School in fall

[af1212]

Our district just announced that they will be starting the fall with no distancing and masks optional.

Having been virtual all year (our choice) this is a total shock to me. The kids that are in school are currently spaced out at desks with plexiglass, 2 kids to a giant lunch table, masks required, etc.

For those of you who have kids in school what are your districts plans?

Thanks for any info that will help me. I was 100% wanting to send my kids (all too young to be vaccinated) back in the fall but now I am second guessing myself.

[Jalapeñomel]

Back to pre-COVID times, no masks or social distancing, both at my son's school and mine. No virtual option at either place. I'm ok with this, as I think it's time. 

[expectantsteelerfan]

Ours isn't definite yet, but the plan is to continue to follow CDC guidelines for unvaccinated people in the elementary and middle school until vaccines are available for those ages, which I am really grateful for. The high school will be back to normal, which also makes sense.

[maudefindlay]

Ours has not announced whether Covid precautions will continue or not in the fall. My DS2 will be attending a STEM summer camp at school next week and masks are required for that. My 3 will be in person in the fall regardless. We chose virtual for 3/4 of the year and finished out the last quarter in person as numbers in our area had significantly dropped and remain low. A virtual option will be available, but will be different than what was offered the past year and will be limited in offerings.

[dochas]

They haven't announced plans for the Fall yet, but masks are optional now. They're saying it's because of the heat, but our district has air conditioning in all classrooms. They still have the plexiglass and they're distanced but they're also still only going half days so no lunch in school. Middle and HS have to wear masks in the hallways when changing classroom. I think it will be this way in the Fall unless the Governor allows them to drop it completely. There will be no virtual option next year.

[morecoffeeplease]

I think we have to wait for our governors guidelines. I’m going to guess full time 5 days a week and masks only because I bet our governor will make that mandatory. I’m interested to see if our governor will mandate a virtual option. We are a small district and the virtual option has stretched us so thin. If it’s not a mandatory option I don’t see our district offering it.

[InBetweenDays]

We don't have the details yet, but our superintendent has said we will be back full time. Which I assume means no social distancing since that would be impossible with full classrooms. Not sure about masks. We take our masks very seriously here (I still see people wearing them outside for neighborhood walks) so I wouldn't be surprised if they're required for at least the younger kids who aren't eligible for the vaccine.

[cereal K]

No firm statement for the fall yet.

For summer programs (camp, summer school, etc) masks are required indoors for all, but are optional outdoors.

I'm hoping they follow CDC guidelines (mask until vaxxed) but I'm 99% sure they'll do away with all masking and distancing. It's frustrating to me since kids under 12 (you know, like 1/3 of the school population) won't likely be eligible for a vaccine until after school starts.

[staceymcgill]

Our school hasn’t released their plan yet. Masks are still mandatory through the end of the year while indoors. Optional outdoors.

[meganew]

My school will be back full in person, but we’ll definitely be having the younger kids masked. I have no idea what the distancing guidelines will be but I’m really hoping we won’t be performing Covid theater and letting the kids sit together in groups at desks but not let them sit on the rug for a story or share library books or have centers. If there’s 27 kids in a room they’re breathing in each other’s air whether they touch the same toy or not.

Honestly I think it’s time, at least in my area. Our hospitalizations have absolutely plummeted, we’re doing well with vaccinations, and our numbers are the lowest they’ve been since the start- if it continues like this I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be back to somewhat normal.

[alicethellama]

Jun 11, 2021 11:24:04 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Back to pre-COVID times, no masks or social distancing, both at my son's school and mine. No virtual option at either place. I'm ok with this, as I think it's time. 

Why you think it’s time among populations who are too young to be vaccinated yet? I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum on this, so just curious on alternative view points.

[silva]

Back in person, no mentions of masks for social distancing. My DD got her vaccine so I'm ok with this unless things drastically change in cases and the variants.

[abs]

In person, no masks, no social distancing. It took me awhile to get comfortable with it but now I am.

Initially the district planned a virtual academy but I’m not sure there will be funding for it.

[lemoncupcake]

Our oldest will be starting kinder in the fall. Definitely in person, masks won’t be required. I’m unsure if we will ask/make her wear one.

I’m hopeful that community spread numbers will be even lower in the fall than they are now (which are sharply trending down). She will get vaccinated ASAP her age is allowed, but it will likely be after school starts.

[candreco]

Back to five days a week of in-person, virtual available through the district (not school-based) if there's a documented medical need. The district hasn't specifically stated what precautions will be in place, but has been following CDC guidelines and been conservative about implementation. From conversations with the principal it sounds like there will still be masks and distancing in place, especially in elementary schools where the majority of kids are unlikely to be vaccinated before school starts.

[lemoncupcake]

Jun 11, 2021 11:41:48 GMT -5 alicethellama said:

Jun 11, 2021 11:24:04 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Back to pre-COVID times, no masks or social distancing, both at my son's school and mine. No virtual option at either place. I'm ok with this, as I think it's time. 

Why you think it’s time among populations who are too young to be vaccinated yet? I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum on this, so just curious on alternative view points.

Community spread will continue to plummet. Right now between the two counties in our metro area there are 100 cases in the 7 day average.

I really think that the environment & risk in the fall won’t be anything like we all went through last year.

[icedcoffee]

Our daycare will finally be back to full hours and it sounds like full occupancy. They're still masking right now, but I'd honestly be fine with them not masking the kids this summer for a few reasons:

--Attendance in the summer is LOW
--Cases in my state are LOW
--It's hot as shit out

I wouldn't mind masks being a thing again in Oct-Apr though as the schools become a cesspool at that time

On the other hand, my 1.5 year old really needs to talk and masks are not doing him any favors.

[bex1973]

Nothing really announced yet other than they will offer a virtual option but folks have to apply to go that route.

[icedcoffee]

Jun 11, 2021 11:41:48 GMT -5 alicethellama said:

Jun 11, 2021 11:24:04 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Back to pre-COVID times, no masks or social distancing, both at my son's school and mine. No virtual option at either place. I'm ok with this, as I think it's time. 

Why you think it’s time among populations who are too young to be vaccinated yet? I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum on this, so just curious on alternative view points.

My whole state (MD) had 113 new cases today.  That's incredibly low and I think at some point the negatives of being masked outweigh the positives.   Let's not underestimate the value of seeing mouths when learning.

And I'm far from an anti-masker, but I agree that it's probably time.

And I'm incredibly hopeful that by fall vaccines will be reachable by those under 12.

[mustardseed2007]

Our school district is going to be no distancing, masks optional, virtual only allowed for kids who were passing at the end of the year. 

Our private school that we go to is going to (I predict) be masks required indoors, masks optional outside, distancing, virtual only with a doctor's note that you need to be virtual. 
They will (I predict) next transition to masks being optional for vaccinated people, but I don't THINK they will start like that. And I think most of the teachers have been vaccinated and they want them to model wearing them. But we'll see. 

[Alps79]

Jun 11, 2021 11:24:04 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Back to pre-COVID times, no masks or social distancing, both at my son's school and mine. No virtual option at either place. I'm ok with this, as I think it's time. 

same, same, same. And I am okay with this as well. Very pleased actually. 

[plutosmoon]

No word, but I'm going to guess the elementary kids will still need to mask and have some distance until they are vaccinated. The kids went back 5 days a week in April, and our last day is next week, so I don't think we will hear much about next year until August. This past month has almost felt "normal". There is talk of virtual options in some area schools, but who knows. They currently wear masks inside, but not outside, that is the protocol for the summer school program as well. Summer school has indicated they will spend a lot of time outside, but that's the standard for our summer school in normal years. Whatever it is, my kid will be there in the fall. I'm keeping my fingers crossed my aftercare provider will expand back to a 5:30 close.

[Roc A Bee]

Nothing announced but I’m thinking full capacity- not sure on masks. I’m happy about this. The risk for kids is very very low and adults will have had the opportunity to vaccinate for 6+ months by then. The numbers are low.

[revolution]

As of now - In person, no masks, no distancing. I don't see them changing anything with this either.

ETA:  my kids have been out for a few weeks, and when they were in school, they were in person full time since August and wore masks when they couldn't distance.  Desks were spaced out when they could be.  

[CurlyQ284]

I assume we will be back to pre-covid school in the fall (not announced but the Michigan mask mandate ends on July 2, and that included all government buildings so....I think that means masks are dead). They are continuing to offer the online option.

I am hoping we will get approval for vaccines for elementary school aged kids in early September. They keep saying fall but they have been delivering ahead of expectations so I'm choosing to be optimistic. It does make me a little nervous but also my son cannot learn at home so...we will have him in his chair on the first day of school either way.

I think our principal is the best ever so I'm expecting him to continue some other strategies implemented for covid, particularly not crowding everyone in the multipurpose room at dismissal like we used to.

[abs]

Jun 11, 2021 12:04:31 GMT -5 pinkplasticdoll said:

Jun 11, 2021 11:49:03 GMT -5 abs said:

In person, no masks, no social distancing. It took me awhile to get comfortable with it but now I am.

Initially the district planned a virtual academy but I’m not sure there will be funding for it.

I think that the funding for this failed when the dems walked off of the floor on the last day of the legislative session. 

This is what I understand, too. Funding and voting rights on the same bill. Makes perfect sense! Our district has already hired virtual only positions and has named a principal. Will be interesting to see what happens.

[rooster222]

5 days/week, mask optional. I don't think they said anything about a virtual option.

[carmenere]

The K-12 school I work at hasn't officially announced plans yet, but they are anticipating that by fall the CDC guidance will allow for normal (no masking/distancing) operation. I'm sure they're making contingency plans, though.

[hocus2]

I don't actually know the plan. Right now the tentative plan is 3 feet/masks but we're all expecting it to change. 3 FT creates an issue for several schools in terms of capacity and we don't really have an easy way to move some kids even for one year to school with space. I wonder if the the rule will be no space but masks or spacing but not masks. Random testing and daily screens are supposed to stay as well.

FWIW I think plexiglass is mostly theater and I would much rather have masks indoors (I am fine with them off at recess at this point).

No virtual option is planned for fall so most folks are coming back or doing their own virtual/homeschool or private/parochial.

[ssmjlm]

I don't anticipate anything until summer, but I wouldn't be surprised it it was back to normal.