k3am - you’re doing the right thing. Our state is a hot spot. We just hit the phase where gyms can open, we seem to be doing OK with our numbers... and I don’t think public school will go back.
Our small private school can distance enough that, at this point, DD2’s class won’t even require masks. They are pushing SO HARD to come back. It’s possible that we won’t be able to... but I think the only way that happens is if we shut down again completely.
Welp, I just sent in the paperwork to enroll DD for private. I'm sad about it. We love, love, love, love, love our school. We bought our house because of the schools. This one is a 15-20 minute drive away without traffic, and traffic in the area has really picked up. We are hoping that they'll resume busing (vanpool) from DS's daycare (they're affiliated), which would make life a lot easier. DH was against it at first, until I pointed out my hourly rate vs. their monthly rate of $140 round trip.
We are not putting her in before/aftercare, which will save us ~$3500 for the year at least.
DD is.. not happy. We keep trying to explain that school isn't opening anyways, and she'll know at least two people in her grade (one that she's VERY close to).
For some reason I keep worrying that now that we're committed, things will improve and the school year will be normal again after a few months but.. IT WON'T. Our state is shutting down again (I mean.. our county hasn't opened most of what they're shutting down anyways), our teacher union will refuse to put teachers in the class, and the vaccine horizon isn't anytime soon.
Someone tell me I'm doing the right thing.
This is where we are. I think you’re doing the right thing. And I figure it will be easier to go back to public than to jump into private so we aren’t really losing anything....except money.
I couldn’t remember if I wrote this before, so forgive me if it’s a duplicate. High school (different district, same town) decided on hybrid. Catholic schools are going for full time. Most Catholic schools around here are suffering from low enrollment so they have far less students than public.
k3am- One thing that was mentioned in the board meeting was that some decision just have to be made at the family level- what’s best for their family, and I am sure that is what you are doing.
sdlaura- I felt compelled to go because I really want to know right now- right this second. I just sat and listened to the presentation which was pretty well done. I wasn’t a rabble rouser against local politicians or anything.
My sisters district announced the plan to teacher tonight before the school board meeting. K-2 will got 4 days in person 1 day distance, 3-12 grade will go either M/Th or Tu/F and the rest will be online.
The governor announced today that masks must now be warn outside when social distancing isn't possible. This comes 13 days after she made it mandatory for indoor public places. We also are supposed to be limiting group indoor settings to 10 or less excluding churches and retail.
Private isn't an option here as all the local private schools has stated they will be following the large school districts choice. I also found out that same large school district has put a hold on all coaching contracts and high school sports will probably not happen at all.
k3am I think there’s a much bigger risk that privates also go virtual rather than public suddenly going back full time. We’re the same way in terms of buying our house for the school on our street and private being 15-20 min away.
If all goes well we’ll have the two older kids in the private school, DS2 at the ymca preschool, and DS3 at our in home daycare. I hope DH continues working from home so I don’t have to drag all four kids to private school drop off and then the younger two back to their closer preschool/daycare.
Luckily in home daycare provider isn’t taking as many kids this year as her license allows. So if ymca preschool has any shut downs for cases that don’t directly expose DS2, she will take him back here and there. So I hope we’re ok for childcare for the younger two.
I had thought we could handle four kids because two of them could walk 12 houses to school and had aftercare onsite. But now we’ll have 3 pick ups and drop offs everyday. If we’re lucky and private school is open.
We also won’t do aftercare because of cost - but I don’t think they’ll be running it anyway at the two schools we’re considering because then you have kids from different classes mixing, and then you’d have to shut down the school for any Covid cases. If kids are only with their class, then only that class would have to quarantine.
The principal of front runner private school send an update today saying they have checked with health department and are still planning to go back full time. I guess he probably got a call from every parent after the public systems announced online only. We visit that school as a family tomorrow and the other option on Wednesday.
Our plan gets presented to the school board tonight and I'm so, so anxious about it. Private school, a nanny, etc... are all totally out of the question for me. I can't afford any of that. During the school year I budget strictly for the cheapest after care in town, so I've got an extra $250 a month for two kids to throw around for alternative babysitters. That's not going to get me much of anything. Whatever happens with our district, that's what I get and I figure it out. Even if we open full time initially, I have to believe that at some point we're going to end up shut down and then I'll be right back to where I was in the spring. It just makes me want to cry already. I just keep reminding myself that at least this next time around, I'll be in a house with two adults and beau will be there to help tag team with me a little.
I’m going to talk to DH about trying to find another family to pod with for school. There are several who have kids in both my kids’ classes, so I’m hoping one of them will agree to tag teaming. I’m not that concerned about the school part because DH and MIL can handle that. I’m much more concerned about the social part.
Post by librarychica on Jul 14, 2020 8:03:34 GMT -5
Our county plan has changed again. Push school start back a couple weeks until the end of August, some kind of hybrid model now being proposed, details TBD.
I am tired of contemplating options. I feel so bad for the teachers and administration. Hell, I feel bad for the school board.
mommyatty - I think that’s such a good idea. I know others have mentioned it as well, but I hadn’t commented yet.
I wish that was an option for us. My kids would do better with some other kids to interact with while learning. But we live too far away from the other families in our school to consider it. We also don’t have any families that overlap with us - the one family that did made our lives a nightmare last year, and they’ve left the school. The kids in the neighborhood all go to public school, and the district handled it really poorly in the spring, so they barely had any work.
I may try to see if I can hook up with a couple of families as well, assuming we are locked down again some time in the late fall/early winter as predicted. It probably won’t give me any time off, but I am able to deal with that.
OK, so based on the school board meeting I am assuming hybrid 2 days a week and every other Friday. Please rate my care options.
Option 1: Keep current nanny- but drop her down to 2 days a week possibly the every other Friday. This would be the least disruptive option, and least exposure to the virus. However, she does want to get on with her career- she doesn't want to be a nanny forever, so this would be temporary until she finds her career job. She would be unhappy going from 4 days a week to 2. Price would be $250 a week, I think maybe $325 for weeks with the Friday. She doesn't have experience with elearning, and they are saying elearning will be 5 hours long and graded.
Option 2: Aftercare- could run full day program. Not sure if they will run because they already have low enrollment. They typically have 60 kids and only have 25, they need at least 15 every day to run. This would be onsite at the school, and would require more days wearing masks. No experience with elearning, but might be better equipped since they have experience with homework. This would be about $160 a week for 2 days and $240 for 3 days.
Option 3: Pod-I could work with a neighbor and watch all 4 kids 1 day a week, and she watch them 1 day a week. 4 kids for 5 hours of elearning might be rough. 1 day a week at home would require me to take intermittent FMLA, but I have plenty of PTO so it would be paid. The kids would be unattended every other Friday, but otherwise would have care. She has not mentioned interest in this, so just an idea in my brain.
Option 4: Work from Home/ FMLA- I could theoretically work 3 days a week in person. Kids would be unattended every other Friday. I could "work from home one day a week" and 1 day a week do intermittent FMLA.
Please pick an option.
*Unattended on Fridays means no elearning supervision, and they would have to get their own lunches which they can do. DH is available only for emergencies. He is in the house, but on calls. Fridays can sometimes be a lighter day for him, but no guarantees. And no guarantee he will or can help with elearning. But if they fall and are bleeding he is technically there. DS will be 10 in October, and DD is 7. DS can sort of do elearning independently, DD can't really.
My sister just let me know that they're not sure they can provide her with one on ones for the students in her class because then it would be way too many adults in a small space. She teaches a very high needs sped class where basically every student has a one on one. And it's sounding like this year it may be her, solo teaching 10 or so kids alone, with no assistants or co-teacher to support her. Part of why they don't want to get assistants? Because if/when we end up going remote, they wouldn't know what to do with all that staff and they'd have to either lay them off or find admin work for them to do remotely like they did in the spring and that was a nightmare. You know what's more of a nightmare? Putting a teacher in a patently unsafe work environment with students who can cause actual bodily harm (beyond covid) to themselves or the other people in the room. WTF is wrong with our world.
The school district here sounds like it will be hybrid at best. Either Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday. I filled out the survey from the district yesterday, and made sure to comment that I will really need both my kids (both elementary but in different schools because of how ours are set up), to have the same days in order to secure childcare. I talked to the college student aged summer sitter today, and she would be interested in working a day or two this fall depending on her course schedule (course schedules will be re-finalized at the end of the month). She is an education major, and I also asked if she might have a friend who is interested in doing a couple of days too. This also means that my teaching schedule won't be finalized until the end of the month. They are talking about moving some of us to teach nights and/or weekends in order to have enough social distancing in the classrooms. We have 40,000 students, so this is an organizational nightmare.
waverly I’d probably start with option 1 but make it clear she’s welcome to keep looking for jobs and then you can switch to option 4. I think the aftercare option is unnecessary since your kids are still getting social interaction on the school days and it’s likely to have rolling closures when cases are discovered.
I let DD know that one of the classrooms we passed had banners for each of the Hogwartz houses in the window, and she now is 100% on board with private school.
Post by sandandsea on Jul 14, 2020 11:41:25 GMT -5
Does anyone have any links to articles about micro pods to facilitate distance learning. If the private school doesn’t pan out, this is our backup but I have other moms asking me for more info and I’m not sure of the best link to send.
Does anyone have any links to articles about micro pods to facilitate distance learning. If the private school doesn’t pan out, this is our backup but I have other moms asking me for more info and I’m not sure of the best link to send.
Honestly I’m not sure it is a link situation. I thinks pods for elearning are different from pods for social distancing. It’s basically the same 2-3 families using each other’s houses and days off work to elearn right?
Whereas social distancing pods were more for the shutdown that you saw no one else except this 1 other family.
aaaaaaaand... we just got this email from the private school as another option:
We are excited to announce a new program for those families who would like to stay within their current public school program: Our Distance Learning Support and Enrichment Program. This program is an in-person program designed to serve families with Elementary and Middle School students from other local elementary and middle schools who are continuing distance learning this Fall. With flexible scheduling options, students will be placed in stable groups in an age-appropriate classroom and outdoor environment with an "education facilitator" to support their distance learning and ensure they are absorbing as much knowledge as possible, all while coupling their day with outside recess, PE, and enrichment opportunities. If this sounds like the solution your family is looking for, please fill out our interest survey for more information.
On one hand, I'm 100% sure that the private program will be better than the distance learning program our district puts on. Our district is a legit mess.
On the other hand... we plan to put her in public again when this is all over. If distance learning is a mess, she'll be in the same spot as all the other kids in her class. The private school is far away (20-45 mins each way.. and DS is 10 mins away in the complete opposite direction). We can't afford aftercare for her. If public starts going back to school in person, we're committed to tuition for the year.
k3am - if you don’t plan to stay, the new option seems like the right option for you. Your DD will stay on track with her peers (you mentioned that as a concern before), and you may find that they group her with kids from your district.
Would the tuition for the new option make it worthwhile as a just-in-case option?
k3am - if you don’t plan to stay, the new option seems like the right option for you. Your DD will stay on track with her peers (you mentioned that as a concern before), and you may find that they group her with kids from your district.
Would the tuition for the new option make it worthwhile as a just-in-case option?
They don’t know how much it will cost. Or necessarily where they would do it (they “think” at DS’s location.)
My guess is that the cost will be comparable to what we’re paying for summer daycare right now, so maybe $200/month cheaper?
Our governor just had a press conference to unveil his "guidance." It was about 20 minutes of BS where he basically passed the buck to every town to figure it out on their own so that they can be "flexible and dynamic." I want to scream. I live in a tiny state. There is NO REASON why he couldn't put out some more strict mandates that people need to adhere to. The document he released says things like "towns should figure out how they will do screening and communicate that." Oh. Ok. Thanks. Appreciate the guidance there.
@ California, Texas and Florida residents- this is your spike. It took us at least 3 weeks for us to come down off our spike, and that was with everything shut down for 2 months previously and masks mandatory since May 1. Our spike was May 15 (and we are possibly starting a second spike). Masks are still mandatory and compliance is high near the city.
So, do you want e-learning done through public or private is the question for the first 6-10 weeks?
After our spike, it took us a month to move through our phases. So my guess is if you shut down everything completely and masks, then you will be back to in person school in mid September. Public being hybrid and private being full. That is everything goes well, and you open up slowly again.
If school starts early August let's say August 4th, you would have 6 weeks of online learning. I would round that number up so expectations are in line with possible reality.
I expect our Governor to close indoor restaurants and bars again. Not sure if he will put us back to Phase 3 entirely. Cases are going up but not spiking- holding steadyish.
I am just basing this on our timeline up until now with a prior spike. Every city has it's own weird curve.
We are still planning in person, but our cases are going way up. Still much better than most, but we are not a super populated state. I found out the school systems has purchased masks for all students daily.
waverly , our area closed down first and fast. Our area set precedence for the nation by being the first to enact SIP. We are pretty far behind the state on reopening and we delayed reopening a lot of things even when the state gave us approval to. Masks were mandated in April and at least in our neighborhood, office, places I go, compliance has been pretty good.
We don't have indoor dining, salons, my dentist is still closed, etc. (well.. we had salons for 1 day before they announced they'd close again)... and we're still going up. So the speculation that if we shut down everything completely (we're basically STILL shut down pretty completely) and masks we'll be back open in September doesn't sound like it could happen.
Teachers we know say our district does not anticipate being in the classroom before 2021.
We shut down early in Texas, and our numbers stayed really low. Then, just as they started rising, we decided opening up would be an awesome idea. So now here we are. I don’t see another shutdown in our future. We do have a mask order, so that’s something.
Here, public schools have been told they must have a 5 day a week in person option. That’s not going to happen. Dallas ISD already announced they aren’t opening on time. I think others will follow suit.
I’m now seriously considering keeping my kids home with a distance learning option in the fall, regardless of what our school does. Our county posted over 500 new cases today. Every metric is terrible. Hospitalizations, percentage positive, icu beds available. It’s bad. I hope to God this is the spike. I fear we are still riding the wave to its apex. And we are slated to start August 17.
waverly , our area closed down first and fast. Our area set precedence for the nation by being the first to enact SIP. We are pretty far behind the state on reopening and we delayed reopening a lot of things even when the state gave us approval to. Masks were mandated in April and at least in our neighborhood, office, places I go, compliance has been pretty good.
We don't have indoor dining, salons, my dentist is still closed, etc. (well.. we had salons for 1 day before they announced they'd close again)... and we're still going up. So the speculation that if we shut down everything completely (we're basically STILL shut down pretty completely) and masks we'll be back open in September doesn't sound like it could happen.
Teachers we know say our district does not anticipate being in the classroom before 2021.
This sounds bad but since I am a cynic and have a realistic view I am glad you do too. Not because I want the situation to be bad. I just don’t want you to spend tons on private thinking they would be open. But I don’t want to stress people out either. So I try to be optimistic a little bit.