Thousands of NC year-round students return to school with changes in place

It's the first day of the new school year for thousands of year-round students are heading back to class Monday in Durham and Cumberland counties.

There are five year-round schools in Durham County and four in Cumberland County.

A few big changes are in place at Durham Public Schools, including a new, more inclusive dress code that allows halter tops and other clothing. Students still cannot wear clothing with profanity or violence.

The new code would instruct staff to discuss any violations with another adult present, and prohibit speaking about that violation in front of other students.

In Cumberland County, students at schools that use school uniforms will not be required to wear uniforms for the beginning of the 2022-23 school year due to a supply shortage. Parents can still send students to school in uniforms, but there will be no penalty for not wearing a uniform.

A new bell schedule was approved by the DPS Board of Education, creating an earlier start times for most elementary schools. Openings will be set at 7:45 a.m. (elementary schools), 8:30 a.m. (middle schools) and 9:15 a.m. (high schools).

Durham's secondary schools (grades 6-12 at Durham School of the Arts, and The School for Creative Studies) will be on the same schedule as middle schools, with openings set at 8:30 a.m.