Guilford County public schools and public schools all over the state will be closed for a minimum of two weeks beginning on Monday, March 16.
Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order on Saturday, March 14, directing all K-12 public schools to close beginning Monday, March 16, for a minimum of two weeks.
The Guilford County Schools (GCS) website, https://www.gcsnc.com, under the heading “Important Message Schools Closed March 16” states:
“GCS will be closed to students for at least two weeks from Monday, March 16 to Friday, March 27, as instructed by Governor Roy Cooper. Schools will be open Monday for students to pick up books, bookbags, medicine and personal items. However, please check the district website for additional details as we cannot have more than 100 people at a time. We are still working out details regarding online learning and will have information for you by the end of the week. We plan to update the website daily by 7 p.m.; however, please understand that this situation is fluid and may have to change. Thank you.”
Superintendent of Guilford Schools Sharon Contreras held a press conference on Saturday, March 14 to explain what the schools know about how this unprecedented action will work in Guilford County.
Contreras noted that although schools will be closed to students on Monday, March 16, it is a mandatory teacher work day for GCS staff, except those already on leave and those who are considered at high risk for contracting the COVID-19 virus.
Contreras said the closure “includes all before and after school programming and community facility use.”
She added, “GCS is developing plans to provide breakfast and lunch to students who qualify for free and or reduced price options.”
Contreras said that GCS was considering a number of options including using school busses to deliver the meals and that the schools were working with Greensboro, High Point and Guilford County on how to provide meals to the students during the period that schools are closed.
Contreras made it clear that the plans are not currently in place but that GCS would be communicating with students, parents and staff as soon as those decisions were made.
