First Day For CMS Students: A Smooth Start, But With A Few Challenges

CHARLOTTE, NC. — A smooth start, but with a few challenges. At least that’s what Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent is calling the first day of school.

A faulty fire alarm briefly interrupted classes at Parkside Elementary. A minor school bus accident Monday morning, when a motorcycle ran into the back of the bus on Albemarle Road with no injuries. Then some buses delayed dropping off students.

Superintendent Earnest Winston says there was a teacher in every classroom and a bus driver on every bus. The district is trying to fill 39 bus driver openings and 73 teacher positions.

The district says there is a class of bus drivers who just started training today, so that will lessen the number of vacancies.

The new superintendent says a thousand employees are still waiting for results of fingerprint checks. 3,500 new hires were not fingerprinted under the previous superintendent.

The district is also rolling out new security efforts:
-crisis alert system and panic cards.
– safety screenings at all high schools and some middle schools.
– active survival training for all employees.