CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Educators in North Carolina can now start getting the COVID-19 vaccine. People in Group 3 of Gov. Roy Cooper’s phased vaccination plan are now claiming appointments.

Students in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system returned to the classroom this month. Elementary school students went back last week, and middle and high school students returned Monday.

The start of in-person instruction was delayed in large part because of concerns from teachers about the ability to safely go into schools. Many teachers were hoping to receive the vaccine before schools reopened.

The Harris family is a family full of CMS teachers. Jade teaches at Hawthorne Academy. Christopher teaches at Hickory Grove Elementary School, and daughter Caitlin teaches at Harding University High School.

Caitlin and Jade received their first dose of the vaccine last week in Salisbury, and Christopher is scheduled to receive his first dose next week.

The entire family agrees that getting vaccinated isn’t just for teacher safety; it’s also about keeping students safe.

“We don’t do this to be rich. We do this because we love what we do. So we want to be safe in doing what our gift and what our talent is,” Jade Harris says. “We want to be able to do that with a level of comfort, and not under duress or stress and anxiety because we won’t be able to teach the very best that we can and be able to help our students the best that we can if we’re under a lot of stress.”

CMS announced Tuesday that they were partnering with Novant Health to host vaccine clinics specifically for CMS employees.

Caitlin and Christopher Harris agree it’s encouraging to see the support from the district.

“Our school officials have actually been listening to the concerns of our parents and of our teachers. So I am very appreciative of it, just because they’re actually working to support us,” Caitlin Harris says.

“I’m hopeful. I know that the willingness, the wanting to make sure everybody that wants to be vaccinated can be vaccinated is critical. I know that it can be done,” Christopher Harris says.

The vaccine clinics are by appointment only. CMS says they hope to hold more clinics in the coming months to get all employees vaccinated as quickly as possible.