We welcome kiddos back on Monday, and I'm excited and nervous. We've spent the last 2 weeks inservice trying to get things ready for face to face instruction, but it's really impossible to distance in a public elementary school. We are going to do our best, though, and pray we can keep the school open. My own child will be distance learning with my mom....please pray for my mom! LOL I have no idea how long we'll be able to keep the school open, but I do know that I'll sigh a bit of relief when I lay eyes on some of the kiddos I've not seen since March 12. I just need to see that they are okay! The hardest part of this year: we aren't suppose to give hugs, so pray I don't lose my job over hugging because I. will. hug. Wish me luck, and pray for our kids!
It's back to school I go....to work
- Thread starter scout123
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- May 23, 2015
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Our kids finished their first week of school in-person. They were so HAPPY to be back to normal and seeing their friends. It was an exhausting week especially for this dad who had to start getting up at o’dark-early again. Our school has instituted a mandatory face cover policy (masks or face shields) for all kids Kinder and up and for all faculty & staff. Kids are cohorted in their grades and, within a class, segregated into “pods”, and schedules have been rearranged to minimize interactions at recess and lunch. Specials (art, computers, library, etc) are brought TO the classroom and parent-volunteering is kept to a minimum. Health checks at the door and drop-off/pick-up has been modified to minimize the number of adults on campus (we don’t have bus service). Hand sanitizer stations were installed every 20ft of outdoor walkway space so kids can keep their hands clean. 20sec handwashing rule anytime a kid enters a room. Lockers for middle schoolers were removed and replaced with outdoor cubbies outside their homerooms. Only freshman & sophmores in highschool get lockers. Sports will be tough but we follow the rules of the governing state sports association and will do our best to comply with their policies and procedures.
Our teachers & admins worked straight through the summer (when they’d normally have time off) to get everything ready to go for this past Monday. It was a success but we realize that this situation isn’t a matter of “if” a kid or adult will get sick but a situation of “when” it happens. We have protocols in place for when that happens and can quickly pivot any class, cohort, or pod to distance-learning.
It was a huge undertaking this summer but seeing the kids together on Monday and the joy in their eyes was worth it.
Good luck!!
Our teachers & admins worked straight through the summer (when they’d normally have time off) to get everything ready to go for this past Monday. It was a success but we realize that this situation isn’t a matter of “if” a kid or adult will get sick but a situation of “when” it happens. We have protocols in place for when that happens and can quickly pivot any class, cohort, or pod to distance-learning.
It was a huge undertaking this summer but seeing the kids together on Monday and the joy in their eyes was worth it.
Good luck!!
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Wow, what your schools have done is awesome! I'm afraid we aren't nearly as prepared, and don't have near the safety protocols in place that you all have. I think our county spent the summer praying things would be back to normal by now, and then tried to rush to get things ready. Tomorrow's the day, and I can't wait to finally see them!
I think the overwhelming majority of places took the head-in-the-sand approach. To be fair, this is totally unprecedented and the people who have needed to lead may not have been chosen for this type of scenario if we knew in advance. I’m with Matt that the only question is when people get sick, and how many of them.
The school system I just retired from went back to school last week. They already have 5 cases. 3 in the high school, one in the school I used to work at and one at another Elem school. In all 5 cases the teachers and whole class were put under quarantine for 14 days. It is not a matter of if but when and how will they handle it 
They have set the school up a lot like Matt is saying his school is set up to try to not mix kids/classes. They are hopeful this will control the spread.
I am SO glad it was time for me to retire! I will think about those that are not able to yet.
They have set the school up a lot like Matt is saying his school is set up to try to not mix kids/classes. They are hopeful this will control the spread.
I am SO glad it was time for me to retire! I will think about those that are not able to yet.
- Jul 17, 2019
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Dang... My kiddos are starting week 3 and so far so good. In my son's high school (4,000 kids) one kid came down on day 2 so he picked it up before school started. I was sweating last week that we wouldnt see more cases after the ~10 day mark of the 1 kid having symptoms. Hopefully that trend continues, but we shall see.
- May 23, 2015
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I think schools, especially for elementary age kids, can make it through just fine. These are highly mobile congregate settings but with a population that is the least affected by the disease and for which the disease transmits very ineffectively. Applying the most basic epidemic containment principles should be more than sufficient to keep the disease in check.
The harder population to deal with is the older high school ages and college age kids as is seen everyday in the news reports of these foolish children doing what foolish people do - only thinking of themselves. This is the age demographic with the highest rates of positivity and the fastest transmission dynamics. They are also the age group least likely to be physically impacted by the disease but most likely to transmit it to the age demographic that can least survive it, age 55 and older. Sadly, these are the very people fighting to give these "kids" as much "normalcy" as possible. This is a disease that profits on the foolishness and selfishness of youth, of which there is no shortage.
I hope someday kids of this "foolish generation" will see the sacrifices that their elders made for them and appreciate it....maybe they might reflect on it in between shots at the frat house bar....
The harder population to deal with is the older high school ages and college age kids as is seen everyday in the news reports of these foolish children doing what foolish people do - only thinking of themselves. This is the age demographic with the highest rates of positivity and the fastest transmission dynamics. They are also the age group least likely to be physically impacted by the disease but most likely to transmit it to the age demographic that can least survive it, age 55 and older. Sadly, these are the very people fighting to give these "kids" as much "normalcy" as possible. This is a disease that profits on the foolishness and selfishness of youth, of which there is no shortage.
I hope someday kids of this "foolish generation" will see the sacrifices that their elders made for them and appreciate it....maybe they might reflect on it in between shots at the frat house bar....
Just the nature of the classrooms is miles apart between younger and older kids. The littles stay put in one classroom all day. The highschoolers swap rooms and have different kids in the next room seven or eight times a day. They can pass hundreds of other students with each swap. The chances for exposure go through the roof.
Unfortunately, the latest predictions I've seen call for a resurgence in the fall and winter, and 300,000 dead by the end of December. Horrible.
By the way, in all my schooling, K-12, college, grad school, and law school, I never went back to school before Labor Day. It's blasphemy to me.
By the way, in all my schooling, K-12, college, grad school, and law school, I never went back to school before Labor Day. It's blasphemy to me.
- May 23, 2015
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When it’s 115F outside on any given day in June, you learn quickly that’s its better to start school in August, and end school in May, so you’re not stuck graduating kids in the middle of a hot day. Parents appreciate not sitting out in the blazing hot sun as well and schools don’t have to run AC’s 24/7 to keep big buildings cool. We still get Labor Day weekend off and the kids like having a little break after the first few weeks of school. Oh, and we get Rodeo Break off in the early spring which is lots of fun.
I grew up on LI so I remember well starting school in September....right at the high point of hurricane season 🌬
I pray for all those returning to the classrooms right now and the parents making the decision what to do next. We’re at the point right now that it’s clear we have zero options that are “correct.”
We got lucky here as there’s major construction going on at the schools that’s been occurring and isn’t done. Because of this school has been delayed until early Sept BUT kids will still be out late may (depending on snow days). The district has made huge steps with dividers between desks, remote learning as an option, thermo cameras for those entering the building and so forth. I’ve talked to a few teachers who we’re close with and all of them here have hinted that their main goal for the first two weeks is to get EVERYBODY up to speed on remote learning, just in case. The state has setup a system that “rates” individual counties to somewhat standardize things with each county getting a level of risk. The school has already announced if the county hits a certain level it’s automatically remote for all students, and we’re one check mark away from that level last I saw the ratings.
Heres to a good day for you! Whatever happens there’s no way ANYBODY in their right mind can question the dedication teachers have right now for their kids.
We got lucky here as there’s major construction going on at the schools that’s been occurring and isn’t done. Because of this school has been delayed until early Sept BUT kids will still be out late may (depending on snow days). The district has made huge steps with dividers between desks, remote learning as an option, thermo cameras for those entering the building and so forth. I’ve talked to a few teachers who we’re close with and all of them here have hinted that their main goal for the first two weeks is to get EVERYBODY up to speed on remote learning, just in case. The state has setup a system that “rates” individual counties to somewhat standardize things with each county getting a level of risk. The school has already announced if the county hits a certain level it’s automatically remote for all students, and we’re one check mark away from that level last I saw the ratings.
Heres to a good day for you! Whatever happens there’s no way ANYBODY in their right mind can question the dedication teachers have right now for their kids.
- Jul 17, 2019
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That is exactly where we were a few weeks ago. We could either do 100% remote or in person. We were leaning towards remote, but they would either have to give up their extra curricular or we shuttle them to and from those. Between volleyball, band, and one of my sons's electives, we would be making 2-3 trips to the school a day which is a pain when we are trying to work, plus it defeats the purpose of keeping them home.
We finally got to the point where we, the adults, had no clear cut correct option. We just asked the kids what they wanted to do and both clearly wanted to go to school.
Time will tell, but 3 weeks in and no outbreaks even as cases in the community are rising. The kids are about 10 in a classroom, with a camera in most classes for their virtual friends. Masks are required except for the early elementary kids, and my kids said everyone is doing good with the mask policy.
Good luck to those having to make this decision.
Day one is in the books! I loved loved loved seeing the kids!! We had the option of fully digital or in person, so with digital kids out of the building we only have 16 kids per class except for specials (PE, stem, music) where we have 21. Huge difference than the usual 24-26 kids per class! It was a great day, but I do have some concerns about a few things. I'm sure things will change day to day.
This is the main part I so greatly hope people everywhere will remember. None of us have EVER been in this position, none of us knows the right moves. Changes will be made, mistakes will be made, but everybody has the same goal....the kids.
So happy for you! Amazing job!!
We have had more than a week in the books and everything has gone off perfectly (fingers crossed) but the parents all got a stern email from the principal after there were so many of us not wearing masks the first day at drop off. My 6-year-old was very excited to go back and he actually gets very amped up in the mornings before school, so much that we have to calm him down. When I pick him up in the afternoons, he is in a great mood and I actually have to remind him to take his mask off because he is used to it now and forgets it is there.
I cannot speak for teachers but kids and parents both had no clue how much they missed school for the last 5 months. You don't know what you've got till its gone and God bless the teachers. My son was significantly depressed during April/May and the whole situation the past 5 months took a terrible toll on his relationship with my wife and me. None of the pediatric psychiatrists were taking any new patients due to the pandemic. He started going to summer camp in June which helped and I have noticed a much happier kid over the past week.
I just feel for the parents in school districts which are not offering in-person school. The district which has all the city schools in Memphis is 100% virtual with no scheduled date for when some students could return. Please tell me how kids in kindergarten are going to be able to sit on an iPad for 6 hours a day doing virtual learning. Many parents are stuck in a terrible situation with having to go to work without any place for their kids to go. A friend of a friend is a manager at a retail store with 2 kids in elementary school and she is going to have to take FMLA in order to watch her kids while they are at virtual school all day. I know there are unfortunately many other parents in that situation who will not be that responsible.
I cannot speak for teachers but kids and parents both had no clue how much they missed school for the last 5 months. You don't know what you've got till its gone and God bless the teachers. My son was significantly depressed during April/May and the whole situation the past 5 months took a terrible toll on his relationship with my wife and me. None of the pediatric psychiatrists were taking any new patients due to the pandemic. He started going to summer camp in June which helped and I have noticed a much happier kid over the past week.
I just feel for the parents in school districts which are not offering in-person school. The district which has all the city schools in Memphis is 100% virtual with no scheduled date for when some students could return. Please tell me how kids in kindergarten are going to be able to sit on an iPad for 6 hours a day doing virtual learning. Many parents are stuck in a terrible situation with having to go to work without any place for their kids to go. A friend of a friend is a manager at a retail store with 2 kids in elementary school and she is going to have to take FMLA in order to watch her kids while they are at virtual school all day. I know there are unfortunately many other parents in that situation who will not be that responsible.
MommaHuffman
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I am a school bus driver. We here in central PA begin school on the 31st. MS and HS are on a A/B schedule, alternating in person and virtually on line. Elementary are not practicing a divided schedule. However all students/parents have 3 options. In person, virtual, or what we call Cougar Academy (our own version of Cyber school). All parents have been encouraged to drive their own children to school so it will be interesting to see how many actually ride my bus. For students riding my bus, they are required (as am I) to wear a face mask or shield. Our Kindergarten is split between AM and PM. I am one of the 4 buses that take home and pick up K. Again, it will shock me if any K students ride my bus! We will see! I just hope and pray that all goes well and we can continue the school year without any shut down.
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For parents of in-person school kids, feel free to leverage this sign to avoid you having to make emergency trips up to the school
- May 23, 2015
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For parents of in-person school kids, feel free to leverage this sign to avoid you having to make emergency trips up to the school
View attachment 159780
Each kiddo has 12 masks. 6 ride in the back pack, 6 stay at home. Everyday when coming home, stop in the laundry room and deposit the day’s mask in a small basket to be washed (M & Th are laundry days). No excuses, masks availability is 100% 24/7/365 .... and the Crayola brand fabric masks are AWESOME!! If you can get them I highly recommend it.
I heard that you shouldn't wash the masks, because it degrades their effectiveness; instead, you should put them aside for 24 hours, and all virus particles should be dead.