CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As schools around North Carolina slowly start to return to in-person learning, we’re taking a look at how one school has been handling in-person instruction for the last few weeks.

 

What You Need To Know

  • Schools around North Carolina are slowly starting to return to in-person learning

  • Charlotte Catholic High School has been conducting an almost fully in-person school year since August

  • School leaders and students say new safety protocols and procedures have helped keep everyone safe and healthy

Charlotte Catholic High School has been almost fully in-person since the first day of school. Kurt Telford, the principal, says there are 1,020 students at school, and 130 who chose virtual learning for the fall semester.

Dr. Gregory Monroe, the superintendent for the Diocese of Charlotte Catholic Schools, says when the decision was made to reopen, they added mandatory safety procedures. There are daily temperature and health checks for all students, staff, and faculty, masks are required at all times, and there are plastic partitions on desks to allow for social distancing.

“This is important that we’re back together in-person. It speaks to the heart of our mission, and because of that, we are going to find a way to make this work and do so in a safe way.” Monroe says.

Monroe says throughout the 19 schools in the state, there have been 14 cases of coronavirus in the last six weeks.

Telford says in the last five weeks, there have been eight COVID-19 cases among Charlotte Catholic students, and all of the cases originated off-campus. Six of the eight students have recovered, and the other two are expected back on campus next week.

The school moved to virtual learning for a few days, and then the hybrid model to allow for a deep cleaning of the school.

Cameron Green and Nick Clementi, both seniors at Charlotte Catholic, understand the responsibility of the new protocols and are just glad to be back at school.

“I’ve never missed something so much. When we were quarantined, and when we were doing online school, all I wanted to do was be back in the classroom with my teachers and my friends,” Green says.

“When we’re in school, that brings normalcy. That is the return to normalcy. When we’re not at school, that’s when you feel isolated, that’s when you feel like things aren’t the same,” Clementi says. “But when we’re in school, sure we have these precautions, and that makes us feel only better that we’re keeping safe.”

Telford says the school will continue its deep cleaning procedures, and is working with the state health department for the return of sports and other after-school activities.