By: Emma Johnson
December 17, 2020
An unprecedented semester is coming to a close, wrapping up a demonstration of the chaos, struggle, and enduring spirit of New Hanover County faculty and students. As COVID-19 cases have increased as of early this month (per New Hanover County Health Department data), school board members were reluctant to make decisions to send children back into schools.
Though there were objections and hesitations, the school board eventually voted to reopen preK-5 schools for five-day weeks as of January 18. This decision correlated with the county commissioners urging earlier this month for New Hanover county to follow Brunswick and Pender’s precedent and reopen preK-5 schools.
On Saturday, December 12, Superintendent Dr. Foust proposed submitting a federal waiver to exempt New Hanover County from the state rule that state exams must contribute to 20% of the final grade, considering the instruction that has been missed this semester and instability of the learning environments. Meeting agenda here.
In addition to plentiful student testimony, county data shows testifies to the shortfalls of online learning. Failing rates (percentage of students failing more than one class) have increased in traditional public high schools to rates between 19 and 39 percent. At Hoggard, that figure is 32%, or 692 out of 2149 students. According to the Director of Secondary Education, Mr. O'Briant, that figure for the first grading period county-wide is also 32%, compared to the 2019-2020's failure rate of 16%. Theoretically, this increase stems from the academic/social weaknesses of online learning and/or decreased student engagement. The county’s decision to send elementary school students back in-person indicates a desire to return to traditional instruction. New Hanover County middle and high schools will remain in plan B as of the beginning of the Spring Semester.
Sources:
McGee, Kendell. "Superintendents push to overturn rule mandating state exams account for 20 percent of final grade." WECT News 6, Dec 14, 2020, https://www.wect.com/2020/12/14/superintendents-push-overturn-rule-mandating-state-exams-account-percent-final-grade/ . Accessed 15 December 2020
Haynes, Johnathan. "'Students need to be in school': New Hanover County Commissioners urge reopening." StarNews Online, Dec 8, 2020, https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/2020/12/08/new-hanover-recommends-school-reopening-pre-k-5-students/6494897002/. Accessed 15 December 2020
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