CMS superintendent Wilcox designates Wednesday May 1 as optional teacher workday across district

CMS Superintendent Clayton Wilcox has designated Wednesday, May 1 as an optional teacher workday for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Superintendent Wilcox has waived attendance requirements on May 1 for all students. No make-up day is needed or will be scheduled. These decisions were made in collaboration with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education. Wilcox said “the powerful voices of educators change student lives every day in classrooms across our community. Together, their collective voice will change communities across our state on May 1 as they advocate for investments in public education that matter most to our students and their futures.” “Teachers and educators in this district are taking their own personal-leave days to join their colleagues in Raleigh on May 1,” Dr. Wilcox said. “The current count of teacher and staff absences is nearing 2,000 total. We expect the number of our educators participating in the May 1 rally to increase as the day draws closer. The safety, security and quality of teaching and learning are top priorities for CMS because these are fundamental expectations shared by our community’s students, families and staff every day. At this time, we cannot guarantee sufficient substitute-teacher capacity to ensure these priorities and this decision is based on those considerations.” Dr. Wilcox said he recognizes the decision will have impact on employees, families and the community. “About 3,000 CMS employees including bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodial staff are paid an hourly rate. Closing schools is no small matter and we are all mindful of these impacts to our dedicated employees,” he said. Guidance for CMS employees is being provided by CMS HR to all employees. Closing schools also affects working parents, he said, and the district will also seek to lighten the impact on them. “CMS will be working to ease the burden of a closed-school day,” he said. “We may not be able to fulfill all needs, but we will do our best in this community to collaborate and coordinate with area partners to support our families.” The May 1 rally is an opportunity for teaching and learning, he said. Superintendent Wilcox also announced that no make-up day for May 1 will be scheduled and the day will be waived. “I know our colleagues participating in the May 1 rally will exercise their rights to expression in full awareness that dignity and respect are lessons learned by example for our students. Investments in education yield students who take these lessons forward into life as citizens who participate fully in our communities.” CMS provided further details related to the May 1 optional teacher workday. CMS employees CMS employees will be provided detailed guidance from CMS HR. ASEP After School Enrichment Programs (ASEP) at all CMS schools are cancelled for May 1. Field trips Parents, families and students should check on the status of field trips scheduled for May 1 with their designated school and field trip leaders. Decisions on field trip cancellations or for plans to remain in place will be based on availability of staff for supervision and safety. Testing all classroom tests will be re-scheduled. No AP or IB tests are scheduled for May 1. Athletics High school athletic events will take place as scheduled on May 1, including: • Baseball - conference tournaments • Softball - conference tournaments • Women’s soccer - full slate of regular season matches • Track & field - conference tournaments • Men’s tennis - first round of NCHSAA play-offs • Lacrosse - first round of NCHSAA play-offs Middle school athletic events are cancelled for May 1 and will be rescheduled to Monday, May 13, including baseball and boys and girls soccer.