will be more robust, and there will be more expectations around attendance.”

In looking ahead, Jackson said he expects the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to affect the landscape of education.

“More than likely, we’re not going to be going back to school the way it used to be, even when we come back. I think social distancing is going to be a part of how we reengage at our schools. Learning is going to look different, feel different, and the relationships with schools are going to be different.”

With all of the changes ahead, Jackson said the patience and understanding of the community will go a long way. “I’m asking our community for what I like to call ‘preemptive grace.’ We want you to understand that we are doing the absolute best we can under these circumstances with the tools we have at our disposal.”

For more information and updates, visit the school district’s website (click here) or Facebook page (click here).

To hear the interview with Jackson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.