WELDON, N.C. — The first month of school is nearly in the books.
What You Need To Know
Weldon City Schools returned August 15
The administration granted access inside classrooms to see safety protocols during the first two weeks of classes.
Masks are optional
The Testing Facilitator lost his grandfather to COVID-19
The return to classes has a few makeovers because responding to COVID-19 looks differently compared to last year.
The administration of the Weldon City Schools recently invited Spectrum News 1 into some of their classrooms at Weldon Elementary Global Academy.
Slow and steady is the formula behind April Allen’s lesson plans during the first two weeks of school. Allen is teaching first-grade students in her first year as a teacher in the district.
“What sound does M make?” The new hire asks as the children attempt to sound out words. The transition out of kindergarten includes a review of the basics.
“Mmmmm”, one of the students said. Allen repeated the sound back to the students but was interrupted by a cough.
“Cover your mouth, baby,” she said.
Safety is part of their education. Most students wore masks even though it’s optional. School policy is to allow parents the choice to opt-in.
Boxes of masks are available in every class. Ensuring every child is in good health is Isaac Miller's job.
“Over here we have Lysol,” Miller said.
The 26-year-old coordinates testing and personal protective equipment for the school district. Stacks of supplies like disinfectant spray, hand towels, gloves, KN95 masking and industrial sized bottles of hand sanitizer sat in a room at the elementary school. He orders all of it.
“Oh I love it. It’s really good, and it makes me feel good,” he said.
He has found his role to be a fulfillment and a relief on gloomy days.
“It can definitely be very brightening to my day. Anybody can be having a bad day and just seeing these children perks me right back up,” Miller said.
Miller took this position for a reason. His grandfather, Melvin McWiliams, died of COVID-19. His grandfather was buried last September, a few days before he became the COVID-19 testing facilitator for Weldon City Schools. Miller said Mako Medical actually conducts the testing.
"Seeing the effects of COVID-19, more specifically the Delta variant, up close and personal having taken a loved one from me. (It) gave me a mental and physical drive to do what is best for the community and for the sake of these children and knowing the severity,” he said.
McWilliams was vaccinated but had an underlying condition: COPD.
Each Monday, he travels to all four schools in the district for testing: the Roanoke Valley Early College, Weldon Middle School, Weldon Stem High School Academies and the elementary school. Miller said each test is done in a secure, private area.
Miller tracks how much PPE each school needs.
Sometimes he even designs ways to keep the children safer. Paper cup dispensers were installed at water fountains throughout the elementary school. The concept is to keep little ones from swapping viruses on shared surfaces.
“This was to prevent the children from putting their mouths to the mouthpiece,” he said after he drank a cup of water.
Miller said when he has an idea his bosses listen.
The superintendent, Dannie Williams, views Miller as an asset.
“That is beautiful to have you to be a part of that to keep us informed,” Williams said to Miller in the hallway.
This is Williams' first time being superintendent of any school district.
“Superintendents, you see, we tend to think that you have that awesome responsibility on your shoulder to ensure that we are doing all the right things to keep everyone safe and healthy,” Williams said.
The new leader of the school system entered the cafeteria during the lunch hour. He said this is one of the times in the day when people unmask and let their guards down.
Williams waves and smiles when he catches someone’s attention. He said feeling welcome and safe is as important as what’s protecting their faces.
“It’s so wonderful to see all these young people so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” Williams said.
He said he started his academic career as a bus driver then became a teaching assistant. That’s when his passion for education was born.
“Believe it or not, young people take on that responsibility better than you would think,” Williams said.
The school day is a marathon, not a sprint, for this young-at-heart 64-year-old.
He walked out of the lunchroom into the corridor. Williams had one more stop. He stepped up to the door of another classroom. He pressed his glasses against the glass to look. Then Williams knocked.
“Good morning,” Williams said.
Most of the students had no clue who he is.
“For those of you who don’t know. I’m your superintendent,” Williams said.
Curious eyes fixated on Williams as he strolled into the room in a full suit.
As much as students were consumed with his appearance, they were more focused on water coloring.
“You have a lot of mountains in that one and the sun is setting behind it. That’s neat,” Williams said as he bent down to watch a kid painting.
He feels at home in a classroom. Williams is by nature a people person. Prior to becoming the superintendent, he was the executive director of human resources at the Scotland County School District.
“The rest is history. I just fell in love with it. Wanted to make things better for children as it was provided for me as a child,” he said.
His background helps him bring them on board with their safety protocols. He said the more you know, the farther you will go.
"I just wanted to show them this is a vehicle to get them from one point to a point of success in life,” Williams said.
For now getting from A to B means staying healthy — no matter if you prefer coloring in or outside the lines.
“No one knows where the road will lead them if they just take advantage of where they are," he said.
The North Carolina Department of Instruction doesn’t require masks any longer on school grounds.
For those who opt-in at WCS, masks come off during the lunch hour.