BUNCOMBE CO., N.C. — Starting Wednesday, the doors of all Buncombe County Schools will open for teachers and staff. Students will have a two-hour delay when they return to the classroom Friday.
What You Need To Know
The Buncombe County Schools Board of Education unanimously voted to reopen schools this week
BCS teachers and staff will report to work on Wednesday and Thursday
Students will return to school on Friday on a two-hour delay
The Board of Education unanimously approved reopening schools this week with the goal of easing students and staff back into the swing of things.
Explaining his decision to bring students back on a Friday, Superintendent Rob Jackson said, "After not being there, after going through all the trauma, that's going to be a lot. So, having the opportunity to have that first student day and then a weekend to kind of recover and re-asses and ensure we're ready for Monday also allows our staff that opportunity to get through the first day."
Candace Duke, who has two children at Owen Middle School and one at Owen High School, is torn about sending them back to school on Friday.
“Yeah, school’s important. They need to be in school, but I feel like they’re rushing into things,” she said, referring to the school district.
Without clean running water, she says hygiene and mental health are major concerns.
“I feel like it’s going to set up bullying for kids who don’t have those — who aren’t able to go shower every day,” she said. “Not to mention so many in this area that are completely homeless now. They don’t have anywhere to live.”
During his presentation ahead of the district’s vote to reopen schools, Jackson revealed the district’s homeless population tripled since Helene; going from 254 to 776.
The district says they are prepared to support kids who need it. They’ll have counselors for students when they return to school and there will be ongoing support for students affected most.
Duke acknowledged any path moving forward will be difficult as she considers whether or not to send her children back to school later this week.
“I don’t think there’s going to be something that’s going to really fit for everyone,” she said. “I don’t want it held against them for not being there, but I also don’t want them sitting at school feeling uncomfortable.”
Students will start on a two-hour delay each school day from Friday, Oct. 25 until Friday, Nov. 1. Normal school hours will resume on Monday, Nov. 4.
The board also voted to pass a proposal to mark all missed school days as completed days, meaning students and staff will not need to make them up. They also approved a motion to move the end of the first semester back by a week to make up for lost time.