Help us decide?

[k3am]

DH and I are on different sides. Our end goal is that once the world is normal, DD is back at her home public school. 

I think it's 100% clear that the private school would provide a better education. 

ETA: I'm not sure that image is readable. If it's not, try the link? i.postimg.cc/Znm7vgx2/Capture.jpg

I miss tinypic. 

[waverly]

I might have voted private but neither of us can leave work at 2:30 to pick them up. And if we had to our school is 5 minutes away.

If they attend in person the kids will ride the bus. I know the bus is controversial but the hope is that many more drive so there won’t be a ton of kids on the bus, and they will wear masks.

[mustardseed2007]

The way work is right now, I could pick my kid up, but 40 minutes is a long way.

I started to vote remote support b/c its closer and cheaper but you say it's limited oversight with 6 hours of district material provided via online class. I don't know, it sounds like you're paying a lot of money and you don't think much at all about what you're getting in return.

I realize you are paying more for private school but I would hate to almost pay for private school but get none of the benefits of my kid actually learning.

ETA:

FWIW, our private school has floated this idea of a remote support/facilitated online learning environment with the main teachers teaching virtually but some kids in person at the school with a facilitator - could be the school librarian, the head of school's assistant, the school counselor etc. Who would be there would depend on what staff feels comfortable being there in person.

I hated the idea at first...but then I thought more about it and thought it could work. I asked if instead we could have an option to use one of those facilitators as a tutor or homework helper for an hour a day at school since I'm paying for a tutor right now. It'd be nice to have free tutoring and I could use my sitter to do the day to day facilitation. I got a "maybe" with that idea. 

[mustardseed2007]

Is there an option C of getting a pod of friends together to share a nanny or teacher? There are whole facebook groups devoted to that. I've told one of DD's classmates that I would be open to sharing our sitter with her.

[k3am]

mustardseed2007, I'm sure there's some potential. I am not dialed in at her school.. I have contact information for 4 parents. Two are working parents who can't facilitate anything, 1 is a SAHM with 3 kids who won't have capacity to add more, and one is a hard core social distancer who won't add to their circle. A mom in our district says she's been unable to coordinate care at a rate of $35/hour, so I don't know that it would be any cheaper.

So I'm sure there's potential for an Option C, but it will take a lot of effort/energy to coordinate, and we could lose out on a program spot while we're working at it.

[sandandsea]

Man, I’m right there with you.

If the child is a good student, interested, and able to focus/self-motivate with little oversight I think the remote learning support would be a good option. It will keep her on track with peers, and if school goes back in person you can jump right back to the classroom. (Maybe this possibility is wishful thinking)

If the student is prone to distraction and switching to other apps on the iPad if they only have minimal oversight then I would go with the private school unless the commute portion, difference in cost/hours are a deal breaker. I can see DS wasting 8 hours zoning out through the lessons and not learning anything for the year with this option depending on the level of oversight.

I do think reaching out to the school principal for a plan C may be a good option to form a pod. I think a smaller group with more (hired) oversight and the same learning could make podding a better option than either of the above. Which is basically means creating a co-op and all sorts of effort, time and money.

[waverly]

The remote learning support sounds like a pod but is more formalized. I don’t think it is super pricey since I was planning on at least $250 a week for our nanny (2kids). That price might be just for one kid. I feel like quality would be an issue either with a formal pod or an informal pod. You don’t really know the quality. You know the elearning was not great though.

But if you go with the full on private school, would they be able to remain open for in person learning? Or would you have to facilitate learning if they closed?

So the options are crappy but facilitated elearning (covers childcare).

Start out in person, possible elearning that is fantastic but you would have to facilitate. So there are some unknowns there.

I heard the governor might be making an announcement- not sure if that is true.

[xctsclrx]

k3am,so can the private school say for certain they will remain open and not go to distance learning? if they do go to distance learning will you have pay the tutition which leaves no money for childcare facilated distance learning?


With those uncertainies it has be leaning to remote learning support,

I forget how old your DD is, but I think she is around 8 and going to 2nd/3rd?

[Mom2Be08]

I don't think you should include in person/traditional as a pro for private school because at this point I wouldn't consider it a guarantee.

In Texas, county health departments have started mandating the first 4 weeks online if before certain dates regardless of public or private. I anticipate we will begin to see similar in other states as local governments start working around the states.

[mustardseed2007]

Which county health departments are doing that in Texas? The TEA is extending the amount of time you CAN be online but I haven't seen any health department MANDATE that. Also, I don't believe health departments even can mandate that. Especially in Texas.

Multiple districts in Houston are opening day one for in person school although its true that several are not.

[k3am]

xctsclrx, the private school has said the only thing that would shut them down is a city/state mandate.

And.. welp, apparently we just got a state mandate. I don't know what that means for either program.

[Mom2Be08]

Jul 17, 2020 14:41:29 GMT -5 mustardseed2007 said:

Which county health departments are doing that in Texas? The TEA is extending the amount of time you CAN be online but I haven't seen any health department MANDATE that. Also, I don't believe health departments even can mandate that. Especially in Texas.

Multiple districts in Houston are opening day one for in person school although its true that several are not.

Dallas announced yesterday that no in person school prior to September 8th. This was prior to TEA's announcement today.
www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/dallas-county-schools-to-delay-in-person-start-until-after-labor-day/2408038/

[Mom2Be08]

Jul 17, 2020 15:56:29 GMT -5 Mom2Be08 said:

Jul 17, 2020 14:41:29 GMT -5 mustardseed2007 said:

Which county health departments are doing that in Texas? The TEA is extending the amount of time you CAN be online but I haven't seen any health department MANDATE that. Also, I don't believe health departments even can mandate that. Especially in Texas.

Multiple districts in Houston are opening day one for in person school although its true that several are not.

Dallas announced yesterday that no in person school prior to September 8th. This was prior to TEA's announcement today.
www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/dallas-county-schools-to-delay-in-person-start-until-after-labor-day/2408038/

Sorry, I misspoke when I said 4 weeks, buy any school before Labor Day has to be online. Our school starts August 13 and we have to be online until September 8th regardless of what option we chose.

[k3am]

Good news! Daycare is also not sure if they can offer anything. At this point they're operating on the assumption that they fall under the "childcare facility" guidelines, but they can't say with any certainty.

[librarychica]

Jul 17, 2020 18:22:49 GMT -5 k3am said:

Good news! Daycare is also not sure if they can offer anything. At this point they're operating on the assumption that they fall under the "childcare facility" guidelines, but they can't say with any certainty.

I saw the California news alert and though “k3am’s poll is moot.” I’m sorry. It’s so hard to plan when the plans keep changing.

[k3am]

The only reason to shut down private schools that can follow ALL of the requirements to be open is $$$.

I am quickly becoming a conspiracy theorist.

[Mom2Be08]

That is so frustrating. The Texas AG has now said religious schools don't have to follow the Dallas County order. It won't be sorted out quickly, but maybe some private schools will open in-person.

[k3am]

We opted for distance learning support at the local campus. They are (so far!) not impacted by this round of shutdowns.

The private school is closed for in person instruction. But they ARE open for distance learning support. For their own program. So the kids will all be in person, with a daycare teacher supervising, and their teachers will be remote.

[sdlaura]

Jul 17, 2020 18:34:46 GMT -5 k3am said:

The only reason to shut down private schools that can follow ALL of the requirements to be open is $$$.

I am quickly becoming a conspiracy theorist.

Completely agree. It’s political. If it were based on safety/science, then programs that can meet county health dept requirements would be allowed to open, like daycares and preschools and the school age distance learning supervision programs can.

[mustardseed2007]

Jul 17, 2020 15:59:46 GMT -5 Mom2Be08 said:

Jul 17, 2020 15:56:29 GMT -5 Mom2Be08 said:

Dallas announced yesterday that no in person school prior to September 8th. This was prior to TEA's announcement today.
www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/dallas-county-schools-to-delay-in-person-start-until-after-labor-day/2408038/

Sorry, I misspoke when I said 4 weeks, buy any school before Labor Day has to be online. Our school starts August 13 and we have to be online until September 8th regardless of what option we chose.

Wow. San Antonio just did it too.

I like the free range plan k3am mentioned

[sdlaura]

One of my friends whose daughter attends the catholic school we applied to has been sending me the principal’s updates. Sounds like he expects Newsom’s decision to be challenged in court on grounds of violation of religious freedom.

[mustardseed2007]

Jul 17, 2020 19:12:38 GMT -5 Mom2Be08 said:

That is so frustrating. The Texas AG has now said religious schools don't have to follow the Dallas County order. It won't be sorted out quickly, but maybe some private schools will open in-person.

That makes me wonder about our school. It started as a christian scientist school (which is a bit eeek for me). Technically the school is now Christian but not one particular Christian faith. But they do prayers but they also celebrate many different religious holiday. On the other hand, I'm not sure I want us to be banking on a religious exemption for meeting because that's foolish. 

[mommyatty]

k3am- but if you’re not in an area where rates have gone down for 14 consecutive days, you technically cannot meet the requirements. And I get it. It’s sort of about money but more about not allowing the gap between rich and poor kids to widen. I get the idea behind it, but I don’t agree. I don’t think making more kids suffer the harm is the right answer. It’s better to figure out how to get all schools in compliance with recommendations.

[k3am]

Jul 18, 2020 12:29:54 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

k3am- but if you’re not in an area where rates have gone down for 14 consecutive days, you technically cannot meet the requirements. And I get it. It’s sort of about money but more about not allowing the gap between rich and poor kids to widen. I get the idea behind it, but I don’t agree. I don’t think making more kids suffer the harm is the right answer. It’s better to figure out how to get all schools in compliance with recommendations.

If they want to keep private schools closed as an equity issue, they need to call it an equity issue. Not call it a health and safety issue.

It’s important that people believe what the health department is saying.

[mommyatty]

Jul 18, 2020 12:35:01 GMT -5 k3am said:

Jul 18, 2020 12:29:54 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

k3am- but if you’re not in an area where rates have gone down for 14 consecutive days, you technically cannot meet the requirements. And I get it. It’s sort of about money but more about not allowing the gap between rich and poor kids to widen. I get the idea behind it, but I don’t agree. I don’t think making more kids suffer the harm is the right answer. It’s better to figure out how to get all schools in compliance with recommendations.

If they want to keep private schools closed as an equity issue, they need to call it an equity issue. Not call it a health and safety issue.

It’s important that people believe what the health department is saying.

It’s not just an equity issue. It’s also if you’re experiencing community spread (numbers are going up) you aren’t meeting CDC guidelines so it’s a health issue.

[sdlaura]

Another issue I have with the Newsom plan is having everything measured by county instead of more granular local areas. As an example compared to Texas, San Diego County is 5 times the size of Dallas County and nearly 4 times the size of Houston county, and includes 50ish school districts. My local area would not be on the state watch list if the county wasn’t so enormous. But we are affected by the cases near the Mexican border that are quite far away from us.

[waverly]

Jul 19, 2020 0:45:10 GMT -5 sdlaura said:

Another issue I have with the Newsom plan is having everything measured by county instead of more granular local areas. As an example compared to Texas, San Diego County is 5 times the size of Dallas County and nearly 4 times the size of Houston county, and includes 50ish school districts. My local area would not be on the state watch list if the county wasn’t so enormous. But we are affected by the cases near the Mexican border that are quite far away from us.

Our Governor made Chicago one area and the suburban county a different area even though they are the same county.

[k3am]

Jul 18, 2020 18:42:01 GMT -5 mommyatty said:

Jul 18, 2020 12:35:01 GMT -5 k3am said:

If they want to keep private schools closed as an equity issue, they need to call it an equity issue. Not call it a health and safety issue.

It’s important that people believe what the health department is saying.

It’s not just an equity issue. It’s also if you’re experiencing community spread (numbers are going up) you aren’t meeting CDC guidelines so it’s a health issue.

A private school that can social distance, small classes, mask requirements, etc is forced to close along side public classes. But daycare centers (in this case.. the SAME COMPANY) that have those same requirements are allowed to stay open and facilitate distance learning?

[waverly]

k3am that makes no sense that they have the same kids in the building but regular teachers are remote.

Our is phase 2- daycares essential
Phase 3- daycares and camps (since it happened to be summer)
Phase 4- schools

The broad phases are still there but we are moving to a more targeted whack a mole of types of outbreaks. We’ve had outbreaks relating to bars, churches, and youth sports so those industries are being targeted more specifically.

[mustardseed2007]

Someone at our school floated this idea of being remote but facilitating the online experience in the school building with other staff members. It made no sense to me initially, but the way it was explained was that, in our case, they have the ability to distance and whatever, but a large percentage of the teachers are in higher risk groups or just didn't feel comfortable coming back.

I guess they feel they can staff the facilitation option because they can use people who aren't certified to actually teach and the certified teacher, who is the hotter commodity, will be able to be remote.

The other issue is that since there are several districts who are doing all kinds of things in our area, there are tons of people wanting to hire certified teachers to teach their kid or teach a pod and the school is actually at risk of loosing their teachers.