Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[godisney14]

Actually, we do know. Almost all transmission is occurring in homes. If the parents have been getting sick, then the kids would have too. The latest surge for younger people is because they have stopped following the mandates and are visiting people in their homes.

How do you know that when the state doesn’t even have that info?

Incorrect. And our districts are awaiting legal advice or an update to the wording of the bill (AB 77).

Quote from a recent article about it from a district superintendent: “The law states that there are only two reasons that you can go to distance learning - one, if it’s ordered by the state or county, and two, if you are medically fragile”.

With state funding tied to whether they follow the guidelines set forth from the state, they really have no choice in the matter. From our County school superintendent “Schools should be prepared to reopen classrooms, at least partially, unless ordered to keep them closed by local or state health officials.”

So I will take the word of teachers, district superintendents and our own County superintendent, who are sitting in on these discussions to know what’s actually going on.

Given what you even quoted for me, what is wrong with what I said??? From that quote, it sounds like a school is fine to offer just two options: hybrid or online.

Regardless of what you quoted or referenced, or believe, like I said, schools can provide the option to do full-time distance learning, and that is what the majority of schools in the East Bay will offer. And many will not have a full-time in-person option.

There isn’t AC in the majority of the classrooms around here and would could likely get away with not turning the heat on until later in November. Personally, I think they should hold classes outside until it gets too cold. Outside + masks seems like the safest option for everyone.

Even worse if there is no form of HVAC. At least with A/C, you have air being moved and some level of air filtration even if it is just a cheap filter. Kind of like being outdoors.

 

[CdnCarrie]

School doesn't start until September. But yes for sure. We only have 16 active cases in the province. It's safe.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

How do you know that when the state doesn’t even have that info?


Given what you even quoted for me, what is wrong with what I said??? From that quote, it sounds like a school is fine to offer just two options: hybrid or online.

Regardless of what you quoted or referenced, or believe, like I said, schools can provide the option to do full-time distance learning, and that is what the majority of schools in the East Bay will offer. And many will not have a full-time in-person option.


Even worse if there is no form of HVAC. At least with A/C, you have air being moved and some level of air filtration even if it is just a cheap filter. Kind of like being outdoors.

No, what you bolded says hybrid is their option. Unless the county or state says otherwise (local being county). Which is exactly what I said in my original post. Again, I will go with what the education experts are saying. And they are saying without more direction from the state on what the wording actually means, they are not allowed to offer full time distance learning model unless under those specific circumstances.

But you read what you wanted out of my post. I NEVER said anybody was being required to go back to full time in person. And you can discount what my county superintendent of schools says all you want, but since he and our health director have final say over the schools in my county, I will believe what he says. And what he says is that the bill no longer allows for autonomy within districts regarding this (with the way the update is currently written).

ETA: If you didn't feel the need to continually "correct" everybody all the time, you would actually see we can both by right. My first post clearly said at the discretion of the state or the county. Your county could have given the go ahead for 100% distance learning, while mine has not. So nothing I have said is incorrect or a belief. It's fact. And the fact is it is currently NOT an option for my kids because they are a) not medically fragile and b) neither the state or our county has given that as an option.

 

[trmiv]

Not sure what we’re going to do. My wife is a teacher in Lake County Florida and my daughter goes to school in Orange County. We haven’t heard anything from either county about plans yet. With our infection rate spiking I really don’t want either to go back next month. We could put my daughter in virtual school, but that’s not much of a help if my wife has to go back anyway.

 

[linzjane88]

No for us but I was already planning towards homeschool before this happened. I may have tried to squeeze another year or so out of public school but if I am going to have to 'partial homeschool' my kids anyway due to the proposed distance learning /school on certain days plan then I'd rather just commit to homeschool, be in charge, and go all in with it.

Not to mention we have cancelled vacations that were over school breaks but had to be moved to later in the year and pulling my daughter out for a week in 7th grade isn't as easy as it was from a catching up standpoint. Basically when we can travel and adventure again I'd like any day with cheap flights to be fair game.

 

[godisney14]

No, what you bolded says hybrid is their option. Unless the county or state says otherwise (local being county). Which is exactly what I said in my original post. Again, I will go with what the education experts are saying. And they are saying without more direction from the state on what the wording actually means, they are not allowed to offer full time distance learning model unless under those specific circumstances.

But you read what you wanted out of my post. I NEVER said anybody was being required to go back to full time in person. And you can discount what my county superintendent of schools says all you want, but since he and our health director have final say over the schools in my county, I will believe what he says. And what he says is that the bill no longer allows for autonomy within districts regarding this (with the way the update is currently written).

Hehe, okay. You read what you want to read.
Apparently, all the schools districts in the East Bay are going against some kind of law.

 

[Skywalker3]

In middle TN, schools are scheduled to reopen, but in our county, it will depend on the percentage/number of cases. If schools are open, we'll send kids. But the contingency plan if the numbers are too high (which if the track we are on now continues, they will be,) is to move to online classes, and we'll do that if it's the option. We've almost always been happy with the school system here. Would hate for kids to miss out on social interaction, but online fine too. Kids are middle and high school tho, and comfortable w laptops, etc. Probably would be a lot harder for the younger kids. Still waiting to hear about marching band, and all of the practice for it, if it'll happen, etc. I am not inclined to have older child participate in that at all.

 

[MrsPete]

Oh and I also overheard a district teacher on her phone in public saying she refuses to clean everything between classes. Too much work. I know she's not the norm, but if that's the attitude going in she needs to adjust it.

More like, it's not possible. I have 35 desks in my classroom (assuming students don't touch anything except the desk). I have 7 minutes between classes. The school has given me super-strong cleaner, which is effective against the virus, but the instructions require that no one touches the desk until the cleaner has dried, and I have to wear gloves and wash my hands after using the cleaner. I also have to keep the cleaner locked up so no student will touch it.

Problems with this: I can't clean 35 desks (seats too) in 7 minutes. While I'm cleaning, the students will be clumped up around the door demanding to get in the room /closer than 6', and then I'll have to leave my classroom unattended to go to the bathroom at the end of the hall to wash my hands. Students will hurry and sit down /put their books down before the cleaner is completely dry. Consider, too, that while I'm cleaning desks, I'm not doing all the things I normally do between classes: supervising students in the hall, talking to students /building relationships, laying out things for my next class, even having an adult moment to speak to fellow teachers or using the bathroom myself. It's just not possible to clean BETWEEN CLASSES.

On the other hand, if you say I should sanitize my desks at the end of the day, I'll say, "Yes, that sounds smart and do-able."

Perhaps one idea is that -- and I'm thinking high school here -- students stay in 1st period English all day on Monday, 2nd period math all day on Tuesday, etc. That would eliminate the need to clean between classes.

Remember that SR's have to have college applications in before any grades would have been recorded. If they are not going back to school, what is the point of doing the busy work they were doing in the Spring for pass-fail grades? They NEED to go back.

Two thoughts:

- Consider that ALL high school seniors applying to college in the fall of 2020 are in the same boat. They ALL missed work in the spring. Since they're competing against one another for those college spots, no one is really in trouble because of spring semester.

- In spring we had no warning that we would be leaving school, and we were ill-prepared to jump to online learning. Now we've had months and are much better prepared. IF we are online in the fall (or hybrid in the fall), I think lessons will be much better. Teachers have attended online classes to learn to use Zoom, etc., and we've had time to alter lessons.

Actually, we do know. Almost all transmission is occurring in homes. If the parents have been getting sick, then the kids would have too. The latest surge for younger people is because they have stopped following the mandates and are visiting people in their homes.

This isn't based in fact.

My kids need in person school due to special needs. I do not have the specialized training to meet their educational needs at home amd they are going to regress BADLY if we continue with "distance learning."

Your kids aren't alone.

School doesn't start until September. But yes for sure. We only have 16 active cases in the province. It's safe.

You're in an enviable position. Students start school here August 17, and we've had more than 1000 new cases each day for the last week and a half.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Hehe, okay. You read what you want to read.
Apparently, all the schools districts in the East Bay are going against some kind of law.

Updated my last post while you were typing, so I'll put it again here. You are the one reading what you want.

If you didn't feel the need to continually "correct" everybody all the time, you would actually see we can both by right. My first post clearly said at the discretion of the state or the county. Your county could have given the go ahead for 100% distance learning, while mine has not. So nothing I have said is incorrect or a belief. It's fact. And the fact is it is currently NOT an option for my kids because they are a) not medically fragile and b) neither the state or our county has given that as an option.

Also, you can clearly look up the bill yourself. It's not "some kind of law" It's an actual assembly bill.

 

[spiders]

As of right now, yes but they still haven't given us concrete information on what exactly school is going to look like.

A coworker of mine in a different district with elementary school kids said they will be at their desk from the moment they get there until the moment they leave. No recess, gym, or specials. They also have this crazy idea of building partitions using manilla folders which will obviously last 15 seconds. If they come out and say that is what school will look like then we'll just keep them home.

One of the plans they have released is if cases go to moderate then they want to divide the class into A & B. Each group goes to school twice per week, twice virtual and nobody has a 5th day. I actually think that would be the best way to open up but I don't think that is being considered as the opening option.

 

[Mango7100]

Most likely—we have a second grader and only child. We have been very strict since March about quarantine and I can tell it is taking its toll on her. She goes to a Catholic school that stars August 3, but we have heard about the plan for school to open. They did send an email about tuition being due in 2 weeks...they aren’t getting my money until I see a concrete plan

 

[Happyinwonerland]

As of right now, yes but they still haven't given us concrete information on what exactly school is going to look like.

A coworker of mine in a different district with elementary school kids said they will be at their desk from the moment they get there until the moment they leave. No recess, gym, or specials. They also have this crazy idea of building partitions using manilla folders which will obviously last 15 seconds. If they come out and say that is what school will look like then we'll just keep them home.

One of the plans they have released is if cases go to moderate then they want to divide the class into A & B. Each group goes to school twice per week, twice virtual and nobody has a 5th day. I actually think that would be the best way to open up but I don't think that is being considered as the opening option.

That does sound miserable, and another good reason to keep kids home if possible. At home, my daughter takes regular breaks to play and do yoga and go noodle videos and go on walks . It would be hard for me, as an adult. so sit all day like that, I can't imagine an elementary student doing that.

 

[holden]

Our district is offering 3 options. We have to commit to one in August:

1. 100% online asynchronous instruction
2. 100% in-school/in-person instruction
3. A hybrid - 2 out of the 6 day cycle would be in-school/in-person. The other 4 days would be synchronous instruction online.

 

[spiders]

That does sound miserable, and another good reason to keep kids home if possible. At home, my daughter takes regular breaks to play and do yoga and go noodle videos and go on walks . It would be hard for me, as an adult. so sit all day like that, I can't imagine an elementary student doing that.

Yes and totally unrealistic. Again, right now we are planning. I've told my kids that later this month they will begin wearing masks at home starting 30 minutes the first day and eventually building up to a full school day. But who really knows what will happen. The district keeps wanting more responses but I'm not committing to anything until they commit to telling us what it will actually be. My wife already stays at home and has a Ph.D so she is more than capable of doing virtual if needed. I really do wish they would just start on the rotational schedule, though but again, I think that is only being considered as a backup if cases spike within the system. I get that the cafeteria will be closed but you gotta let these kids outside every now and then for their physical and mental health.

 

[lifesavacation]

My daughter is doing running start at the local community college. She’s a high school senior. For this last year, she only has chemistry and biology left and these have labs that should be done in person. I’m totally fine with her on campus and I know in-person classes are her preference.

 

[Snyders22000]

Probably will not send them to in person school. My husband is an ICU Dr taking care of Covid patients and things are getting crazy again in the hospitals. Plus there are still a lot of unknowns of long term effects from the virus- a lot of colleagues are seeing long term effects, even in patients that had very mild cases. Our city just moved back in to phase 2 after our cases have skyrocketed and according to school plans sent out in June phase 2 means no in person school. Schools are supposed to start August 4th. Our city did just implement a mask mandate but there are so many exemptions and it’s not being enforced. At this point even if we do somehow make it back to phase 3 just in time to start school I don’t think I will be sending mine. I don’t think a lot of parents around here take it seriously enough and a lot will send their kids to school with illness’s or exposure because they need to work and can’t do a 14 day quarantine. I think even if the schools somehow do manage to open in person they will have to shut down again on and off due to exposures and rising numbers this fall/winter. I figure it’s better, consistency wise, to just go ahead and do online. We will probably pair up with one other family that has similar views about social distancing so that our kids can have some outdoor peer socialization.

 

[3threebabies]

Yes, my child will go to in person classes. For my family, school is the safer and healthier choice. I know there are many on the DIS who do not believe mental health is a clear and present danger, but to protect the future for my child he will be in school as much as is allowed.

FWIW, DH works in management for an essential business that never closed. His interaction with the public is limited, but his employees are face front and include a delivery driver. Needless to say, while ds and I stayed home, our house was never fully locked down

 

[SaintsManiac]

More like, it's not possible. I have 35 desks in my classroom (assuming students don't touch anything except the desk). I have 7 minutes between classes. The school has given me super-strong cleaner, which is effective against the virus, but the instructions require that no one touches the desk until the cleaner has dried, and I have to wear gloves and wash my hands after using the cleaner. I also have to keep the cleaner locked up so no student will touch it.

Problems with this: I can't clean 35 desks (seats too) in 7 minutes. While I'm cleaning, the students will be clumped up around the door demanding to get in the room /closer than 6', and then I'll have to leave my classroom unattended to go to the bathroom at the end of the hall to wash my hands. Students will hurry and sit down /put their books down before the cleaner is completely dry. Consider, too, that while I'm cleaning desks, I'm not doing all the things I normally do between classes: supervising students in the hall, talking to students /building relationships, laying out things for my next class, even having an adult moment to speak to fellow teachers or using the bathroom myself. It's just not possible to clean BETWEEN CLASSES.

On the other hand, if you say I should sanitize my desks at the end of the day, I'll say, "Yes, that sounds smart and do-able."

Here's the thing: Maybe she could have held her ridiculous conversation until she was in private. She said other unfortunate things and was so busy ranting on her phone that she didn't even pay attention while her kid was walking through the parking lot behind her.

When the kids are old enough they can help clean up. My daughter has been doing that since 2nd grade.

It's going to be a challenge.

 

[Lumpy1106]

- Consider that ALL high school seniors applying to college in the fall of 2020 are in the same boat. They ALL missed work in the spring. Since they're competing against one another for those college spots, no one is really in trouble because of spring semester.

- In spring we had no warning that we would be leaving school, and we were ill-prepared to jump to online learning. Now we've had months and are much better prepared. IF we are online in the fall (or hybrid in the fall), I think lessons will be much better. Teachers have attended online classes to learn to use Zoom, etc., and we've had time to alter lessons.

You are missing the point. It is too late for SR's. They will not complete a semester (or even a trimester) before college applications are due. The entirety of SR year revolves around their SOCIAL development. Add to that, at least in CA, the schools are not even requiring SAT scores. Since most of the schools also do not look at FROSH grades, that leaves SOPH and 1/2 a JR year of grades to decide who gets in. You might as well hold a raffle, because that is nowhere near enough data on which to base lifetime decisions of who get in and who does not.
I have NO CONFIDENCE in online instruction for my SOPH either. IT WAS TERRIBLE in the Spring - there is no other word for it. If you are one of the few teachers that had it figured out, great, THANK YOU in fact, but those teachers were the exception. Unless the teachers are hard at work RIGHT NOW figuring out how to improve online instruction (and with the indecisiveness of the School Board I see no way that is possible) it will not improve in the Fall.
Besides, It is not the teachers who I am concerned about - it is the kids. All of this social isolation is REALLY bad for them. Don't take my word for it, this is the American Academy of Pediatrics position;
American Academy of Pediatrics and COVID 19.
The bottom line is we are wasting time and these kids do not get a do-over. If schools are open my kids are going back. As a parent who is, shall we say, not young, I do not make that decision lightly.

 

[here757]

For my own sanity.. hope so! Kids driving me insane under my feet
My state (VA) hasn’t said anything
One thing I do know.. Virginia will wait til last possible second to make decision.
The person working in the schools makes so much sense!