Well, Iowa just decided to go rogue on what is considered a “close contact”, and that solidifies that we will stay virtual for the year, I think. (Barring any new medical research that actually supports the change.) They had been quarantining any student that was within 6’ of a positive person for 15 min or longer. The new guidelines are that as long as everyone is wearing a mask, no one will be considered a close contact, regardless of space or duration.
I don’t know if that means they’ll no longer push social distancing in schools or not, but I’m SO thankful that our experience with virtual has been so good so far! My oldest even had his first extra meeting today for a “Reading Strength Group” (the new name for subject-specific Talented & Gifted).
I cannot believe our governor. She is beyond ridiculous! Our county is currently around 7% and some counties are 28%! I saw one graphic today that showed the state had a 36% increase in cases in the last week (I think that’s using the averages, but I’m not sure). It’s a MESS, and we’re failing miserably.
Gov. Reynolds and the IDPH have lost their minds. Oh yeah, and no mask mandate in the state... yeah... not going to work out well. Not. At. All.
Hybrid teachers: How are your schools handling symptoms?
If we have a student suspected of Covid (which is as minimal as cough as a stand alone symptom) then the classroom will be shut down for 24 Hours, cleaned (with a bleach mister) and another 48 hours. Then the kid either gets a dr note, a negative result (rapid test not accepted) or stays home for 14 days. Close contacts identified through health dept (6 ft for more than 15 mins)
We are supposed to start hybrid but the rumor is 12% of staff has requested leave of ADA accommodations to work virtually, so we will find out if that plan remains.
Assistants and one on ones are being called as subs and their positions are not being filled.
Lunch in the classroom means instead of 2 lunch assistants for 2 grades, then 9 classrooms need an extra adult besides the teacher who would be at lunch....we don’t even have 9 non teaching adults.
Besides the logistics of managing kids live and virtual at the same time....I just don’t know how this is all going to work? The quarantines and classroom shut downs alone....
campermom- Not a teacher, but I take DD's temp every hybrid day and enter her symptoms or lack of in an app called Skyward that has other school related info. It tells me whether she can attend or not (obviously any symptom means don't attend). It doesn't solve the problem of symptoms that develop at school though.
I think they are quarantining entire classrooms and busses, but upon a positive test. I don't know what they are doing for say student develops a cough in the afternoon. Probably deep cleaning, but others attend until a positive test? Symptoms means test or stay home for 14 days, so I would personally rather test if my pediatrician agrees.
Our hybrid teacher only has 1 short meeting with kids at home. At home is 99% asynchronous, so the teacher doesn't have to do a lot for the at home ones while teaching, but will probably have to answer a lot of questions and emails during their breaks and after school.
We have to decide by November 6th to stay virtual for the entire year, I guess. It wasn't quite worded like that so I'm wondering if they'll adjust if things are better in the spring.
Anyway, we will probably stay virtual. My kids are doing well, I don't miss the drop off and pick up nightmares, and our lives are pretty slow paced because of it all. Both kids have activities they do so they aren't isolated completely. I guess we'll see how October goes, but right now we're happy with virtual and so are they. Their teachers are amazing.
Post by cherryvalance on Sept 30, 2020 19:44:20 GMT -5
waverly, do you mind sharing what your district's policy is if parents forget to fill in the survey before school? My district is considering reopening earlier due to financial concerns, and this came up in a discussion among teaching staff (who admitted they have forgotten to temp their own kids or log on and complete the survey for their home districts).
waverly, do you mind sharing what your district's policy is if parents forget to fill in the survey before school? My district is considering reopening earlier due to financial concerns, and this came up in a discussion among teaching staff (who admitted they have forgotten to temp their own kids or log on and complete the survey for their home districts).
As in the child has arrived at school? I can’t find where it is written, but they discussed it verbally. Forgive me if I don’t remember exactly. I believe the gist is that the student will be isolated and the parents called to pick them up. In practice that might be the opportunity for a discussion with the parent.
But if there are indeed symptoms rather than just forgetting to certify that would move them to a different category of actions.
I’m not aware of the exact internal procedures, like do they stop car riders or children walking from the bus into the school or if the teacher has a list and checks once they are in the classroom. Since it is an app I wonder if teachers can just look at the app.
They are also sending out automated reminder emails, phone calls and texts daily in the morning.
My son started hybrid this week and it is almost depressing how happy he has been this week. It doesn’t matter what the restrictions are or how abnormal it feels. He is happy in a way he hasn’t been happy in 7 months. I forgot about this part of him.
We are so appreciative of all of the teachers and staff.
Hybrid teachers: How are your schools handling symptoms?
If we have a student suspected of Covid (which is as minimal as cough as a stand alone symptom) then the classroom will be shut down for 24 Hours, cleaned (with a bleach mister) and another 48 hours. Then the kid either gets a dr note, a negative result (rapid test not accepted) or stays home for 14 days. Close contacts identified through health dept (6 ft for more than 15 mins)
We are supposed to start hybrid but the rumor is 12% of staff has requested leave of ADA accommodations to work virtually, so we will find out if that plan remains.
Assistants and one on ones are being called as subs and their positions are not being filled.
Lunch in the classroom means instead of 2 lunch assistants for 2 grades, then 9 classrooms need an extra adult besides the teacher who would be at lunch....we don’t even have 9 non teaching adults.
Besides the logistics of managing kids live and virtual at the same time....I just don’t know how this is all going to work? The quarantines and classroom shut downs alone....
Nothing is done without a positive covid result.
Our class sizez are at 50 to 70% capacity due to cohorts and a lot of virtual learners. We mandate masks and 6 ft apart. The protocols are so far working.
If the student is positive then their cohort and anyone who sits close to them will have to test.
waverly, do you mind sharing what your district's policy is if parents forget to fill in the survey before school? My district is considering reopening earlier due to financial concerns, and this came up in a discussion among teaching staff (who admitted they have forgotten to temp their own kids or log on and complete the survey for their home districts).
We are supposed to fill out a screening every day. I don't think it is that effective. I have forgotten to do it for one or both kids several times since my kids have been back, about 5 weeks. And nothing happens when I forget. I have no idea if other people are even doing it. Honestly I couldn't even tell you for sure if I did it this morning.
Post by cherryvalance on Sept 30, 2020 21:10:10 GMT -5
waverly, AdaraMarie, thanks for sharing. A few of my colleagues said the same. @@@ my own children are toddlers, so they ask us the screening questions daily at drop off, no apps.
Post by bronxgirl on Sept 30, 2020 22:23:15 GMT -5
Tomorrow is my daughter's first in person day of middle school. I'm excited for her and a little nervous. Her BFF is going to meet her in front of our building and they'll walk over together.
OMG we were all set to finally return to in person AM/PM cohorts 2.5 hours per day, 5 days per week next week with independent work to do the rest of the day. We had gone through fifty thousand surveys and emails. And the district just emailed to cancel in person and say we will be remote through at least 11/30. The teachers have been talking up returning to in person for a couple of weeks now, and now my kids are so, so disappointed. And it isn’t even for safety concerns but rather logistics around the number of kids that ended up choosing extended distance learning vs in person. Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
PDQ So our board initially said we would be remote until January. Then out of nowhere they called a special meeting yesterday and now want us back in two weeks. The district has no plan yet, but I do know they want all students back so that means no distancing since many of us have tiny rooms with over 30 kids. They also want cameras in our rooms to live stream to those who choose to stay home.
I am....livid. Confused. Anxious. And many other things. Not just about the safety but also the timeline and the lack of respect for us and not being communicative with us or taking any of our concerns into consideration.
Tomorrow is my daughter's first in person day of middle school. I'm excited for her and a little nervous. Her BFF is going to meet her in front of our building and they'll walk over together.
Tomorrow is my daughter's first in person day of middle school. I'm excited for her and a little nervous. Her BFF is going to meet her in front of our building and they'll walk over together.
Hope she had a great first day!
Today is DD1’s first day in the building. Today is the first day since March 13th since all four of us will be at work or school on the same day. Such a weird feeling leaving the house.
Tomorrow is my daughter's first in person day of middle school. I'm excited for her and a little nervous. Her BFF is going to meet her in front of our building and they'll walk over together.
Hope she had a great first day!
Today is DD1’s first day in the building. Today is the first day since March 13th since all four of us will be at work or school on the same day. Such a weird feeling leaving the house.
Post by timorousbeastie on Oct 16, 2020 10:49:11 GMT -5
DD’s elementary school opened in September with 3 cohorts - 1 all virtual, 2 in person going either Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday. Starting this week, they combined the two in person cohorts so that all in person kids are in class together 4 days a week. The school claimed that even though class sizes are now double what they were at the start of the school year, all precautions including distancing would remain the same. I didn’t know how they could have room in the classroom for all the kids at the same time, but they insisted there were no issues. The school posted pics today. There is zero distancing. The kids are all seated at long tables, with dividers similar to this: And much like in this picture, the dividers are set far back from the edge of the table, so there is a huge wide open space between where the kid actually is sitting and breathing and where the divider is. There is no more space between seats than there was in pre-COVID times. “Best” of all, some of the pictures showed a class working with yardsticks - as in, a perfect device to use as an example to show the kids that you need at least two yardsticks between people. Instead, there were 3 kids crowded around each yardstick.
I am so very thankful that keeping DD home was a viable option for our family.
waverly , do you mind sharing what your district's policy is if parents forget to fill in the survey before school? My district is considering reopening earlier due to financial concerns, and this came up in a discussion among teaching staff (who admitted they have forgotten to temp their own kids or log on and complete the survey for their home districts).
Not who you tagged but we (as teachers) can see on an app who didn't complete the survey. So if one of my advisees doesn't have it, I have a thermometer and I screen them outside before they can come into the building
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Post by Velar Fricative on Oct 16, 2020 13:05:33 GMT -5
DH's student just received a positive test result. Last exposure was last Friday and DH doesn't feel any symptoms, but neither does the student since he only tested because he himself was exposed to a covid+ case. They wear masks the whole time and keep the windows open in the classroom, so I'm personally not too worried but he has to quarantine next week now to reach that 14-day mark. DH was able to get an appointment for a rapid test (results in 90 minutes) on Sunday so we'll hunker down until then.
waverly , do you mind sharing what your district's policy is if parents forget to fill in the survey before school? My district is considering reopening earlier due to financial concerns, and this came up in a discussion among teaching staff (who admitted they have forgotten to temp their own kids or log on and complete the survey for their home districts).
Not who you tagged but we (as teachers) can see on an app who didn't complete the survey. So if one of my advisees doesn't have it, I have a thermometer and I screen them outside before they can come into the building
What app are you using? My son's school is using Ruvna. We decided against using an app.
Not who you tagged but we (as teachers) can see on an app who didn't complete the survey. So if one of my advisees doesn't have it, I have a thermometer and I screen them outside before they can come into the building
What app are you using? My son's school is using Ruvna. We decided against using an app.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Our son had his health and safety orientation at school this week in anticipation of being back full-time next Wednesday. They walked the kids through all the daily routines - wearing masks at all times, temperature screening before entering the building, QR code tags attached to each kid's backpack so parents can easily get to the daily symptom screening on their phones, only one person in the bathrooms at a time (and a container of hand sanitizer you place in the doorway to indicate a bathroom is occupied, apparently), a separate entrance for each grade, no shared supplies, limited cohort contact for staff (coverage is allocated so teachers and staff come in limited contact with four cohorts, at most)... And we're lucky to have large classrooms so kids can reasonably spread out; in some cases, walls were taken out between smaller classrooms to make larger rooms (in the past, not because of the pandemic). I feel like they've done the best job they possibly can. We're still nervous, but optimistic.
We’re supposed to go back to hybrid in 2 weeks and the district keeps announcing things to the news, teachers and parents all at the same time, none of which had been negotiated, and some of which goes against our contract.
They’re essentially trying to punish teachers for having strong union and standing up for ourselves. We just moved up to level 3 and rising. They had origin said we wouldn’t go back until there were 4 consecutive weeks of declining rates, but they don’t care. The emails are full of gaslighting and toxic positivity. I feel so disrespected, I’m ready to quit teaching.
Post by Jalapeñomel on Oct 16, 2020 21:44:15 GMT -5
Two months in and everything has become pretty lax...students have to be reminded to pull up masks a lot more frequently, teachers are seen without masks in the hallways, our one way hallways/stairwells are nonexistent.
Two months in and everything has become pretty lax...students have to be reminded to pull up masks a lot more frequently, teachers are seen without masks in the hallways, our one way hallways/stairwells are nonexistent.
Same at my school. We never even tried one-way, but people were supposed to make an effort to distance in the halls. Definitely not any more, and kids are staying and congregating after school instead of leaving like they’re supposed to. No one is bothering to monitor or care. I’m exhausted from trying to teach virtual and in-person, so I just keep myself distanced and my windows open.
Post by karinothing on Oct 17, 2020 7:47:11 GMT -5
We are supposed to open school for hybrid in November but I doubt our health metrics will ever get there. We are still in level zero and need to get to level 2.
Well our board was going to vote to send us back, and then our case numbers continued to skyrocket. We are at almost 8% for the very rural county my district is in, we are at over 200 cases per 100,000 (goal is less than 50), and we have substantial youth case spread. The most cases are people under 20. If we hit that 8%, we are put on the warning list by the state. And I guess our buildings are at 12% of people out with COVID and/or on quarantine, and we have to be at under 3% in our buildings to go back. So I am hoping we stay remote until the end of first semester. That was supposed to be the plan until parents started complaining a couple weeks ago about wanting to be back.
Post by georgeglass on Oct 17, 2020 8:02:50 GMT -5
We are now 7-8 weeks in with everyone on campus (except those that chose to remain virtual). It's going well - only a couple of people consistently needing mask reminders. We did have a couple of positive cases and quarantined a bunch of people for two weeks, but nothing else came from it. Knock on wood.
A few teachers want us to close between Thanksgiving and Christmas so they can travel. That's not going to happen.