Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[SaintsManiac]

Well this past week was interesting. I had Google meetings with school administration and my daughter's teachers to get the information on virtual learning. Picked up her device and materials yesterday. The school is still under tons of construction, so I have no idea how they will look Monday. When I saw that I was even happier with our choice to learn from home. The schedule is manageable and there are "brain breaks" to log off and run around the house if needed.

Only one of my daughter's friends will be staying home. The rest are going in person. It just seems crazy to me, but it's not my place to judge or criticize. It just makes me feel like I am overreacting sometimes. I had a nice long talk with another mom (the one keeping her daughter home) and it made me feel better.

Besides the construction, which is ongoing, the kids will remain in their room all day. The teachers will switch off. Masks all day, except during lunch. Lunch in the room. Grab and go pickup for kids who eat school lunch. Recess will be with their homeroom only. Absolutely no socializing with the rest of the kids in the grade. No water fountains. They encourage kids to bring water bottles. They begin with a staggered approach Monday-Thurs and then all kids go on Friday. Virtual learners begin Wednesday.

It just seems depressing. I do give tons of credit to our school system for what they've been able to pull off. I hope it all works out. Like my friend said, "why was it too dangerous for the school board to meet in person, but it's ok for school to open back up?"

Good question.

 

[Pucks104]

NC just had a child care teacher die of COVID19. She worked at a child care center in Washington County that had an outbreak amongst several children then some of the staff. So sad and scary.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

The media releases and FERPA would only pertain to if the school was taking the pictures and releasing them to the public. Same thing with HIPPA - HIPPA only applies to medical personal and has nothing to do with the general public.

If the school had rules and the students violated those rules then they can be punished. However, the school needs to be very careful here. If in the past they have had students violate the posting pictures taken in school and then posting to social media while on campus but they didn't get the same punishment then can will be an issue.

The girl said this is the first time she's ever gotten in trouble if that is true and she has no history then jumping from nothing to an automatic suspension could be troublesome for the school if they have only given detentions for the same offense to a student with the same discipline history.

I like what the girl said, my mom said I will not be in trouble just be honest and for a good reason..
(The pic she took was all backs of kids heads btw).

We have been homeschooling for 3 years the first year was through connections academy, last year I moved to time 4 learning. I feel really sorry for you all. Time 4 learning is great.

 

[JM23457]

Like my friend said, "why was it too dangerous for the school board to meet in person, but it's ok for school to open back up?"

The school board meeting isn't qualitatively different whether it's held in person or virtually, so there would be no benefit to the exposure of an in-person meeting.

Academic instruction tends to be much more effective in person, particularly for younger students. So there is a major & important benefit that balances the exposure of in-person classes.

 

[SaintsManiac]

The school board meeting isn't qualitatively different whether it's held in person or virtually, so there would be no benefit to the exposure of an in-person meeting.

Academic instruction tends to be much more effective in person, particularly for younger students. So there is a major & important benefit that balances the exposure of in-person classes.

YES I GET IT. I was just agreeing with her from a philosophical standpoint.

 

[firefly_ris]

WNY here and it was announced schools could open yesterday, just waiting to hear from the district if they are going to go with their proposed hybrid model. To answer the question in the thread title yes I'll be sending them to school, although it might only be two days per week plus every other Wednesday. I'm incredibly lucky that I work part time and from home as well (aside from the occasional meeting) so I can modify my schedule to fit. I don't have a clue what a lot of my friends are going to do.

 

[HeatherC]

Well this past week was interesting. I had Google meetings with school administration and my daughter's teachers to get the information on virtual learning. Picked up her device and materials yesterday. The school is still under tons of construction, so I have no idea how they will look Monday. When I saw that I was even happier with our choice to learn from home. The schedule is manageable and there are "brain breaks" to log off and run around the house if needed.

Only one of my daughter's friends will be staying home. The rest are going in person. It just seems crazy to me, but it's not my place to judge or criticize. It just makes me feel like I am overreacting sometimes. I had a nice long talk with another mom (the one keeping her daughter home) and it made me feel better.

Besides the construction, which is ongoing, the kids will remain in their room all day. The teachers will switch off. Masks all day, except during lunch. Lunch in the room. Grab and go pickup for kids who eat school lunch. Recess will be with their homeroom only. Absolutely no socializing with the rest of the kids in the grade. No water fountains. They encourage kids to bring water bottles. They begin with a staggered approach Monday-Thurs and then all kids go on Friday. Virtual learners begin Wednesday.

It just seems depressing. I do give tons of credit to our school system for what they've been able to pull off. I hope it all works out. Like my friend said, "why was it too dangerous for the school board to meet in person, but it's ok for school to open back up?"

Good question.

It does sound depressing. Poor kids. Poor staff. 2020 is stupid.

 

[Kitty 34]

It does sound depressing. Poor kids. Poor staff. 2020 is stupid.

Heather, I am really fond of reading your posts but stupid is not the adjective I would use to (so far) describe 2020.........just saying!

 

[HeatherC]

Heather, I am really fond of reading your posts but stupid is not the adjective I would use to (so far) describe 2020.........just saying!

True. Very true.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Of the more than 3,000 students Iowa State University has tested for COVID-19 in its first week of residence hall move-in, 66 have tested positive — half of whom are isolating in reserved space on campus and half of whom opted to return home to complete their period of isolation.

I know of one university that is testing all students before move-in. They must test negative no more than 10 days before they arrive on campus. The home test kits are being supplied and paid for by the university. Students residing off-campus must also take the test. This system could potentially miss a few positive cases if people get exposed after taking the test, but it's a good start. Anyone who tests positive will be told to delay their move in by 14 days.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Remember the photo of the school with the crowded hallway?

https://www.ajc.com/education/9-cas...lding-high-school/OWH6MN7DZ5A2XDQMXX337AQEWI/

 

[godisney14]

I know of one university that is testing all students before move-in. They must test negative no more than 10 days before they arrive on campus. The home test kits are being supplied and paid for by the university. Students residing off-campus must also take the test. This system could potentially miss a few positive cases if people get exposed after taking the test, but it's a good start. Anyone who tests positive will be told to delay their move in by 14 days.

I see the potential for many false results (both positive and negative) with having everyone take an at-home test.

 

[godisney14]

Remember the photo of the school with the crowded hallway?

https://www.ajc.com/education/9-cas...lding-high-school/OWH6MN7DZ5A2XDQMXX337AQEWI/

Just the beginning. If they test everyone at that school, I will bet there are more than a few dozen positives, besides the ones already confirmed in that news report, by now.

What is surprising is that the school has no plans on shutting down still. Battle of the fittest is their motto, I guess.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Just the beginning. If they test everyone at that school, I will bet there are more than a few dozen positives, besides the ones already confirmed in that news report, by now.

What is surprising is that the school has no plans on shutting down still. Battle of the fittest is their motto, I guess.

Maybe they’ll shut down once somebody dies. What a waste of a life if that’s what it takes.

 

[KBoopaloo]

I see the potential for many false results (both positive and negative) with having everyone take an at-home test.

I work for a university but in a non student supporting role so I will not be back on campus until January at the earliest but our plan is that the students in residence (capped at 40% of the student body) must test 3 times per week, faculty and staff with direct student contact test 2x week and all other staff on campus test 1x per week all using the at home self administered tests. I wonder a bit about their accuracy as well.

 

[monsterkitty]

Remember the photo of the school with the crowded hallway?

https://www.ajc.com/education/9-cas...lding-high-school/OWH6MN7DZ5A2XDQMXX337AQEWI/

A quote from the aunt of 2 of the students who tested positive:

She said the boys didn’t grasp the gravity of the virus and weren’t encouraged to wear masks in classrooms or hallways by the school. Paulding County’s school system is not mandating masks for students and staff, though it is supplying them for teachers.

Sorry Auntie that the boys didn't grasp reality here and that the school didn't encourage them to wear masks. What about the responsibility of the parents here to make sure their children were wearing masks. It all starts at home, Auntie.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Remember the photo of the school with the crowded hallway?

https://www.ajc.com/education/9-cas...lding-high-school/OWH6MN7DZ5A2XDQMXX337AQEWI/

And now they are going online for the next two days and will let everyone know Tuesday night what the plan is. Seems to me that this kind of stop and start, open and close, in person then forced online kind of stuff is far more disruptive for students and families than coming up with a reasonable remote plan for now with the aim of getting back to in person learning as case counts come down.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1292564766100279296

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My county announced free drive-thru testing focused on children starting this morning. 25% of their testing capacity is being diverted to children who are residents of our county. It is by appointment. The aim is due to schooling (though most districts aren't starting for close to another month). They also said "will focus on testing for faculty and staff ahead of school."

Anyone else's area thinking (or already have) doing this? I know faculty and staff have been done other places.

 

[mjkacmom]

My county announced free drive-thru testing focused on children starting this morning. 25% of their testing capacity is being diverted to children who are residents of our county. It is by appointment. The aim is due to schooling (though most districts aren't starting for close to another month). They also said "will focus on testing for faculty and staff ahead of school."

Anyone else's area thinking (or already have) doing this? I know faculty and staff have been done other places.

I don’t think this will work, we have more testing here now but results are taking 2 weeks, it’s just going to get worse.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don’t think this will work, we have more testing here now but results are taking 2 weeks, it’s just going to get worse.

I think there are delays in testing in my area (though I haven't heard much about that for probably 2 1/2-3 weeks now) but my assumption is if they are specifically diverting testing supplies to children with the intent to reduce possibility of spread when school starts they will amp up the priority level on getting those results back. It may also have helped out on backlogs as they made it more appointment only drive thru-testing a while back instead of first come first serve (which led to a LOT of traffic in the area) so likely able to keep track of incoming tests on a more consistent basis but again don't truly know on that.