CMS in NC cancels competitions and school performances amid coronavirus concerns

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will suspend all competitions and school-based performances after Friday, the district said in a letter sent to principals and staff. School-based events that happen before or after regular hours will also be halted, the district said.

The news restrictions comes after Mecklenburg County saw two people test presumptive positive for COVID-19. In a Thursday morning press conference, Superintendent Earnest Winston said that CMS schools would remain open. The decision to close schools would come from the county and the health department, he said.

“We certainly have not approached that point,” he said. “There’s no recommendation that schools close, but we continue to work through our plan.”

The restrictions are the latest measures taken by the school district to slow down the spread of the novel coronavirus. On Tuesday, CMS canceled district-sponsored field trips, with an exception for competitions like band, chorus and athletics.

Earlier Thursday, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association suspended athletics from Friday through April 6. In the letter to staff, CMS said it would follow similar guidelines for younger grades, canceling practices and games for all athletic teams indefinitely.

Before- and after- school enrichment programs will continue, the district said, and offsite professional development for staff will move to a virtual platform.

In addition, the district said it would cancel a number of community events to be hosted in schools, including the CMS Career Fair, town hall meetings, and community use of schools events. Community use of schools partners will be credited or refunded, the district said.

As of Thursday evening, North Carolina had at least 16 cases of COVID-19, an increase from the nine reported through Wednesday. The new cases were reported in Wake, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Forsyth and Johnston counties. A Durham County resident who tested positive and is now outside North Carolina is being counted among North Carolina’s cases.

This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 7:47 PM.