Wake County Schools proposes changes to 2020-21 school calendar in light of COVID-19

Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Wake County Schools propose changes to the 2020-21 school calendar
Wake County Schools propose changes to the 2020-21 school calendar

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The school calendar for Wake County Public School System affects approximately 162,000 students in the district.

On Tuesday, parents received messages about possible calendar changes in light of COVID-19

Here are two proposals:

  • Traditional schools would go back to school the week of Aug. 17.
  • Five additional days would be added to the calendar year. Plus, five remote learning days.
  • Teacher workdays would be reduced from 17 to 12.
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  • Multi-track year-round schools would begin the week of August 3.
  • Five additional days would be added to the calendar. Plus 5 remote learning days.
  • Students would stay in school 15 minutes extra to meet the minimum of 1,025 hours for learning.

Parents who joined the district's work session Tuesday had questions about what school will look like when students return.

"We believe school will need to look different," said Cathy Moore, WCPSS superintendent. "We believe there has to be options for families and staff based on what the data is showing and is in line with the Department of Human Services might say or what the CDC is putting out. There are several workgroups at the state level that are working on what this guidance will look like."

The district won't make any decisions on the school calendars until receiving feedback from the community.

During Tuesday's school board meeting, members will be voting on whether to approve its $2.5 billion capital improvement budget, which would go toward building new schools and renovating existing schools during the next seven years.