Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[SaintsManiac]

To be honest, this issue has always disgusted me even before COVID. Sadly, parents send their kids to school and daycare when they are sick. Parents will give the child ibupropen and send them into school, just so they can go to work. Sadly, they will do the same with Covid. Don't know any way around that when people are selfish!

Some people get fired if they don’t come to work. Not excusing them, just offering explanation. I’m lucky I had employers who allowed sick days.

 

[cjlong88]

Not sure if it's been said here. Minnesota Department of Education will release their guidelines on July 30th. My district has already sent surveys to teachers about 3 hybrid model options. They are really trying to give us as many feasible options as possible. I commend them for the ingenuity. Once my school district announces our plan, I will be scrambling like crazy to get ready for the fall.

Selfishly, I want in-person learning. I want my normal routine. I want to see my kids. I want to make music with them. For safety, however, we should definitely start with distance learning until the spread of the virus is significantly lower, then move to a hybrid model before going back to a normal routine. Realistically, I think a hybrid model is a good balance with my community specifically. We shall see.

 

[SamFaniam]

Did anyone see Dr. Fauci at the baseball game in the stand with NO mask on? One woman next to him had no mask on either (assuming it was his wife) but there was an elderly man right next to him with a mask on. Does this elderly man live in the same household as Dr. Fauci??? If not, he should of kept his mask on. They were shoulder to shoulder. What kind of example is he? AND no he was not drinking something. The picture I saw he had nothing in his hands and his hands crossed together. Terrible example!

He did have a mask on, it was lowered in the image. There is clearly a bottle of water in front of him. He was asked about this on Fox news and stated that the two people were his wife and a close friend that he works with. He also said it was very hot and that he was drinking to prevent dehydration.

 

[JM23457]

Even if this lasts two years, we will manage. 2 years is a blip in time.

Two years (or even one year, or several months) might be a blip of time for you & possibly even for your child.

It is not a blip for an autistic child who misses several months to a year or more of crucial socialization at school. It is not a blip to a child being abused at home with no trusted teacher or counselor to privately reach out to. It is not a blip to the child who is struggling academically and cannot figure out the material without in-person help, and whose parents can't or won't help. To these students, closure is devastating.

That is why schools need to be open for the benefit of those students who want to attend.

 

[Caseheidi]

I live in Hillsboro Oregon, and our School District announced at the School Board meeting last night that there will be no in person classes until at least November 15th. So I guess the year will start out remotely. DH and I are thinking that we are going to sign DD up for the districts Online Academy instead. It is a proven curriculum and will be more stable then the ever changing school guidelines from the Department of Education. She really needs the stability, and the district has given everyone this option.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Two years (or even one year, or several months) might be a blip of time for you & possibly even for your child.

It is not a blip for an autistic child who misses several months to a year or more of crucial socialization at school. It is not a blip to a child being abused at home with no trusted teacher or counselor to privately reach out to. It is not a blip to the child who is struggling academically and cannot figure out the material without in-person help, and whose parents can't or won't help. To these students, closure is devastating.

That is why schools need to be open for the benefit of those students who want to attend.

This is a pandemic. It is a hardship and a struggle for everyone, some more than others. It is literally a crisis. We are going to have trouble getting through it for a while. Life won’t be normal for a long time.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Fun fact
most pandemics have lasted years if not a decade or more

 

[Carlob]

My school district was going to give us a choice between in person or Remote but now has decided to full remote learning till least October. Main reason is that only 1/3 of the staff wants to come back to in-person learning and most parents want remote learning any how. This will also allow the special needs children who really need the in-person to have it. They said that the new Remote learning program is going to be different from the spring. It will be structured. They have a example of a day which would start with a zoom meeting every morning, Followed Independent work, then after lunch, they would have either Music, Art or PE zoom meeting and at the End of the day they will have another zoom meeting with there teacher to finish the day. They are also planning to have deliberate activities to force students to work with each other in small groups via Zoom. They are planning to have a training for parents so we are aware of how everything is going to work, which they said is a key to solve some of the issues. One of the issues last spring was the assignments would be submitted but we never got any feedback. Issue was the teachers were providing feedback but we parents had no clue how to retrieve them.

 

[choirfarm]

Two years (or even one year, or several months) might be a blip of time for you & possibly even for your child.

It is not a blip for an autistic child who misses several months to a year or more of crucial socialization at school. It is not a blip to a child being abused at home with no trusted teacher or counselor to privately reach out to. It is not a blip to the child who is struggling academically and cannot figure out the material without in-person help, and whose parents can't or won't help. To these students, closure is devastating.

That is why schools need to be open for the benefit of those students who want to attend.

Yes, you are absolutely right. They do. Unfortunately, even schools that try to open will end up closing off and on when the virus hits the school. They will not have a consistent year...not because of the school but the virus. As long as this virus is around, I cannot see a scenario where the most vulnerable don't get left behind. I can't figure out a solution that works. Because even when schools are open, they will not be normal.

 

[holden]

We chose to send DD13 back to in-person learning (we had 3 choices - online, hybrid and in-person). DD17's school only offers in-person or online. She's going in-person also.

I don't think schools will be open for very long if they ever open. Here in PA, our governor seems to be gearing up to shut schools down again. I hate that DD17's senior year will probably be a disaster. At least the class of 2020 had most of the year in school.

 

[anniemae]

I also feel that those going back will not be back for long before going remote again. I am surprised at the amount of schools choosing to not go back in the fall. On our community page, everyone is practically chanting "MY KIDS ARE GOING BACK"

I saw an article that there is a group of experts calling for the U.S. to shut down again. Different this time though, not state by state, but a total shudown across the board. I can't see that happening, but it seems the virus is raging across most of the U.S. Figures we couldn't get it right the first time.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Fun fact
most pandemics have lasted years if not a decade or more

There is nothing fun about this fact. I disapprove.

 

[CarolAnn856]

We chose to send DD13 back to in-person learning (we had 3 choices - online, hybrid and in-person). DD17's school only offers in-person or online. She's going in-person also.

I don't think schools will be open for very long if they ever open. Here in PA, our governor seems to be gearing up to shut schools down again. I hate that DD17's senior year will probably be a disaster. At least the class of 2020 had most of the year in school.

Yeah, but they had the hard part in person. All of the fun, culminating events that they'd been looking forward to - prom, senior trips, graduation ceremonies - were canned for most. My hope for this year's seniors is that, if only part of the year is from home, it's the early part, and they get to participate in all the things they've been waiting for. Not that some things, like plays, concerts, and sports, won't be negatively impacted, but I hope that those events that the entire class does together might get to take place if schools are able to open up again in the spring. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
~ love, the mom of a kid whose high school senior year sucked and who has a kid who will be a college senior this year

 

[DisneyOma]

I am feeling really grateful that I already homeschool!

Do you do co-ops for learning? If so, are you going to do those with your kids?

 

[holden]

Yeah, but they had the hard part in person. All of the fun, culminating events that they'd been looking forward to - prom, senior trips, graduation ceremonies - were canned for most. My hope for this year's seniors is that, if only part of the year is from home, it's the early part, and they get to participate in all the things they've been waiting for. Not that some things, like plays, concerts, and sports, won't be negatively impacted, but I hope that those events that the entire class does together might get to take place if schools are able to open up again in the spring. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
~ love, the mom of a kid whose high school senior year sucked and who has a kid who will be a college senior this year

I totally get that all the fun senior stuff got canceled. I felt so bad for all the high school and college seniors. Elementary kids missed out on their fun stuff too (field day, etc). I’m afraid that her entire senior year might wind up being virtual. I’m not hopeful that an effective vaccine or treatment will be available in time for her to enjoy the end of the school year. I know they are shooting for early 2021 but will that really happen? And will we all rush out to get it? I’m just not sure.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yeah, but they had the hard part in person. All of the fun, culminating events that they'd been looking forward to - prom, senior trips, graduation ceremonies - were canned for most. My hope for this year's seniors is that, if only part of the year is from home, it's the early part, and they get to participate in all the things they've been waiting for. Not that some things, like plays, concerts, and sports, won't be negatively impacted, but I hope that those events that the entire class does together might get to take place if schools are able to open up again in the spring. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
~ love, the mom of a kid whose high school senior year sucked and who has a kid who will be a college senior this year

Well, they got homecoming, senior cruise, college visits, fall sports, ACT/SAT’s, I feel badly for the class of 2020 (my son graduated college virtually), but I think the class of 2021 will miss a lot more (spring sports and junior formal were taken too).

 

[lanejudy]

As long as this virus is around, I cannot see a scenario where the most vulnerable don't get left behind.

Wow. Totally unacceptable. I certainly hope you are not a decision-maker for your school district, because if you are it’s time to change professions. I’m glad my district has good caring people trying to figure this out.

 

[barkley]

based on a friend's experience (below) i will just say that every parent has to be ready for drastic changes/potential lacking delivery of instruction-

friend works for a district in a state other than my own. her district had a resounding failure w/spring shutdowns-distance learning was so lacking it was called off within weeks and the last 2 months of school 'cancelled' (everyone just promoted/graduated). ALL SUMMER the district has said 'in person for fall', teachers/staff/parents have voiced 'shouldn't we have contingent distance planning, bulk up distance and work on areas that caused it to fail just in case', district was ' NO, NO, NO-not needed, face to face, face to face, face to face'. this past month teachers are confirmed for their classes, kids are assigned, supply lists go out, parents purchase/make plans.............this past week with less than 10 days till first day of school/less than 7 shy of teachers/staff reporting to their assignments-district announces 'NO face to face, ALL DISTANCE for the entire fall quarter at minimum' and tells teachers it's on them to figure out how to integrate their lesson plans into distance and is only pushing back the start date by one week to accomplish this this is a district that has well known issues with lack of internet in some geographic areas so their solution to parent concerns-teachers will build in an secondary instructional delivery plan that accommodates non internet accessible students AND it will also be up and running day 1.

friend says it's chaos-at this point district is saying all delivery must be from schools so staff must report but their own kids can't be on campus. retirement/hr office is flush with retirements/resignations, no one knows if the classes they were assigned to teach/told to now distance plan for will be what they do teach. parents who work during traditional school hours are scrambling to find childcare, parents of special need kids are at a total loss........


it's a freaking nightmare.

 

[JM23457]

based on a friend's experience (below) i will just say that every parent has to be ready for drastic changes/potential lacking delivery of instruction-

friend works for a district in a state other than my own. her district had a resounding failure w/spring shutdowns-distance learning was so lacking it was called off within weeks and the last 2 months of school 'cancelled' (everyone just promoted/graduated). ALL SUMMER the district has said 'in person for fall', teachers/staff/parents have voiced 'shouldn't we have contingent distance planning, bulk up distance and work on areas that caused it to fail just in case', district was ' NO, NO, NO-not needed, face to face, face to face, face to face'. this past month teachers are confirmed for their classes, kids are assigned, supply lists go out, parents purchase/make plans.............this past week with less than 10 days till first day of school/less than 7 shy of teachers/staff reporting to their assignments-district announces 'NO face to face, ALL DISTANCE for the entire fall quarter at minimum' and tells teachers it's on them to figure out how to integrate their lesson plans into distance and is only pushing back the start date by one week to accomplish this this is a district that has well known issues with lack of internet in some geographic areas so their solution to parent concerns-teachers will build in an secondary instructional delivery plan that accommodates non internet accessible students AND it will also be up and running day 1.

friend says it's chaos-at this point district is saying all delivery must be from schools so staff must report but their own kids can't be on campus. retirement/hr office is flush with retirements/resignations, no one knows if the classes they were assigned to teach/told to now distance plan for will be what they do teach. parents who work during traditional school hours are scrambling to find childcare, parents of special need kids are at a total loss........


it's a freaking nightmare.

It sounds like a district whose primary concern is liability, unfortunately. Fear of being sued is driving a lot of districts' decisions right now.

There should be a federal law making it illegal to sue over catching a virus.

 

[GreatLakes]

It sounds like a district whose primary concern is liability, unfortunately. Fear of being sued is driving a lot of districts' decisions right now.

There should be a federal law making it illegal to sue over catching a virus.

No there shouldn't. If you open unsafely and cause people to get ill or die you should be held at the very least civilly liable if not criminal. It is unsafe to have in-person business, including learning, in many industries and places. If (general) you ignore that danger and push through with opening for in-person business you deserve to be sued and lose.