On Thursday, Dec. 17, the Swain County School Board held a special session for public comment where parents shared their thoughts on virtual and modified learning plans. The board also received the latest COVID-19 updates.
In a meeting the previous week, the school board by unanimous decision, adopted a modified Plan B for the spring semester that begins Jan. 5. This plan will allow students who were attending all virtual to begin joining students who are attending in person. The one caveat, however, is the elementary students schedule will scale back to just two-days of on campus learning and three remote instead of the four days of in-person and one remote. This is to adjust for continued social distancing requirements. Not all parents are happy with the change.
Sandra Barker, mother of three students in the Swain County School system, approached the board to share her views on how one of her children is struggling with distance learning.
“When surveys went out, over 70% of students chose face to face instruction, if given a choice,” she said. “I personally do not agree with the board’s latest decision to modify how our children are taught. It has caused an increase in stress on parents, teachers and students. Elementary students are not doing well with online learning and this type of instruction sets them up for failure”
Barker suggested putting students together, two to a pod, and pairing them up to lessen social interaction with other students in larger groups. She said she believes that this would make contact tracing easier. She submitted her written thoughts, improvements and suggestions to the board after her time was up at the podium.
Jason Dunford, father of two, has been an educator in the Swain County School System for twenty five years. He approached the board with a teacher’s point of view in regards to the pandemic and its effect on teachers, students and parents.
“Online learning, being a teacher is HARD. It is time consuming. It consists of answering calls and emails from parents, virtual meetings, building lesson plans and much more,” Dunford said. “Teachers are left stretched thin, and neglect their own families’ needs because of the demand of online schooling. We are spending money from out of our own pockets, buying lesson plans when we run short on materials. I encourage you to think about what is best for our students and our teachers as well, and I believe that getting all of our students back into the classrooms.”
The board also said they received an anonymous letter from a parent who expressed gratitude for the dedication exhibited by teachers and staff at West Elementary. “I have a son who is in the 4th grade at west elementary. He is currently on Plan C. I would like to say that because of the dedicated teachers and staff in our school system, students have been given an option to learn outside of the classroom and reduce the risk of contracting the virus. It has been a positive experience for my child and myself and I am thankful for the dedication teachers and staff have shown.”
Further updates will be provided when the board reconvenes after the New Year.
COVID-19 updates
Also Thursday, the board heard from Alison Cochran, director of Swain County Health Department, with a COVID-19 update. She provided the latest on case rates and updates regarding the projected arrival of the coronavirus vaccine and how it is to be disbursed.
Since March, there have been 10,379 cases administered. Of these cases, 9,784 have been negative. 595 have been positive. As of that Thursday, 54 of the positives occurred within the last week and 62 cases were active. On Monday, that number jumped up to 85 active cases.
There have been seven deaths, with two of those in the last week. The testing positivity rate in Swain County is still relative low at 5.4% positivity rate, while the case fatality has remained about the same since the last update, at 1.3%.
As of Thursday, four students and two staff members within the Swain County School System, had tested positive for the coronavirus. That number rose to seven staff and eight children by Tuesday.
In regards to the vaccines that are scheduled to arrive, Cochran reported they were anticipated 100 doses at the hospital and 100 at the health department. She confirmed Tuesday those had arrived.
“Medical staff, first responders and frontline workers will be the first to get the vaccine,” she said.
Projected completed vaccination dates for all 1-A and 1-B scheduled recipients is the middle of to the end of January.
For questions regarding vaccinations or for updates on case statistics, contact the health department at 488-3189.