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Guilford County Schools Plan Extra Programs, More Teachers For Reentry

Guilford County Schools Superintendent Sharon Contreras talks about the district's plan to slowly bring back students during a Zoom media event on December 7, 2020. Screenshot: KERI BROWN/WFDD

School leaders in Guilford County are looking ahead at new programs to help with the gradual reentry of students. 

Guilford County Schools is working on a tutoring program that would pair kids with college students and recent graduates. Summer programming is also on the list to address learning loss and achievement gaps during the pandemic.

The district will begin using a new testing assessment tool this month to help identify areas where students need the most help.

Superintendent Sharon Contreras says as they bring back more kids, they'll need additional teachers to juggle social distancing and other safety protocols.

“We can't have 24 or 30 students in a classroom," says Contreras. "So we have advertised and we are offering up to $30,000 bonuses out of Cares Act funding for teachers to come to the district, if they have highly effective data in the state showing they are a top teacher."

Contreras says the district plans to hire 40 teachers over the next few months to fill vacancies in elementary and select secondary mathematics positions.

Bus drivers and other staff may also be needed, but that will be determined at a later date. As of now, Pre-K through 2nd grade, as well as some exceptional students, have returned for in-person learning.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

Follow WFDD's  Keri Brown on twitter @kerib_news

 

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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