What do you think school will be like in the fall? UPDATE page 29 for Mass.

[mjkacmom]

Oh boy, wading into this again.
My son will be Senior next year and I want him to have as normal a Senior year as possible. Not a virtual prom, a REAL prom. Not a cancelled lacrosse season, a REAL lacrosse season, not a drive-by-everyone-honks-and-waves-banners commencement, a REAL commencement. Maybe that commencement or those lacrosse games happen without a soul in the stadium, and maybe there are at-risk teachers or even students that still do some sort of virtual classroom - that's not ideal, but that beats the snot out of what is happening now. I doubt you'd find a single person, at-risk or otherwise who would disagree with that.

It is at this point where I know there are some who have already dismissed what I have to say. It's not worth risking the lives of their grandparents, or the teachers. OK, then don't. Yes, there are teachers who are at risk, or who don't want to take the risk, that will be out of the classroom - they are out of the classroom now, what is the difference? My kids probably won't see their grandparents until herd immunity or a vaccine is found. They can't visit their grandparents now, what is the difference? The fact is, and yes, it is a fact, not conjecture, not-at-risk kids are not experiencing the really bad symptoms, are not ending up in hospitals, and again a proven fact, kids under 10 don't even transmit the disease to older parents and grandparents. Keeping kids out of school is a decision based on fear and fear alone. Heck, we're pretty sure this thing already rolled through my kids school back in December. There were lots of absences but nobody was all that alarmed. In other words, a normal response to a natural occurrence - a far cry from what is going on now.

How important is this to us? If CA decides to stay "virtual classroom" (an near total failure in our experience, YMMV), we are moving to a state that does not. Yes, it is that important. To those who say that HS experience was not that important to them or their kids, I truly feel sorry for you. The guys I played soccer with, the people in the marching band, heck, even the students in my Chemistry and Math classes, these are STILL the best friends I have. I wouldn't trade a second I spent with any of them for the world. THAT is what I want my kids to have - and we are trading it away for nothing. This has to end.

I have two 17 year olds, who miss their friends, play 3 season sports (99% sure both wouldve been named captains this year), the are extroverts, both miss their significant others, they are used to going to parties every weekend and having friends sleep over, they like school and get great grades. However, while I don’t think they will get sick, I’m pretty sure I’d get hit hard with my lung issues, and I know many parents my age who have been hospitalized, vented, and even died from this. We are not trading it away for nothing, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say my kids would rather have me than their prom. We do need to get back to normal, but pretending we can continue as normal will be a death sentence for many. I just read this https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-...Korea-opens-up-to-a-new-normal/4181588747240/

 

[Heather07438]

It's complex and I can sympathize with every view.

Luckily, we are not China.

Gotta say, that is a cute solution.

 

[Colleen27]

It is all going to depend on our governor. We have relatively few cases in my county and still fewer in my area (they're mostly concentrated in the county seat, which is denser and poorer than the rest of our largely rural county), and I know at lest some of our local school officials would be comfortable reopening the schools in the fall. But I have doubts about whether the governor is going to allow them to do so. My daughter's university is struggling with the same constraints - on one hand, they're saying that they're working on hybrid online/in person learning plans and planning to bring students back to campus, but on the other, they're reminding us that ultimately the decision might not be in their hands and if the governor's lockdown prohibits them from operating at a reasonable level, they'll have no choice but to keep the campus closed.

If the school year starts online or in some hybrid configuration, it is going to be devastating to enrollment and therefore budgets. So many parents I've talked to feel like if they're going to send their kids to school online, it would be better to enroll them in an online charter that is designed for it, rather than getting this improvised mess that the public schools put together for distance learning. And some feel like if they have to be home full-time to deal with half days or otherwise staggered class sessions, and if the kids aren't going to get the social experiences of school via activities and sports, they may as well homeschool or use an online charter.

 

[texaslover]

Am I the only one thinking that preschool and kindergarten teachers would love these? No more battles over "hands and feet to yourselves," or "we don't lick our friends," etc etc etc

As someone that teaches in an elementary school this would not only NOT help kids keep hands and feet to themselves but would actually add a weapon to their arsenal . Those are perfect for spinning like a helicopter, sword fighting with your head, etc....

 

[HeatherC]

As someone that teaches in an elementary school this would not only NOT help kids keep hands and feet to themselves but would actually add a weapon to their arsenal . Those are perfect for spinning like a helicopter, sword fighting with your head, etc....

So true..

 

[wilbret]

My wife is an elementary special ed teacher. This has been the most challenging period of her professional life. There are not enough hours in the day to meet with all the kids 1:1, have calls with parents, have calls with admin, and also be a mom-teacher to 3 kids at home. And oh, it's not just teaching... they have to document EVERYTHING. Emails, calls, anything, has to be documented and uploaded to the student's record.

I say this, because... many teachers are also moms and dads, and this has been especially hard on them.

 

[Heather07438]

I teach at a university where we went to virtual learning practically overnight, and were informed soon after that we would need to convert our summer classes to an online platform as well. I use our online platform extensively and am certified to teach online classes so this is no big deal for me but it's a big adjustment for many instructors. But you would not believe the level of support we have received and the amount of resources that have been made available to us. It may be a lot of work but I don't think anyone is going to struggle too much with this--there is just so much help if you need it; they're not letting anyone fall between the cracks. I'm sure it varies greatly from location to location and school to school across the U.S. but I'm not sure elementary through high school teachers are getting this level of support. Some may not need it, and I'm sure that many that do need it are getting it, but I'm also very sure that some teachers that could greatly use some help are just not getting it.

It's amazing how different school districts can be, sometimes night and day. Some school districts are down right hostile environments and very dysfunctional where it's something just to survive.

 

[Knriehl85]

I guess what I am wondering and no one else ever seems to questions is if these kids (grade school) aren't going to school in the fall where are they going? Hopefully all parents are back to work by then. My kids are back to daycare now. Is there a difference if my kids go to a daycare center vs elementary school?

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

I guess what I am wondering and no one else ever seems to questions is if these kids (grade school) aren't going to school in the fall where are they going? Hopefully all parents are back to work by then. My kids are back to daycare now. Is there a difference if my kids go to a daycare center vs elementary school?

It's a valid question, but you're right no one is discussing it. In our state, the governor shut down schools and daycares weeks before a stay at home was ordered. Now the state has opened back up and a statement issued that anyone who is called back to work and refuses to go won't be eligible for unemployment. Schools are still closed and daycare classroom size is severely limited. I have no idea what parents are supposed to do.

 

[Colleen27]

I guess what I am wondering and no one else ever seems to questions is if these kids (grade school) aren't going to school in the fall where are they going? Hopefully all parents are back to work by then. My kids are back to daycare now. Is there a difference if my kids go to a daycare center vs elementary school?

Yeah, I think that's going to be a big question and one that we'll have to grapple with even if the schools do reopen, since most of the reopening plans call for smaller classroom sizes enabled by every-other-day or half-day attendance. We may be looking at a situation where dual-career families are going to have to figure out how to keep one parent at home or set up some sort of childcare swap or enlist retired grandparents or other older relatives (despite their higher virus risk) even if the schools are open.

 

[platamama]

Here is how school started back in China.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1254590781446410240

That reminds me of this dude:

 

[kdonnel]

That reminds me of this dude:
View attachment 493209

Effective for social distancing on many levels.

 

[MrsBooch]

I don't think this can be a phased in thing across the board meaning, some virtual some in person. There are parents who cannot do what they do, at home. You can't flip the switch to ON and reopen all businesses and not reopen schools.
Logistically, one day at school and one day at home - how is that going to work for everyone?

 

[WorldWacky]

I have to say that I'm glad you understand how hard it can be for families with some learning difficulties. Both my kids have special education needs (my son is diagnosed with Asperger's and my daughter is diagnosed with ADHD) and school has been absolute HE*L for us most days! I've got 2 kiddos with a large age gap (my son is a junior in high school, my daughter is in elementary) who need very different educational support and I feel like I need to clone myself! I literally can't be there providing what each kid needs at the same time. When I'm helping my son with something I can't also be standing over my daughter and keeping her focussed, and vice-versa. Since I have to help one and then the other there are some days we don't finish school until 8:00 PM!!!!! Back before schools closed I worked in a classroom for low-functioning kids with autism. I am highly trained to help kiddos like mine but in order to provide the proper level of assistance that my kids need I am running myself ragged most days and there's no way any of the kids I normally work with at school are getting this level of assistance and education that I am fortunate to be able to provide to my own children, which makes me very sad for them and their parents. I am feeling mentally exhausted and beat down right now (and my kids are feeling pretty bad most days too, what with the stress of changing routines and not seeing their friends and teachers) and one of us breaks down in tears every single day (I don't cry around my kids though, I do my best to maintain the facade that everything is awesome and happy fun times, but I have had to excuse myself to let out the tears and stress at times) and I will be so happy when this school year finally ends!!! I'm praying for a miracle for next school year, that there will be some incredible scientific breakthrough over the summer that allows us all to go back to normal life. Or that our school district will lower expectations for kids with special needs for the next school year, so that I don't have to be so stressed about distance learning!

I am a Teaching Assistant in an 8:1:1 Life Skills class. My students and their parents are also struggling with distance learning. And we desperately miss our students! I know how challenging and down right difficult this must be for your family right now. We always talk about how our classroom is a team. Our kids are successful because the teacher and I have wonderful aides for our students. I’m so sorry that you’re having to work with both of your kiddos and meet their different needs on your own.

For those who think we can just move to online learning indefinitely, this is working as well as it can in this moment. It does not replace what can be done in the classroom when a child can see their teacher and the teacher can pull that child aside, look them in the eye and let them know that they are there to help. School is not just the assignments given and I don't believe the same connections (with both teachers and peers) can be made through a delayed computer screen.

 

[Wendy1985]

Not sure if it was already said but I dont see extra adults being allowed on campus like volunteers only those who have to be there will be allowed

 

[mjkacmom]

Not sure if it was already said but I dont see extra adults being allowed on campus like volunteers only those who have to be there will be allowed

That’s how our schools have been like for decades, they don’t allow parents to volunteer except for field trips.

 

[Wendy1985]

That’s how our schools have been like for decades, they don’t allow parents to volunteer except for field trips.

Really I had little to no truble volunteering in my school for 8 yrs no problem just need to get a background check every so often

 

[EveDallas]

I guess what I am wondering and no one else ever seems to questions is if these kids (grade school) aren't going to school in the fall where are they going? Hopefully all parents are back to work by then. My kids are back to daycare now. Is there a difference if my kids go to a daycare center vs elementary school?

No, there isn't. Like I pointed out on my thread, daycare workers are being exposed to the same germs that everyone has decreed teachers need protection from, but no one worries about us.

 

[mjkacmom]

Really I had little to no truble volunteering in my school for 8 yrs no problem just need to get a background check every so often

There are zero parent volunteers in schools. Class parents collect for Christmas/end of year gifts, class parties (3rd - 6th just drop off food), The PTO‘s organize teacher appreciation week, make the 6th grade yearbooks, book the 6th grade dance/skating party, organize dances - just not welcome in the school during the school day (I’m not complainin, some parents can be crazy).

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I work at a public school. My students are moderately to severely disabled 3-5 year olds. I have no idea how we can bring them back to school with any level of safety for them and the classroom staff. Our kids are either non-verbal or barely verbal. Some are just learning to exist in a classroom for 3 hours without their parents. When they pass that stage, they might move on to picking up
up or even just looking at a toy. That’s the level of functioning for some of our kids. Others have more skills.

There is no way to keep our kids separated, unless we section off the classroom and confine them to certain areas. But this kind of separation doesn’t allow us to address their social needs. Also, it won’t be possible to have them wear masks. They will rip them off. I also can’t imagine them being ok with the adults in the room wearing masks. I can see them getting scared and reaching for our faces. We have to be physically close to the kids to change diapers and help them with feeding. Plus, a lot of what we teach requires hand-over-hand contact. We have to hold their hands to guide them while teaching various skills.

Our kids put everything in their mouths. It’s part of their developmental level. They cannot wipe their own noses. They cough and sneeze on surfaces and in our faces sometimes. We do a lot of hand-washing and cleaning of surfaces during normal times. I can’t imagine how we can have the kids in a group and be safe. But these kids need access to the classroom and their therapies. Preschool is an important time for development, especially for kids who
are disabled or delayed. It’s going to be quite a process to figure this out.