With students returning to in-person instruction on March 16, the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District Board of Trustees got a final look at the plan, which includes some modifications for RRHS and RR Early College High School students. All students will be expected to follow the 3 Ws or disciplinary actions will ensue, including administrative placement in virtual-only instruction.
Grades 9 through 12 will be divided into two cohorts with Cohort A attending in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and Cohort B attending in-person on Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will be a virtual day for all students.
Due to the number of students on campus in the Plan B scenario, the physical structure of the RRHS campus with multiple entrance points, and the requirement for safe entrance protocols, the following adjustments have been made:
Seniors will NOT be allowed to leave campus for lunch.
Seniors with non-sequential abbreviated schedules, for example only first and fourth periods, will be instructed to stay on campus in a designated and assigned location during non-scheduled periods.
Students with sequential abbreviated schedules, for example only second and third periods, will come on campus for their second period and leave after their third period.
All students will enter campus once and leave once per day. Students will not be allowed to come and go multiple times throughout the school day.
Students will be required to wear a wrist band showing they passed safe entrance protocols while on campus. A different colored band will be provided each day and students will be expected to wear the wristband at all times while they are on campus.
Jacket Time will remain in its regularly scheduled lunch time block in order to ensure social distancing for students during lunch time.
Please note:
No meals will be allowed for drop off during the school day.
Students will be able to eat lunch in teachers’ classrooms during Jacket Time.
The cafeteria will be open for students to pick up their lunch and take with them, and only one student per table will be allowed to eat in the cafeteria.
Breakfast will be grab-and-go served from the Gazebo in the courtyard. Students will pick it up prior to entering the buildings.
Students at the RRECHS will adhere to similar changes.
Seniors will NOT be allowed to leave campus for lunch.
Due to limited staff and space, all students with online courses may choose to stay at home for those periods. RREC staff and families will work together to determine individualized student schedules.
Students will remain in the classroom for the entire class period with scheduled times for bathroom breaks. Students will be escorted for bathroom breaks and class changes. In emergency situations, an RRECHS staff member will escort any student who needs to use the restroom at different times.
Students will be required to wear a wrist band showing they passed safe entrance protocols while on campus. A different colored band will be provided each day and students will be expected to wear the wristband during their entire school day while on campus.
Jacket Time at RRECHS will remain in its regularly scheduled lunch time block in order to ensure social distancing for students during lunch time.
No meals will be allowed for drop off during the school day.
Students will eat lunch in their second period teachers’ classrooms during Jacket Time.
RREC staff will deliver breakfast and lunches to students in their second period classroom.
Pre-K through 5th grade will return to the classroom five days per week. Grades 6 to 8 will alternate weeks in two cohorts. All students continue to have the option to remain in a virtual-only cohort.
In other news, the Board got a first look at the 2021-2022 budget, which proposes a freeze of all positions due to an overall decline in enrollment.
“We’re freezing all hiring for classroom teachers, instructional support, CTE, teacher assistant positions, and plan to utilize internal transfers when necessary going forward,” Andrea Midgette, RRGSD Chief Finance Officer told the board.
The district is planning an aggressive Pre-K and kindergarten marketing campaign in the coming months along with a plan to seek donors to fund the proposed $6.5 million vocational center expansion across from Roanoke Rapids High School.
“This is a long term challenge that we have to address. We must work with our local officials and business community to improve our economy. People are leaving this community. This vocational center is just one way we can help meet the growing demand in our community for these careers and provide real-world experiences that will translate into high paying jobs right out of high school with industry certifications and ultimately keep these students here,” said Dr. Dain Butler, Superintendent.