Cumberland County Schools Will Open August 5

The Cumberland County Schools will open August 5 with an in-classroom and a virtual learning option.

The School Board spent some three hours discussing all aspects of the return to school from the wearing of masks to taking temperatures to feeding children.

Masks are to be worn in schools with some latitude for situational decisions by teachers. School board members asked administrators to look for clear masks or face shields for students third grade and younger.

Multiple school board members said they did not support mask mandates, but felt the masks are necessary to reopen schools.

School Board Member Tom Netherton said the system needs to trust its teachers.

“Give them a little discretion here, particularly at the lower ends,” Netherton said. “They know what’s going on there and they know when a mask needs to come off. I don’t think we need to get into it has to be a plastic mask or a plastic shield because then we’re getting into things we don’t have any control over.”

Vice Chairman Tom Inman said the board needs to be flexible with the mask decision.

“If it doesn’t work, we need to come back and fit it quickly,” Inman said.

The board help a separate vote on whether employees should wear masks. More board members voted against that resolution, but it passed.

The board considered delaying the August 5 opening to ensure time for parents and teachers to get trained for virtual learning. A several week delay or even opening schools after Labor Day were discussed.

“I’m not certain that we can accomplish this successfully by August 5th,” Chair Teresa Boston said. “I do not want to extend it out past Labor Day. I do want to give our teachers, the parents and the students who choose to do virtual the opportunity to be prepared.”

Several members said delaying the opening would simply give people the chance to postpone the preparations further. Other members said it would be better to use the time in August as a chance to learn and get up to speed. In that way, the flaws would be cleared up when students return after Labor Day.