DURHAM, N.C. – Durham Public Schools has announced it will begin the 2020-21 school year with nine weeks of remote-only instruction and is suspending high school athletics indefinitely.
At Thursday’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Pascal Mubenga recommended DPS open with remote instruction, or “Plan C”.
“There are strong arguments for both our Plan B, which allowed pre-K-8 families to choose remote or in-person instruction, and also for Plan C, which offers our students and staff greater protection from COVID-19,” Dr. Mubenga said. “My conversations with our teachers and hearing their concerns tipped the scale. They assured me that they were up to the challenge of remote instruction, and I know they will deliver.”
In a unanimous decision from the board, the first nine weeks of the school year will be remote. After nine weeks, DPS will reassess the circumstances and decide whether to remain remote or move to a more “Plan B” approach of in-person and remote.
In a press release, DPS announced, “While DPS is in Plan C, students will receive instruction and support through their base or magnet schools’ teachers and staff, with a robust live and personalized learning experience similar to that planned for Ignite Learning Academy. Families that signed up for Ignite Learning Academy will not need to do anything new; they will automatically be supported by their current or assigned school.”
All DPS students will also be issued Chromebooks for remote learning and will be provided with hotspots for students who need access to internet.
On Friday, DPS announced it will also be suspending high school athletics indefinitely, "to ensure the health and safety of student athletes and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission."
“High school athletics has important benefits in boosting student engagement and fostering a strong school community,” Mubenga said. “However, this is not the right time for interscholastic competition. We will continue to monitor trends and consult with public health officials, and will revisit this decision when conditions improve.”