NORTH CAROLINA — As coronavirus cases slow down in the state, Gov. Roy Cooper announced public and charter schools are allowed to implement Plan A, in-person learning, for elementary schools.

School leaders across the state are figuring out the best approach to introduce students back into the classroom. Many are opting for a phased reopening, taking capacity into consideration.

Lincoln County Schools welcomed students back in person on September 24. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School students will return on October 12.

Wake County’s school board will vote on whether students will return in person on September 29. Durham County Schools has already decided to continue with virtual learning until January 2021.

Guilford County Schools announced Thursday elementary students will return beginning October 20. Third through fifth graders will return on October 26. High schoolers will return in January 2021.

Guilford County Superintendent Sharon Contreras says, “It’s more about helping us get used to the amount of time and sheer logistics of how we social distance with 73,000 students and 10,000 employees.”

Contreras also said making these decisions is not easy, and the pandemic has highlighted the need of resources in school districts across the state.