Wake County Public Schools students won't return to classrooms until at least October

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Back to school jitters is about to take on a whole new meaning.

"We ask for patience and understanding while we work through this," WCPSS Superintendent Cathy Moore said at a morning news conference. "As always it is imperative that ongoing and fluid communication happens between and among students and families and schools."

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Wake County Public School System is among the largest school districts in the state with some 150,000 students enrolled hundreds of elementary, middle and high school campuses. This year, of course, those students won't see the classroom in person until at least October because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead, all instruction will move virtual as it did at the end of the last academic year, though Moore and School Board Chair Keith Sutton insisted teachers are much more prepared this time around and the learning will be more serious and stringent.

The district's plan is for all virtual learning to continue until at least the school year's second quarter, which begins Oct 22.

In an email blast to parents on Friday, the district writes "What will be different this year than from when we switched to remote learning in March, is that we have a completely new set of expectations," This will be school as we know it for the time being. As such, expectations for attendance and participation will be as if students are attending school in person."

Sutton and Moore also explained that thousands of families will be able to pick up tablets and WiFi hotspots on Monday; distribution will be at five high schools and families will have been told ahead of time where to pick up the technology.

Also on Friday administrators announced they were working with Duke Health on establishing a Medical Advisory Board which they anticipate will help with key decisions like if and when all virtual learning can transition into including in-person instruction.