Wilmington City Schools schedule change being considered

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WILMINGTON — The Wilmington City Schools (WCS) superintendent said Monday night that district administrators are constantly evaluating and monitoring when to have students back to a full time in-person schedule.

In the WCS’ start-up schedule, 50 percent of students attend school in person on Mondays and Thursdays (Group A), and the remaining 50 percent attend school in person on Tuesdays and Fridays (Group B). There are also students who are online learners full time for the first semester.

At the Monday school board meeting, WCS Superintendent Mindy McCarty-Stewart described the opening and restart as a success, with the return of students to the classroom occurring “in a very safe manner.”

In fact, she said she was out in the buildings on Monday and students continue to take the preventive actions they are expected to do to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the schools.

The WCS website posted this message on Sept. 24: “With the current trend of data and the level of commitment to following safety and health protocols, we are determining if we are ready to implement a plan to increase the amount of time our students are able to attend school in-person.

“While no decision has been made at this time, it is our goal to develop a plan that will help increase the amount of time students are with us for in-person learning and continue to incorporate measures that help keep each other safe,” according to the website.

The target date to make a determination for any change of schedule is this Friday, Oct. 2. “We will release details of the plan on Oct. 2nd,” states the website posting.

If officials determine the district is able to move to a new schedule, it would start on Monday, Oct. 19.

“That will allow everyone to have two weeks to be ready for the transition. We will communicate with you if this timeline changes for any reason,” according to the message.

As of that posting last Thursday, WCS reported “very few individuals required to be quarantined” and that the district had had only one individual test positive with COVID-19, added the posting.

Prior to business being conducted at the board of education meeting, the oath of office was given to Carrie Zeigler who is filling the board seat left vacant by the August death of Steve Murphy. Shortly thereafter, board member Mike Flanigan was sworn in as board vice president, succeeding Marty Beaugard Sr. who became president upon the passing of Murphy who was serving as board president.

New Wilmington High School Principal Samantha “Sam” Woodruff reported the building has a new food pantry, meant to curb food insecurity and to grow students into community leaders, she said.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.

Marty Beaugard Sr. is Wilmington school board president.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/09/web1_marty.jpgMarty Beaugard Sr. is Wilmington school board president. Gary Huffenberger | News Journal

Carrie Zeigler, center facing camera, takes the oath of office as a new Wilmington school board member. Administering the oath in the left foreground is Kim DeWeese, district treasurer.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/09/web1_zeigler.jpgCarrie Zeigler, center facing camera, takes the oath of office as a new Wilmington school board member. Administering the oath in the left foreground is Kim DeWeese, district treasurer. Gary Huffenberger | News Journal
Friday is target date to decide

By Gary Huffenberger

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