At 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, 2020, Governor Cooper issued an executive order to close all North Carolina schools for at least two weeks beginning Monday, March 16, 2020.  In Haywood County Schools, we began making preparations for such a closure some time ago.   We are concerned that we may be closing prematurely since there are no known cases in Haywood County.  We are fearful that our local cases will peak later this spring causing extended time out of school for our students.  With that said, we respect the governor’s decision and trust he, public health officials, and other state-level decision makers are making the best possible decision in a very difficult situation.

We will communicate with our staff members tonight via email.  We will meet with principals on Monday, March 16, 2020 to update them on our plans.  Tentative guidance is as follows:

  • Superintendent Nolte will meet with available members of the district-level Collaborative Leadership Team (CLT) at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday at the Central Office.
  • Principals are asked to:  (1) meet with teachers and other instructional support staff members first thing on Monday morning (2) review the instructional information we provided to principals on Friday (3) ask teachers and others to begin working on instructional support while school is closed and (4) attend the administrative meeting at the Education Center at 10:00 a.m.
  • District level administrative staff will meet at the Central Office at 8:15 on Monday.
  • Full-time 10 month, 11 month, and 12 month employees should report to work on Monday.  At this point, the closure days will be considered Work Days.  Full-time employees should work accordingly until further guidance is issued.  We will provide information at a later date to clarify days that are optional or mandatory.
  • We will also provide future guidance on:
    • Part-time employees
    • Availability of meals for appropriate students
    • And other matters

This is an evolving situation.  We will continue to release information for students, staff, and parents as appropriate.  Please remember to use universal precautions:

  • Frequently wash your hands
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with tissue and throw the tissue in the trash
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces with an appropriate disinfectant
  • If you become ill, stay home and seek medical care

This link (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina) provides the latest state updates on COVID-19.  It contains a wealth of information for people interested in COVID-19.  You can also call 866-462-3821 for additional information.

Contact:  Dr. Bill Nolte, Superintendent