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Cohort Update From WS/FCS
February 24, 2021 - Yesterday evening WS/FCS Board members were given an update on the district’s ongoing efforts surrounding COVID-19. Superintendent Tricia McManus presented plans to increase the number of days students are in school buildings.
The board approved the recommendations which include a reduction in the number of student cohorts to allow for more days of in-person instruction. The plans will be implemented in March.
On March 8, 4th grade cohorts will be eliminated allowing students to attend four days per week. On March 15, 5th grade cohorts would be discontinued and allow students to attend four days per week. That same day, 4 cohort middle schools will shift to 2 cohorts, as long as 6 ft. social distancing can be adhered to in classrooms.
Also, on March 15, the district will begin working with exceptional students that have IEPs and 504 plans to offer in-person learning to middle and high school students four days per week.Administrators will also analyze high school data and bring an update and possible recommendation to the March 16 COVID Committee Meeting. Any change would be approved at the March 23 meeting.
WS/FCS Employee COVID-19 Vaccination
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WS/FCS 10–12 Graders Begin the Return to In-Person Learning: A Look at Carver High School
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Open Book February 2021
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Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools & Novant Covid Vaccinations
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COVID's Impact on Parents and Children: How to meet more of everyone's needs
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, WS/FCS hosted a townhall style meeting with Dr. Linda Nicolotti and Dr. Sebastian Kaplan of Wake Forest Baptist Health. The goal was to offer advice or students, parents, and staff about how to deal with the social and emotional impacts of COVID-19. Their collaboration for this talk originated out of interest expressed by the Women in Medicine and Science group at Wake Forest School of Medicine, who asked about COVID resources related to children and parenting. Drs. Nicolotti and Kaplan were part of a planning meeting and agreed to collaborate on presentations. Please use this link to watch their presentations and find more resources on this important topic.
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Proper Cleaning of Schools and Facilities
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Wear Your Mask & Protect Your Friends
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Covid-19 Dashboard
As we start 2021, we have updated our COVID-19 dashboard. On Monday, January 11, this dashboard was updated to reflect current reported confirmed cases we have been made aware of. This will be the place to look for general positive case information related to your school or office.
Current reported confirmed cases are defined as cases that indicate a lab result confirming the diagnosis. For them to be considered current the individual will be within their 10 day isolation period. Once this period has concluded, the case will be removed from the dashboard based on the NC StrongSchools Toolkit guidance. Isolation periods begin the day after the reported symptoms start of if no symptoms, the reported date of the test.
Beginning this semester, our contact tracing team’s full attention on Close Contacts is our primary focus. Those deemed as Close Contacts will receive individual contact from our contact tracing team. We will discontinue general notification about a positive case in a school or location as that will be posted on this dashboard. We will concentrate on making sure those that are Close Contacts are informed and have information on the next steps. Click here for the CDC's current definition of a Close Contact.
The dashboard will be updated by 5 p.m. each weekday (excluding holidays). The weekend data will be reflected on Mondays and the holiday data will be reflected on the first day the district is open after the holiday. Reported cases are to remain isolated until medically released by Public Health Officials. The dashboard is best viewed in Chrome or Firefox browsers.
2/12/2021 - Dashboard Update - In an effort to continually improve our processes, simplfy our reporting and provide clear, transparent information, we have made a few updates to the Dashboard. Thanks to some valuable feedback we have worked to make the Daily Case Count Graph easier to understand. Please note that the graph is a look into newly reported, confirmed cases that are reported to the district on the day reflected. Monday will always seem higher as it also includes cases reported to us over the weekend.
Frequently-Asked Questions
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What is the schedule for 4th and 5th grade students returning to the classroom four days a week?
Following recent updates to state guidance, 4th and 5th grade students will return to the classroom four days a week instead of being in cohorts.
Monday, March 8: 4th grade students return to four days of in-person learning.
Monday, March 15: 5th grade students return to four days of in-person learning.
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Why are 4th and 5th grade students going back four days a week instead of staying in cohorts?
The StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit recently updated its guidance for students in grades K-5 to return to in-person instruction to the fullest extent possible.
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Can each school decide whether or not to bring back their 4th and 5th graders?
No, this decision is uniformly for all WS/FCS elementary schools. We are following state guidance as outlined in the StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit.
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Can my 4th or 5th grader stay remote?
Yes, absolutely. Every student has the option of remaining remote.
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Will it just be 4th and 5th graders who will not be required 6 feet of social distance in the classroom?
With the return of 4th and 5th graders to four days a week in the classroom, our elementary schools will have all grades back in person four days a week. We will continue with our robust mitigation strategies including universal masking, transportation protocols, daily student screening, handwashing and other sanitation procedures, student & family education, air quality improvements, contact tracing and physical changes to our classrooms and school common areas. All common areas such as lobbies, hallways, cafeterias and bathrooms will continue with markings to maintain 6 feet to social distance. The only change will be in the classrooms for all K-5 students. The StrongSchoolsNC Toolkit does not require 6 feet of distancing so instead, we will continue placing student desks as far apart as possible.
News You Can Use



Latest News Updates
Manuals & Guidebooks
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Guidebook for Families - English
Our Safe Return Guidebook for Families—in both English and Spanish—is designed to provide you with critical information so that together we can provide the best possible experience for our students.
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Guidebook for Families - Spanish
Our Safe Return Guidebook for Families—in both English and Spanish—is designed to provide you with critical information so that together we can provide the best possible experience for our students.
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Reopening Manual - English
Our Reopening Manual provides guidance and clarity to staff of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) on all things COVID-19 related. While each school within WS/FCS is unique and will require specific needs, this manual is designed to lay the foundation for process and protocols to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, students, and visitors as we plan the reopening of our schools.
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Reopening Manual - Spanish
Our Reopening Manual provides guidance and clarity to staff of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (WS/FCS) on all things COVID-19 related. While each school within WS/FCS is unique and will require specific needs, this manual is designed to lay the foundation for process and protocols to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, students, and visitors as we plan the reopening of our schools.
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WS/FCS Equity Statement
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Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is committed to creating equitable learning environments for all students, developing collaborative partnerships with families and stakeholders who represent our diverse community, ensuring equitable distribution of services and resources, and building a culture of equity that will improve the life chances of all students.