NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk Public Schools district is hoping to welcome back students sooner than initially planned.
School board members on Wednesday night approved changes to the return-to-school plan that helps determine the timeline for when campuses can reopen.
Students will still be learning remotely for the time being.
However, the district will now just be looking at three core metrics to decide when schools can reopen instead of core and secondary metrics as originally planned.
According to the CDC’s guidance, school districts don’t need to use those secondary metrics when planning a reopening timeline.
“In-person learning is long overdue,” said board member Christine Smith. “We need to get the students back in the building as quickly as possible.”
The district will also begin phasing-in students when COVID-19 cases and percent positivity rates are in the moderate risk levels.
With a vaccine now on the market and more information available, the board said it sees a promising path forward.
“I think we can still be safe and at any point in time, I know that members of this board are always willing to come back to the table if we need to reconsider,” said Dr. Noelle Gabriel, another board member.
Finally, the board is allowing the NPS administration to decide the transition time between each group of students that are phased in.
Originally the transition time in between phases was three weeks. The board said it has confidence that Superintendent Dr. Sharon Byrdsong and her team will bring students back as quickly and efficiently as possible.
“The metrics will determine when we transition students back into schools,” Byrdsong said.
Right now, there is no tentative date to reopen. They’ll monitor those numbers over the break and discuss the issue again at their January meeting.