COVID-19 School Closure

UPDATES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

On Wednesday, March 25, city and county leaders announced a “stay at home” order for Guilford County, effective Friday at 5 p.m. This means that GCS schools and buildings will be closed to the public and most employees will continue to work from home. You can still reach schools and offices by phone. If you leave a voice message, we will return the call as quickly as possible.

You can also reach your child’s teacher by email, and those addresses are listed on each school’s website under the Staff section. We will continue meal distribution throughout the closure, and you can find a list of those locations and other relevant information on our website at gcsnc.com. Thank you for all the work you are doing to support your child’s learning from home.

UPDATES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 23

Today, the governor announced that public schools would remain closed to students through May 15. We already miss our students, and this announcement is hard to hear, but we know it is in the best interest of the public, including our students and staff. In the meantime, students please continue to log on to Canvas to complete the assignments provided by your teachers. If you are still in need of a device, we will do our best to provide one. As a reminder, we will not be taking attendance or issuing grades this week. We know that online learning is no substitute for a classroom instruction, but it will help ensure that students are ready to learn when they return. Thank you for all you are doing for your child.

Internet Access/Connectivity

We know internet connectivity remains a problem. In the meantime, students can access the internet from eight school parking lots with outdoor hotspots:

• Herbin-Metz Education Center
• Hunter Elementary
• Jamestown Middle
• Christine Joyner Greene Education Center
• McNair Elementary
• Simkins Elementary
• Western Middle
• Eastern High
• Wiley Elementary (new!)

UPDATES FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 20

Teacher-created lessons will be available for students starting Monday, March 23, through Canvas, an online learning platform. Students are encouraged to log on each day to access materials, get assignments and connect with their teachers. Instructions for parents and students are posted on our website at www.gcsnc.com. We do ask for your patience for any delays you may experience, as thousands will start logging on simultaneously.

At this time, teachers will not issue grades or take attendance through Canvas. These lessons will help students stay on track academically so they will be prepared to continue learning.

We understand that not all parents have access to a learning-appropriate device such as a tablet, laptop or desktop computer. If your child needs a device, please let the school know. Thank you for supporting your child’s continued learning.

UPDATES FOR WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18

Starting Monday, students will be able to access teacher-created lessons via Canvas, an online learning platform. As a parent, you can monitor your student’s progress using a mobile app. Information about how to download and use the parent app, as well as information on how students can access Canvas, is now available on our website, www.gcsnc.com. If students need login assistance, they may email their teacher for support. Teacher email addresses can be found under the Staff link on the school's webpage. If you haven’t already, you may also pick up additional instructional materials from your child’s school between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If you need access to a device, please let the school know. 

UPDATES FOR MONDAY, MARCH 16: 

Beginning on Wednesday, March 18, the district is setting up grab-and-go sites for food distribution across the county for any children ages 0 – 18. Children will be able to pick up meals Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the sites. Students will pick up their lunch for the day, and breakfast for the following morning. 

GCS also started delivering meals to our most vulnerable students today, including those that are homeless or in transition. Delivery to these students will continues for at least the next two weeks. 

“Although school is not in session, the need for nourishment persists,” said Guilford County Schools Superintendent Sharon L. Contreras. “We must do everything in our power to ensure no child goes hungry.”

The grab-and-go sites are as follows: