Morganton, NC – Friday, Aug. 26, 2022
As we prepare to welcome students back to class on Monday, Aug. 29, we have compiled a list that will help you and your family navigate a new school year.
1. Burke County Public Schools officially launched “Our All-in Promise 2023-2028 District Strategic Plan” over the summer. It focuses on people and relationships, academic opportunities for all, all around well-being and all schools connected to the community.
2. School safety remains a top priority for Burke County Public Schools. Here are a few examples:
- The Superintendent’s Safety Council continues to meet on a regular basis
- We teamed up with law enforcement as they conducted active shooter drills, and 125 staff and faculty members participated in the training
- We have had our first round of stop-the-bleed training
- We continue to make improvements behind the scenes that focus on school safety
We encourage all parents, students and staff to report concerning actions or behaviors. The “Say Something” app is our anonymous reporting system and can be accessed via this link: https://www.sandyhookpromise.org/say-something-tips/
3. The Burke County Board of Education adopted a new cell phone policy for the 2022-23 school year. Student cell phones are not allowed in classrooms during instruction time, unless they are being used for instructional purposes. The new policy gives teachers authority to confiscate cell phones and turn them over to parents at the end of the school day. Subsequent violations of the policy will lead to parent conferences, a loss of the privilege to bring cell phones to school and suspensions.
4. Breakfast is free for all students. Lunch is free for those who qualify for free and reduced meals. Fill out free and reduced lunch forms at www.burke.k12.nc.us.
5. Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 still have to stay home for 5 days. Once they return to school, masks are required for days 6-10. Students and staff should inform their individual school of their positive case so that their absences can be recorded correctly.
6. School attendance is a priority for the new school year. We want every student to be present every day, unless they are sick. We ask parents when possible to make every effort to schedule vacations and appointments on non-school days and during non-school hours. Students learn best when they are in school with their teachers and classmates.
7. Students should bring their devices to school each day, fully charged, and be ready to learn.
8. Burke County Public Schools will use GoGuardian to help keep students safer online. The service will help protect students against harmful and inappropriate online material, help them stay more focused when learning online, help assess students’ progress towards class assignments and facilitate communication between teachers and students during class time. Students are asked to use their school-managed Google accounts and school-managed devices for educational purposes within the boundaries of Burke County Public Schools Responsible Use Policy (3225).
9. Burke County Public Schools has a goal of putting a certified classroom teacher in front of every classroom on the first day of school. Our Human Resources Department has been working hard to make this happen and as of three days before the start of school, only three teaching positions remained open. The need for bus drivers, however, remains. While current staff is available to drive bus routes on occasion, pulling staff from their main duties can impact instruction time. If you are interested in becoming a bus driver, call the bus garage at 828-437-4770.
10. Students will continue to receive weekly social and emotional lessons throughout the year, and partnerships with the YMCA Catawba Valley and NC Education Corps to provide tutoring opportunities for students will assist us in continuing to keep student learning on track.