03/28/2024
Spread the love

Bladen County has two public charter schools located in Elizabethtown. Emereau:Bladen and The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy. Both schools have released statements in regards to the start of the 2020-2021 school year. 

Emereau: Bladen Plans-

Emereau: Bladen Board of Directors met on Tuesday evening for a regularly scheduled meeting. Elizabeth Cole, Executive Director at Emereau: Bladen Charter School, released the following information after the meeting regarding the start of Emereau: Bladen’s 2020-2021 school year.

She stated, “Based on Governor Cooper’s Order to reduce capacity in buildings and on buses, the Board voted to offer the following options for the start of the school year 2020- 2021. This decision was made based on requirements from the Governor and NCDPI for all public schools, while also keeping in mind the health and well-being of staff and students.”

The options are as follows: Option 1 – reduces capacity as required and will also allow students some face to face instruction with an alternating schedule. Students assigned to schedule “A” will attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays while students assigned to schedule “B” will attend face to face in school on Thursdays and Fridays. All students will receive remote learning on Wednesdays which will allow the building to be cleaned between groups “A” and “B“of students. This option allows every student the opportunity to have two days of face to face in school instruction, along with at home instruction time. Hopefully this will reduce the spread of COVID-19.

On Friday Cole sent more information regarding the new school year plan to further explain the schools opening plans. 

Option 1:

Group A: Students will attend face to face in school instruction Monday and Tuesday; Remote learning with live streaming on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

Group B: Students will receive remote learning with live streaming on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and then attend face to face in person instruction on Thursday and Friday. 

Option 2:
Parents can choose Schedule C: 100%  Remote learning with live streaming and no face to face in person instruction. Schedule C/ remote learning means students will not report to campus.
All options will require student learning five days a week. Cole said, “We are still having school five days per week and attendance is critical. Attendance will be taken daily.”

Cole continued to explain, “Families can choose Option 2.”

She added, School personnel will be working diligently to schedule students and keep siblings on the same rotation. Assignments for rotations will also be made with transportation in mind and limiting students on the bus. We strongly encourage students to ride in cars to school if at all possible. This will also help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

She added, “Bus service will be provided to those that have no other transportation. School personnel will be contacting families regarding rotations and requests for remote learning. The Board of Directors also approved funding to increase and enhance technology at Emereau so that live streaming and accessibility to the classroom is possible during remote learning. Please keep in mind that teachers will be provided professional development, and remote learning will be more enhanced and interactive than it was during the emergency closure. We know that many of you have concerns and questions.”

In closing she said, “This is a new journey for us all. We will try to post information as quickly as we can so you can plan accordingly. Please know that we will always follow the guidance from NC officials, and this plan will be evaluated regularly. Ultimately we want to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that our Aviators can return to our campus 100%!”

The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy (PBLA) Plans-

Paul Brown Leadership Academy

Carl T, Lloyd, LTC, NC, Commandant of Cadets with PBLA released the following statement to PBLA Parents and Cadets.

He stated, “We are about to start another school year. Granted this school year will look differently than what we had hoped for. This is a direct result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Academy has spoken with other school districts, health care officials, our parents, and our Cadets. We have had to make the decision on what academics will look like at The Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy during the 2020-2021 academic year.”

He continued, “We must consider the safety of our Cadets, their families, our faculty, and staff. With all of that being said we have come up with two plans on how to serve the needs of our Cadets. We hope that this will help you as families with your planning for the 2020-2021 academic year. The plans presented are guidelines that are subject to change based on the status and severity of COVID-19 in our area, and state and public health requirements.”

All Cadets will return to school virtually on August 3. On 1 September parents will be given two learning options for our Cadets:

Option 1. We will offer 100% virtual learning. These cadets will attend school virtually on Mondays through Fridays. This year Cadets will be issued a Chromebook. Any Cadet that participates in virtual learning and does not have adequate at-home internet access will be provided take-home Cadet work packets from the Academy like what was offered in the spring.

Virtual accommodations will be made for our exceptional children and special needs population. 

 Commandant of Cadets Lloyd stated, “While we do not have the specific details yet of those accommodations, our Exceptional Children department is working committed to identify the best plan for instructional delivery and learning.”

Option 2. Hybrid instruction will begin on 1 September. Returning Cadets will alternate attendance on and A & B schedule. Cadets will attend class virtually on the days they are home. Cadets will log in every period. Any Cadet that does not have adequate at-home internet access will be provided take-home Cadet work packets from the Academy for the next class day.

All Cadets will wear the uniform of the day to each Zoom Class period. All Cadets will use live video during the Virtual Class Period. New recruits starting on 1 AUG will be put on a bus schedule to come to school to pick up their uniforms. Returning Cadets will coordinate with the Commandant on exchanging uniforms that are too small. Cadets will adhere to grooming standards even though we are going to be on a virtual platform to start the year. 

In closing, he stated, “If you have any questions, I can be reached via email at clloyd@prbla.org.”

https://youtu.be/_DEM4FmZZNc

About Author