If you have a rising Kindergartner

[hocus2]

May 28, 2020 8:59:19 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

May 27, 2020 13:58:55 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

   I think this will be highly variable. Our school has stated they will make no plans until July or August. Teachers cannot be compelled to work over summer so they are planning on doing the prep needed to kick of the year in the 2-3 days of PD they have at the start of the year. I expect fall to be very hard on the youngest learners given their stance.

  In terms of K -- it also varies a lot with schools. Our K is highly academic. It isn't that social. While you don't need 6 hours to cover the material 30 mins isn't near enough either. 

If you’re in a NY public school, plans have to be sent to the state
for approval by the end of June.

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

[joy]

May 28, 2020 8:31:21 GMT -5 outnumbered said:

I no longer have a kindergartner so my opinion has less weight. I would send my child. All kids entering at this time are facing the same challenges. If a large group of kids are held back classroom size and space will be an issue. In our district K size classes are capped. A large cohort would require an additional classroom. Our district literally has no space left. We would have to add portables at a considerable cost. This whole thing sucks. There is no parent that is not anxious about the effect this has regardless of age or grade.

Yes, this. I get that sending kids in the midst of this is stressful but I think the next year’s class is going to face a host of issues, as well, and those issues (class size, age gaps, etc) will be a problem for their entire time in school. Holding back could be a short term solution that leads to a much larger, long term problem.

[karinothing]

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

May 28, 2020 8:59:19 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

If you’re in a NY public school, plans have to be sent to the state
for approval by the end of June.

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I was talking about this with my teacher friend yesterday. Here teachers get about one week after school ends and one week before it beings that they are paid to work. I feel for teachers. I mean how are they supposed to create an entire new robust program in 2-3 weeks.

She said that she would just work over the summer without pay

[hocus2]

May 28, 2020 10:04:01 GMT -5 karinothing said:

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I was talking about this with my teacher friend yesterday. Here teachers get about one week after school ends and one week before it beings that they are paid to work. I feel for teachers. I mean how are they supposed to create an entire new robust program in 2-3 weeks.

She said that she would just work over the summer without pay

 Historically schools had 2 PD days in fall and sometimes only 1. I think they're are some wrap up days in June but I am not sure. 

 The schedule for fall isn't out yet., @jalapeñomel have you heard if there will be more PD at the start of school? It is very odd to not have the schedule this late in the year.

[jezebel]

May 28, 2020 10:04:01 GMT -5 karinothing said:

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I was talking about this with my teacher friend yesterday. Here teachers get about one week after school ends and one week before it beings that they are paid to work. I feel for teachers. I mean how are they supposed to create an entire new robust program in 2-3 weeks.

She said that she would just work over the summer without pay

I really can’t do any planning over the summer, even if I wanted to, because we have no idea what Fall will look like. My plan for fully online learning would be very different than if we’re back in the classroom. We may only have kids 3 days a week, or 2 different groups for half days, or...? I literally have no idea what to plan for, so I’m just going to enjoy the summer.

[lessel]

We registered DS1 (turned 5 in March) for public K in April. What was supposed to be in-person registration was all online. We're planning to send him in the fall, obviously depending on the health risk and advisories locally at the time. We're going to send DS2 back to daycare at the same time (the daycare is currently open and they're keeping #s small, not swapping teachers/kids between classes, etc.), but for now we have a part-time summer nanny for both the kids.

I anticipate we'll have limited aftercare options this fall. Our plan had been for DS1 to do aftercare at the daycare (take the daycare's bus after school) so we would have one kid pick-up in the afternoon. But even if aftercare is available at the daycare, I'm not sure it's the best idea to mix kids from different grades and schools together as they currently do...if they come up with a new structure somehow, we might still do it. I'm thinking I might have to try to shift my work schedule somehow to accommodate getting him from school though. Who knows though. I feel like I have mostly just tabled any decisions on this until mid-July.

[susiebw]

I'm late to this discussion, but my son will turn 6 in September, so it already feels like he's starting kindergarten late, and he'll be among the oldest in his class. There's no option but for him to start K this fall, whatever that's going to look like. I'm sad for him that he's not going to have a traditional K experience with a big deal first day of school and all that, but this is where we are.

We still haven't heard anything from the schools about what fall will look like here (I also have a current 3rd grader), and I suspect that won't be decided until later in the summer. So we're just here to go with the flow and do what we're told. LOL.

FWIW, my 3rd grade DD currently has live meets with teachers 4 times a day every day, ranging from about 15 minutes for specials like art and gym to a full 45-60 minutes for math and ELA. From what I've heard, the kindergartners in her school have two 15 minute live meets per day, and then online and printed work to do to fill the rest of their day. Parents I know report that they have to be pretty hands-on in order for the K work to get done, which will be tough with DH and I both working from home all day. My 3rd grader is completely independent, and only asks for help from time to time, so that's been great.

[farmvillelover]

May 27, 2020 13:31:29 GMT -5 karinothing said:

May 27, 2020 11:56:25 GMT -5 farmvillelover said:

I’ll send you our tutors info if you want. Noah zooms with her daily. I also found an online immersion school program that meets a few times a week

Sure! That would be great. Is the online immersion program through outschool? I was thinking of signing him up

Sending you a message now.

[noodleoo]

May 28, 2020 9:53:57 GMT -5 joy said:

May 28, 2020 8:31:21 GMT -5 outnumbered said:

I no longer have a kindergartner so my opinion has less weight. I would send my child. All kids entering at this time are facing the same challenges. If a large group of kids are held back classroom size and space will be an issue. In our district K size classes are capped. A large cohort would require an additional classroom. Our district literally has no space left. We would have to add portables at a considerable cost. This whole thing sucks. There is no parent that is not anxious about the effect this has regardless of age or grade.

Yes, this. I get that sending kids in the midst of this is stressful but I think the next year’s class is going to face a host of issues, as well, and those issues (class size, age gaps, etc) will be a problem for their entire time in school. Holding back could be a short term solution that leads to a much larger, long term problem.

I agree with this. I find it interesting that many parents are so worried about what will happen this fall and want to hold back *their* kid to protect them, without realizing that if *everyone* does that then it will just move the problem to next year. All the kids are in the same situation.  

My district is ending distance learning a week early to give the teachers a week of paid time to start planning for next year.  I think that is a smart option since I doubt many teachers will work unpaid over the summer. I wonder if they might push the start date for students back next year as well if they can.  I think this year the districts have been exempted from the required number of days the kids are in school so maybe they are only able to do it this year.

[lo]

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

May 28, 2020 8:59:19 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

If you’re in a NY public school, plans have to be sent to the state
for approval by the end of June.

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I’m not NYC public school, but I work for another urban district in the state. We are having lots of end of the year (virtual) roster meetings. I have 27 kids in my class for next year. I think it’s very weird we are planning like business as usual.

Are you guys thinking that if we do a hybrid model of in school with less students, and virtual, that teachers would still be working full time/5 days a week at school? Or do you think we’ll be doing any distance teaching?

The not knowing is killing me! Both professionally and personally... I have 4 kids of my own that I need to plan out school and childcare for and think about my own classroom.

[InBetweenDays]

May 28, 2020 8:31:21 GMT -5 outnumbered said:

I no longer have a kindergartner so my opinion has less weight. I would send my child. All kids entering at this time are facing the same challenges. If a large group of kids are held back classroom size and space will be an issue. In our district K size classes are capped. A large cohort would require an additional classroom. Our district literally has no space left. We would have to add portables at a considerable cost. This whole thing sucks. There is no parent that is not anxious about the effect this has regardless of age or grade.

I agree with this. I'm sure I'm colored by my staunch anti-redshirt beliefs, but I wouldn't hold them back because of this. Academically I wouldn't be concerned since most of the kids in the area will be in the same situation and teachers will help adjust the following year. If the issue was working while also helping your kid "distance learn" then I'd take the money I would be spending on another year of daycare and put it towards a nanny share with another family from the same class.

[hocus2]

May 28, 2020 13:55:01 GMT -5 lo said:

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I’m not NYC public school, but I work for another urban district in the state. We are having lots of end of the year (virtual) roster meetings. I have 27 kids in my class for next year. I think it’s very weird we are planning like business as usual.

Are you guys thinking that if we do a hybrid model of in school with less students, and virtual, that teachers would still be working full time/5 days a week at school? Or do you think we’ll be doing any distance teaching?

The not knowing is killing me! Both professionally and personally... I have 4 kids of my own that I need to plan out school and childcare for and think about my own classroom.

I have no insights but if I was guessing virtual instruction will be the main focus in NYC. I am hoping for hybrid and I think full in person school is highly unlikely That is in part because NYC is so packed in (buildings of 1,000+ students are not uncommon) and the severity of the outbreak here. I am cautiously hopeful that instruction will improve because the UFT and the department of education will come to a formal agreement on what the standard is because the one in place now isn't workable. If education is fully virtual I expect a noticeable drop in enrollment which will squeeze programs even more as must receive funding per student. I see folks moving to the burbs, doing home school or doing private/parochial because those schools may open or at least do more comprehensive virtual programming (the private near me was at 3+ hours of live instruction daily which is more than most public in our area.)

For the kids sake I hope they offer some in person classes for K and 1st perhaps with half the class at a time because the stories our PA is hearing is that is where e-learning is most problematic. I also worry about the most vulnerable learners and the children of workers who need childcare (including teachers) who really need an in person program for various reason.

[m15]

May 26, 2020 9:36:39 GMT -5 meganew said:

Maybe I'm just having a hard moment as a kinder teacher/parent right now, but if I found out my kindergarten student was going to start off online learning and I had the option to wait a year and it wasn't a huge burden, I'd wait a year. My son has a September 1st birthday (so we missed out cut off by 24 hours anyway), but him being the oldest was the best thing for him and I couldn't even picture him being in 3rd grade right now.

This is one hundred percent me. Only my kiddo could have gone because it is on or before September 1. As a K teacher, we are making plans but it will not be the same experience in any way, shape, or firm no matter how much we try.

[sdlaura]

My kid is going into first. But if I had a rising kindergartner, my concern wouldn’t be that my kid was going to be behind. My concern would be that I need full time childcare and don’t have time to help with distance learning. That’s why I would consider a private program/red shirting.

My kid has had zero learning the last few months of K because there’s no way to work, help him with online learning, and take care of other kids/help them with distance learning as well. So at least keeping him in a private program would mean he’s likely learning something/having more fun, and not stuck in front of screens and left to his own devices all day...

[VeryViolet]

Just to play devils advocate to all the people saying this just pushes the problem to the next year, I don’t think it necessarily will. It isn’t as if there will be a sudden huge influx of new kids it just shifts around the same kids to cause a bigger and smaller class than there would have been. I think it will cause a ripple effect at some point but in my elementary school they move classes around all the time. So this year there are 6 K classes, last year it was 5. If everyone keeps their kids home and delays K I assume they would have less first grade classes in 2021 and more K classes. Now what that means for middle school or even late elementary school where it is a little more than just shifting teachers around a bit I don’t know. I just don’t think it is as simple as OMG we are going to have a huge problem for everyone in all districts.

Like I said upthread my kid misses the cutoff by a week and is in K as a 6yo now. If he were a year younger I would still send him to K this fall because I think the benefits of education in any form would outweigh having an almost 7yo in K the next year. However, I don’t think anyone making a different decision should have the weight of ruining it for everyone on them. On top of wanting my kid to have the socialization, etc. doing school at home at that age on top of a full time job is killing DH and I (and DS). Every family is in a different situation and at this point they all suck.

[joy]

But, imagine if more parents hold back their kindergarteners this year. The average age of kindergarten students next year will creep up higher than it already is. The number of near 7 year olds in kindergarten will increase due to the redshirts and then you’ll still have barely five year olds in the class. That’s an enormous range of abilities, maturity, and knowledge. These are already problems in current kindergarten, but it’s going to be exacerbated next year and I worry it will be at the expense of the kids who are age-appropriate for the class.

Larger classes are also going to mean more competition for scholarships, spots on sports teams, and college acceptances. I don’t necessarily think these are good or bad problems, but they will be facts that follow a large class through school.

Of course, schools may be able to mitigate some issues as time goes on here. And maybe college will look nothing like it does now when our kids get there because holylord to the current expense. These are just some things rolling around in my head when thinking about this situation.

I think we have no idea how this will shake out, honestly. It’s going to be an adventure.

[ribollita]

Besides all of the issues mentioned above, frankly we cannot assume school will be “normal” in fall 2021.

[erbear]

May 28, 2020 10:12:30 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

May 28, 2020 10:04:01 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I was talking about this with my teacher friend yesterday. Here teachers get about one week after school ends and one week before it beings that they are paid to work. I feel for teachers. I mean how are they supposed to create an entire new robust program in 2-3 weeks.

She said that she would just work over the summer without pay

 Historically schools had 2 PD days in fall and sometimes only 1. I think they're are some wrap up days in June but I am not sure. 

 The schedule for fall isn't out yet., @jalapeñomel have you heard if there will be more PD at the start of school? It is very odd to not have the schedule this late in the year.

We've been told to be available for PD from August 10-21, and kids are coming back 2 weeks early to maximize time on campus.

[lemoncupcake]

May 28, 2020 17:48:38 GMT -5 joy said:

But, imagine if more parents hold back their kindergarteners this year. The average age of kindergarten students next year will creep up higher than it already is. The number of near 7 year olds in kindergarten will increase due to the redshirts and then you’ll still have barely five year olds in the class. That’s an enormous range of abilities, maturity, and knowledge. These are already problems in current kindergarten, but it’s going to be exacerbated next year and I worry it will be at the expense of the kids who are age-appropriate for the class.

Larger classes are also going to mean more competition for scholarships, spots on sports teams, and college acceptances. I don’t necessarily think these are good or bad problems, but they will be facts that follow a large class through school.

Of course, schools may be able to mitigate some issues as time goes on here. And maybe college will look nothing like it does now when our kids get there because holylord to the current expense. These are just some things rolling around in my head when thinking about this situation.

I think we have no idea how this will shake out, honestly. It’s going to be an adventure.

As someone who will have a kindergartener starting in Fall 2021 this scares me 

[Jalapeñomel]

May 28, 2020 13:55:01 GMT -5 lo said:

May 28, 2020 9:44:12 GMT -5 hocus2 said:

 Yes we're in NYC public schools. Are you referring to plans for virtual learning or just a regular fall plan? 

If the official plan will happen end of June it seems pretty late for teachers to prepare for fall since they don't have to work as of 7/1. (Yes  I know many if not most teachers do work over the summer but it cannot be compelled).

I’m not NYC public school, but I work for another urban district in the state. We are having lots of end of the year (virtual) roster meetings. I have 27 kids in my class for next year. I think it’s very weird we are planning like business as usual.

Are you guys thinking that if we do a hybrid model of in school with less students, and virtual, that teachers would still be working full time/5 days a week at school? Or do you think we’ll be doing any distance teaching?

The not knowing is killing me! Both professionally and personally... I have 4 kids of my own that I need to plan out school and childcare for and think about my own classroom.

I’m sure teachers will be left in the dark in many districts (as they’ve always been) until they come in, mostly in the highest needs districts.

I think NYC will try to have the little ones come to school and do a blended approach for the higher ups. I seriously doubt they’ll bring teachers in earlier than already scheduled, but I hope the UFT does negotiate....something.

I talked to one of the superintendents up here and they’re looking at having teachers come in every day and students every other day. They’ll stay in one classroom and teachers will rotate. The next day, the other half of the kids will come in, while the classes are being broadcast.


I’ve heard nothing about pre-k 3/4 program at all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets the boot to allow money for the expansion of the lower grade levels.


All conjecture based on discussions within the community though!

[m15]

May 28, 2020 22:58:31 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

May 28, 2020 13:55:01 GMT -5 lo said:

I’m not NYC public school, but I work for another urban district in the state. We are having lots of end of the year (virtual) roster meetings. I have 27 kids in my class for next year. I think it’s very weird we are planning like business as usual.

Are you guys thinking that if we do a hybrid model of in school with less students, and virtual, that teachers would still be working full time/5 days a week at school? Or do you think we’ll be doing any distance teaching?

The not knowing is killing me! Both professionally and personally... I have 4 kids of my own that I need to plan out school and childcare for and think about my own classroom.

I’m sure teachers will be left in the dark in many districts (as they’ve always been) until they come in, mostly in the highest needs districts.

I think NYC will try to have the little ones come to school and do a blended approach for the higher ups. I seriously doubt they’ll bring teachers in earlier than already scheduled, but I hope the UFT does negotiate....something.

I talked to one of the superintendents up here and they’re looking at having teachers come in every day and students every other day. They’ll stay in one classroom and teachers will rotate. The next day, the other half of the kids will come in, while the classes are being broadcast.


I’ve heard nothing about pre-k 3/4 program at all, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that gets the boot to allow money for the expansion of the lower grade levels.


All conjecture based on discussions within the community though!

I'm not sure that having kids come in staggered is a great approach either because everyone who works in schools who have children will then need to find child care for the days their kids aren't in school.  So, where's that child care coming from?  Are we going to load all those kids into day cares that don't have the space?  As a teacher and a parent, I can't imagine where all the kids who don't normally need child care are going to go.  We live in a small area, so there just are not facilities or people available to provide that care.