Roanoke County school’s Chinese campus working to educate despite coronavirus

Distance learning is making a difference for students

ROANOKE, Va. – The coronavirus is spreading, despite attempts to keep people quarantined and it’s having an impact on schools as well.

North Cross School, in Roanoke County, operates a school in China, North Cross-Xinhe.

Recommended Videos



North Cross provides the teachers and curriculum and gets paid royalties in return.

Head of School Dr. Chris Proctor said the school has not shut down, rather it’s moved to distance learning.

The school is still open, but students are not attending class in person. They are using video conferencing software to teach classes daily. Each teacher has a Zoom Meeting subscription and students log on to watch their teachers teach from laptops.

Proctor said kids can still ask questions.

“It’s working out better than we expected. It’s still not as good as being in the classroom” said Proctor.

The Chinese government has stopped all schools from meeting until March 1, but Proctor assumes that date could be extended as concerns surrounding the coronavirus continue.

North Cross School has about 20 students from China, Vietnam and across the United States who live in downtown Roanoke.

10 News previously reported on the Chinese school in 2016.


About the Author:

You can see Jenna weekday mornings at the anchor desk on WSLS 10 Today from 5-7 a.m. She also leads our monthly Solutionaries Series, where we highlight the creative thinkers and doers working to make the world a better place.