Did you see the announcement the other day that we won't find out until the first week of August? I was pretty chill about this for a while, but the thought of going another month not knowing is stressing me out a little more each day. And DH and I have pretty flexible jobs when it comes to WAH (although even when we're home, we're both leading meetings all day so not really ideal for WAH with young children); I can't imagine what parents with less flexible work arrangements are going through.
No information yet. The governor just released the state’s requirements and recommendations for the schools on June 30th.
The superintendent did just make a comment in an article about the sports teams that made it sound like an online and in person option would both be offered. But it was pretty vague. Our district was already 1:1 before the pandemic.
Sports practices started up and were already shut back down due to positive tests.
No information yet. They've promised information by August 14th for a school year beginning August 31st which is super duper helpful.
Current rumor is that they are planning to start the year 100% virtual with a goal of 2 days a week by Thanksgiving in person which is....nonsensical. Most schools will probably close for a long winter break by then as flu and other stuff ramps up.
I really don't know how people plan to make this work. I understand parents will need to be flexible, but it takes more than 2 weeks to solidify proper childcare solutions.
I don't have school aged kids yet, but I'm pretty invested because my kids daycare is inside the public schools and they haven't let us back into the buildings yet (run by a private company). It's quite the mess and I think at this point we may ultimately pull them from the program.
Did you see the announcement the other day that we won't find out until the first week of August? I was pretty chill about this for a while, but the thought of going another month not knowing is stressing me out a little more each day. And DH and I have pretty flexible jobs when it comes to WAH (although even when we're home, we're both leading meetings all day so not really ideal for WAH with young children); I can't imagine what parents with less flexible work arrangements are going through.
Yeah, I'm struggling with it. We can work from home semi-indefinitely, but my work is really intellectually demanding and isn't compatible with caring for a kindergartener. While the kids were home from March-July I worked almost exclusively from 1-4pm during nap + movie time, and 7pm-12am when kids were down. I generally needed to do that 7 days/week to keep up, and I burned out hard.
It feels so laughable that I was putting all this energy into figuring out before/after care in last winter, and how critical I thought it was. And now we're not even sure if we'll have school at all.
Our charter district (20,000 students) announced options on Wednesday.
1- Synchronous virtual learning 2- Asynchronous virtual learning 3- In-person- masks required for everyone, daily temp checks and no visitors on campus.
Still waiting on the details for 1 and 2. Decisions have to be submitted by next Friday. We are allowed to change options at the end of a grading period.
We have to choose between fully in-school or fully online, and have to decide by next Friday. Once you make your decision, you are stuck with that for the entire fall term.
Did you see the announcement the other day that we won't find out until the first week of August? I was pretty chill about this for a while, but the thought of going another month not knowing is stressing me out a little more each day. And DH and I have pretty flexible jobs when it comes to WAH (although even when we're home, we're both leading meetings all day so not really ideal for WAH with young children); I can't imagine what parents with less flexible work arrangements are going through.
Yeah, I'm struggling with it. We can work from home semi-indefinitely, but my work is really intellectually demanding and isn't compatible with caring for a kindergartener. While the kids were home from March-July I worked almost exclusively from 1-4pm during nap + movie time, and 7pm-12am when kids were down. I generally needed to do that 7 days/week to keep up, and I burned out hard.
It feels so laughable that I was putting all this energy into figuring out before/after care in last winter, and how critical I thought it was. And now we're not even sure if we'll have school at all.
This is what I keep laughing at. 6 months ago I would have said my H and I absolutely need full time 6:30-6:30 care and now I'm all "maybe we can look at one of those 9-1pm preschools. LOL Anything is better than what we were doing.
Post by turkletsmom on Jul 10, 2020 9:05:59 GMT -5
Ours will go by what phase of reopening the state is in. If the state is in phase 1- 100% virtual learning. If we're in Phase 2- hybrid (we don't have info on what this will look like yet) and Phase 3- 100% in person. The state is currently in Phase 2 and our numbers are skyrocketing. So we will find out in 2 weeks if we are back to phase 1 or still in 2. School starts Aug 6.
I'm in CO and our district also just announced that we have the option of 100% in person or 100% remote. So far I haven't seen anything on whether switching will be allowed. They asked us to indicate which we want and whether we are certain, somewhat certain, or not at all certain of our choice.
I don't know, it was hard to read in their plan that they will operate at "100% capacity". I am super nervous but also really conflicted and would love for DS to be in the classroom. We have been trying to figure out a plan B but I just don't know how to assess the trade offs - every option seems to require significant sacrifices and the risks are still hard to quantify.
Post by dancingirl21 on Jul 10, 2020 9:37:28 GMT -5
Our district announced this week that K-5 will be full time, in person, wearing masks and social distancing. Middle and high school will be with an A/B cohort and go 2 days one week then 3 days the next week. They have also created a virtual academy for all grades for families that are uncomfortable attending in-person. The teachers for virtual learning will not also be teaching in a classroom - they will only do virtual learning. There is a plan for synchronous learning if cases go up and everyone needs to go back to e-learning. Honestly, I was impressed with how much thought they put into the plans.
We have three options: A) in person plus distance learning, starting with two days a week in person when they resume in person B) full time virtual C) independent study, with the school district providing the curriculum and parents providing the instruction
I'm likely to choose C because I know in person spots are really important for essential workers and with me SAH, I can do it. Distance learning didn't go well for DD either.
If in-person is not possible, I really like the idea of C. Distance learning was a disaster for my daughter. She hated screen time and videos so much. But jumping straight into homeschooling on my own seems overwhelming. I like the idea of being provided the curriculum to work through with her. Her teachers worked hard to create video content, but it just didn't work for us.
I will say that the lack of planning is costing us a considerable amount of money. Instead of using the cheaper care route we are having DD signed up for her old daycare. Because if schools close and we have to return to work I need full time care for her. But if schools don’t close and I’m still working from home I’m paying for daycare/bussing that I don’t need. Basically there is no winning and we’ve paid thousands in unnecessary childcare already this year. We have no family to help so we have to have these things lined up just in case. All of the care options require an application submitted by the end of July and it’s first come first serve. Yet we don’t even know if there will actually be school!
Did you see the announcement the other day that we won't find out until the first week of August? I was pretty chill about this for a while, but the thought of going another month not knowing is stressing me out a little more each day. And DH and I have pretty flexible jobs when it comes to WAH (although even when we're home, we're both leading meetings all day so not really ideal for WAH with young children); I can't imagine what parents with less flexible work arrangements are going through.
Yeah, I'm struggling with it. We can work from home semi-indefinitely, but my work is really intellectually demanding and isn't compatible with caring for a kindergartener. While the kids were home from March-July I worked almost exclusively from 1-4pm during nap + movie time, and 7pm-12am when kids were down. I generally needed to do that 7 days/week to keep up, and I burned out hard.
It feels so laughable that I was putting all this energy into figuring out before/after care in last winter, and how critical I thought it was. And now we're not even sure if we'll have school at all.
Same. DD1 is starting K this fall too and we have no information at all from the school yet. I don't even know where to go to try to get information. I started joining the zoom school board meetings and it is a shit show, they really seem to have no plan yet at all. I was just telling H how dumb it was that I agonized over the afterschool options and now I don't even know if she'll be in school at all.
Post by thebreakfastclub on Jul 10, 2020 14:20:30 GMT -5
Our 3 possible plans came out this week.
It will either be 5 days in person with masks, half in/half home, or 100% virtual. Specific buildings can flex up to virtual if needed without the whole district going virtual. We could opt into a virtual option now, which requires a full year commitment. The decision of which plan will depend on the county's status mid August.
My son is back at daycare now, and it's going well. I am Wfh for the indefinite future.
I am ok the hybrid model. My husband and I can handle it and split the work. 5 days virtual would be harder, but doable.
I am not thinking much about it until we are closer. I can handle the options so I am lucky.
Well they just delayed the start 2 weeks to August 17. Everyone seems to think that means they are going back in person, but I’m not convinced. I think they need more time to figure it all out and are hoping cases decline over the next few weeks.
Post by awkwardpenguin on Jul 10, 2020 15:24:28 GMT -5
I'm in Chicago where the teacher's union has said that 40% of their teachers don't think children should return to classrooms until there is a vaccine. I think there's zero chance we reopen full time in person- I'm guessing hybrid or 100% remote.
However, the Chicago archdiocese plans to open Catholic schools full time with masks and social distancing in the fall. We are scrambling to apply to a couple schools that might have slots left, and also considering homeschooling if Chicago's virtual learning requires screen time. Remote learning was a disaster for us and DD didn't learn anything from "school" after it went virtual in March.
We are going back 8/3. You can choose 100% elearning or in person; announced today and must decide by 7/17. Elearning will have a dedicated teacher and be a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning (percent not specified); with large / small group and 1:1 instruction. Tablet (+mifi if needed) provided as well as food (we are free breakfast, lunch and snacks for all; at the end of last year they provided an EBT card for around $150/mo per student). In person learning is 3’ social distancing the standard with 6’ the goal; the hope is enough parents chose elearning that this is possible. If enough parents don’t chose, they will figure it out somehow. Masks for everyone. Lunch in classroom. Once class at a time on the playground (which to me means less recess). Classroom doors open to encourage airflow (which to me means more likely for m airborne disease to spread!). Your choice is locked in for the quarter (elementary) or semester (middle and high school). You cannot switch back and forth. If you require absences for in person, it will be typical make up (packet, etc). If the school is shut down, everyone will transition to elearning. No information was provided on contact tracing / what it would take for shut down. It seems like parents won’t be notified unless the health department deems it necessary based on exposure. I think we are going to chose elearning and hope to find a teacher to manage it for a group of 6 kids.
No details yet, other than our private school is committed to a traditional, in classroom year. Start date just got pushed back 3 weeks by the governor.
No details yet, other than our private school is committed to a traditional, in classroom year. Start date just got pushed back 3 weeks by the governor.
I'm surprised that so many have said recently that their private schools are committed to in-person learning. In my state private schools didn't get a say when the governor mandated that all schools close, with the exception of daycare centers. Everyone can hope for the best and open as planned. But I just don't see how a private school can commit to in-person learning for the duration of the year.
Post by klassygoosey on Jul 10, 2020 18:06:23 GMT -5
MA all students in school as usual unless virtual is requested. 3 ft desk distancing. Students can switch between the two at any time. K-1 exempted from masks.
Right now, we are planning to go back full time (pre-k through 8th grade) and high school on a hyflex model with 50% of kids in school on any given day. We have also been told that we need to be ready to pivot to full time remote at any moment.
Who knows what will happen in 6 weeks. I'm trying to enjoy summer and wait for more information.
"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.”
Re: private, here in California schools can now open under the current health guidelines, which include six feet of distancing between students in classrooms. So the public schools have to cut class sizes down and do a hybrid model to do that. For private schools with small class sizes that can fit everyone in a room six feet apart, they can have all the kids each day. Fewer decision makers and no teachers unions should also make it easier to open normally.
If a state or county orders all schools shut down again like they did in March, then being in private won’t help. So that’s a risk that we’d take by going to a private school.
Our district is offering online only for those that want it. The rest is in person half time or home. We have 11 buildings and our high school is one of the 10 largest school buildings in PA. There will be rolling closures by building if they’re able to go back at all. Transportation is a huge issue with distancing. If that was the only issue I would definitely drive but I don’t think it is. Our state has mandated masks at school. I think we are basically going to be home most of the year. DH and I are getting DS a desk. He’s going into 6th grade so either way it’s going to be a rough transition. Cases statewide are up but I think our county has been pretty stable.
Post by christy082 on Jul 11, 2020 11:46:32 GMT -5
Our district hasn't finalized plans yet, but are definitely offering an online K-12 program for those who aren't comfortable sending kids in person that will likely be an independent study type of program with the work overseen by our teaching staff with remote support if needed. My H and I are 99 percent sure this is the route we'll go for our daughter, who will be starting kindergarten. I need to see details about the program first but given that I am very fortunate to only work 3-10s a week and have grandparent support close by, I feel like I should keep her home. Less risk for everyone involved, including teachers and those kids who will be learning in person.
Newest wrinkle: Teacher's Union is up in arms claiming current teachers are not being offered the option to teach virtually. District says that is not true. Basically no one seems to know anything.
Newest wrinkle: Teacher's Union is up in arms claiming current teachers are not being offered the option to teach virtually. District says that is not true. Basically no one seems to know anything.
In our district teachers absolutely aren’t offered the option to teach virtually. They will “try” to honor a teacher’s preference to teach virtually, but can’t guarantee it, and it’s all going to come down to how many families choose in-person vs. virtual, and the teaching assignment of that specific teacher. So if there are two virtual classes of second graders, and four teachers request to teach virtually, two won’t get to. Also, even “virtual” teachers will still be required to come into the building to teach, but may be offered an empty classroom if one is available or a quiet corner of the media center.
Newest wrinkle: Teacher's Union is up in arms claiming current teachers are not being offered the option to teach virtually. District says that is not true. Basically no one seems to know anything.
In our district teachers absolutely aren’t offered the option to teach virtually. They will “try” to honor a teacher’s preference to teach virtually, but can’t guarantee it, and it’s all going to come down to how many families choose in-person vs. virtual, and the teaching assignment of that specific teacher. So if there are two virtual classes of second graders, and four teachers request to teach virtually, two won’t get to. Also, even “virtual” teachers will still be required to come into the building to teach, but may be offered an empty classroom if one is available or a quiet corner of the media center.
This is how it will work in Texas, too. At least in my district. It seems like most elementary are sending their kids back. I don’t know what happens in that scenario.