Durham schools join 2 Triangle districts in closing schools due to coronavirus
Durham Public Schools is the third North Carolina school district to announce it will close its schools to combat the spread of the coronavirus, the district announced Thursday night.
Durham said it will close schools March 16 and provide more details Friday at dpsnc.net about “options for distance learning, meals for children, and other concerns,” according to a Facebook post.
Earlier Thursday, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Orange County Schools announced major calendar changes Thursday in response to the coronavirus emergency, with students set to learn from home.
The districts are the first in the state to make such calendar changes.
Both Orange County and Chapel Hill-Carrboro will hold teacher workdays Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 16-18; the workdays will be optional for city schools teachers. All schools will be closed to students.
The city schools’ Spring Break, originally scheduled for April 6-9, will run Thursday, March 19, through Friday, March 27. The following week, March 30-April 3, students will learn from home. Parents will get more information about that soon.
“We realize this is a difficult time, and may cause significant unpredictable hardships, and the decisions we make in response are very carefully considered,” Superintendent Pam Baldwin said in a letter to parents. “Clearly, the best method for mitigating the progression of the virus is to minimize the opportunities for transmission.”
The county schools will continue to observe Spring Break from March 30 to April 3. Students will be learning from home March 16-20 and March 23-27. Teachers will be available to talk with parents and students, and they will hold office hours via email and phone from 9 a.m. to noon March 16-18.
“We know this decision greatly impacts our entire community, and we continue to closely monitor this situation with the Orange County Health Department,” county schools Superintendent Monique Felder said. “While the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is not recommending pre-emptive closure of schools and childcare centers at this time, we believe this decision is in the best interest of our families, students and staff.”
Durham Public Schools
Earlier Thursday, Durham Public Schools announced it is canceling all student and employee out-of-state travel, as well as all in-state and overnight student field trips.
The Durham district, with about 32,000 students, is following N.C. High School Athletic Association guidelines on whether to hold athletic events, and is continuing field trips inside the district and in-state staff travel, including for teacher recruitment, according to a news release.
Events expected to draw over 200 people, including “An Evening of Entertainment” planned for March 19 at the Durham Performing Arts Center and “Matilda the Musical” at Hillside High School, have been canceled, the release stated.
On Wednesday the DPS Board of Education authorized Superintendent Pascal Mubenga to enter into expedited contracts over $90,000 without board approval for responses to COVID-19. The board will also discuss the district’s response to the coronavirus at its work session at 5 p.m. Thursday, at the Fuller Building, 511 Cleveland St.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, with about 12,000 students, had already canceled out-of-state domestic field trips and international trips, as well as prohibited international guests in the schools. Updates are being posted on the district website.
Orange County Schools
Meanwhile, the Orange County Schools, with abut 7,500 students, has suspended artistic events, indoor athletics, Listen & Learn sessions, district field trips and staff conferences and professional development workshops, Superintendent Monique Felder said in a statement on the district’s website.
Community groups, including those that have reserved space, will not be able to use school facilities.
The state Department of Health and Human Services has not recommended closing schools or child care centers, Felder said. The decision also will not affect outdoor athletic events without further direction from the High School Athletic Association, she said.
“This recommendation reflects the current guidance that children are at a low risk of serious illness,” Felder said.
Felder also cited N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper’s state of emergency declaration in announcing her district’s decision Wednesday night. State officials are urging people to skip big gatherings, such as concerts and conferences, especially if they’re in a high-risk group.
The Wake County Public School System canceled all field trips Tuesday and is “evaluating all future events that attract crowds,” The News & Observer has reported.
How are schools protecting students?
The coronavirus largely affects the respiratory system and causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the greatest risk is to people over 60 and those with serious medical conditions.
School custodians and other staff have stepped up their cleaning procedures, including the addition of hand sanitizer bottles and stations in school buildings, Felder noted.
Staff also are wiping down surfaces throughout the day, including buses and seats, she said. Cafeteria staff are cleaning tables with sanitizer before and after students have breakfast and lunch, and before new groups of students enter the cafeteria.
Spring break for Orange County students is just a few weeks away. Students on a traditional calendar will be out of school March 30-April 3, while year-round students will be out March 16-April 3.
Both the city and county districts are asking families and staff to avoid traveling to countries and U.S. cities that have been deemed at high risk of coronavirus transmission. Families who do travel to those areas could be asked to remain in quarantine for at least 14 days.
Steps you can take
District officials also have encouraged families to take simple steps to limit their risk:
▪ Keep sick family members at home.
▪ Wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
▪ Keep hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth.
▪ Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
▪ Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash.
▪ Clean and disinfect surfaces.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 7:16 AM with the headline "Durham schools join 2 Triangle districts in closing schools due to coronavirus."
