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Schools next fall

Jcksjj's picture

Our school district hasn't made any announcements, but I've seen rumors that some states have already decided that next fall will be partial distance learning at least still? Just curious if anyone on here has had their kids/skids school already make that call?

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lieutenant_dad's picture

Not yet, but it is probably wise to do distance learning part of the time this fall. There is a new syndrome circulating among youth due to COVID that is causing toxic shock-like symptoms and has killed at least 3 kids in NYC. I know we can't "live in fear" forever, but getting some additional data on this syndrome is probably smart before shoving kids together in poorly-ventilated classrooms.

Jcksjj's picture

That's scary. I live in a much more sparsely populated area so we haven't been hit anywhere near like NYC, but regardless I'm imagining things won't be able to be back to normal by fall.

nengooseus's picture

How to create more distance for students in halls and classrooms.  I've heard plans to have kids at school on alternating days to reduce exposure.  Schools are hotbeds for germ sharing.

No word here on anything relating to school next year other than that kids have to screw up royally to not advance to the next grade.

nengooseus's picture

I'm imagining the high schools, too.  DD's has 2400 students, give or take, and classes can easily be 30-35 students.  Her English class uses tables instead of desks, which would put her literally right on top of another kid. And the stairwells make me claustrophobic on parents' nights, when only 25% of parents attend.  I can't imagine with kids all up in there!

Add in questionable hygeine and the propensity to lick eachother, and elementary and high school are almost the same!

strugglingSM's picture

Where I live, school districts are currently "scenario planning", those scenarios include return to classrooms with social distancing, shorter days / fewer days in a week, hybrid (part classroom / part remote), full remote. I don't think any districts have made decisions, yet.  Districts in the South usually start in early August, so they would likely be reaching decisions first. 

Lit'l Bit's picture

are said to be starting in Aug.  LAUSD is talking about stagering classes. I am guessing that may be 1/2 the students go Mon,.Wed and Friday/ the other half goes Tue /Thur with altering weeks. We shall see..  With states lifting stay at home orders the next few weeks will tell us if that was a mistake or not?

--figureditout--'s picture

I am in Florida and they haven't said anything about it yet. I will have a freshman and a senior this fall.

My oldest was accepted into the EMR program. That's Emergency Medical Response. He's been waiting 3 years for this class. It's highly competitive, requiring an interview. I thought for sure that my illness blew his chances because he missed days of school visiting me in the hospital, but he was open with his instructor and the interview team. He wants to be an occupational/physical therapist when he 'grows up.'

Youngest is having a hell of a time with online learning. They were a week away from certifying for webpage building. It was the only thing he was looking forward to, other than high school. He is registered for welding and beginning engineering.

This is hard.

Winterglow's picture

Today is the first day of schools reopening here. They're starting with nursery schools (ages 3-5), then, next week, if all goes well, they'll do primary schools and so on. The rules are pretty strict so far for nursery schools: 

  • Teachers must wear masks all the time,
  • Classes will be allowed out for playtime separately, 
  • Ball games/games with physical contact are banned,
  • The kids must wash their hands at least 8 times a day,
  • Parents must take their child's temperature every morning before taking them to school,
  • All desks will be spaced to give 4m2 around each child - this is going to be particularly hard on the youngest ones who didn't have desks, only "areas" - painting area, reading corner, handicraft area, etc - before,
  • Ditto for the canteen,
  • No more than 15 kids per class.

And I'm sure I've missed some. It's my opinion that these kids will be bouncing off of walls by the end of the week and the teachers will be basket cases.

However, going back to school will be on a voluntary basis only. I have opted to keep one of my daughters (she has two auto-immune conditions) at home for another week or two to see how things develop at the centre she goes to (it opened today). Her sister is in her last year in secondary school and the fate of her year wil be decided at the end of the month. I don't see the point in going to so much trouble to take them back only 3 weeks before the summer holidays. Their exams were all cancelled and whether or not they get their diplomas depends on their work over the last two years. 

 

still learning's picture

I remember reading about schools in Asia doing similar things during the SARS epidemic. They didn't close down schools but took extra precautions of masks and having the children do hand washing many times a day while singing a song.  Apparently there were no SARS in the schools that practiced that. 

I've worked in schools and handwashing was rarely mentioned and parents sent sick kids to school so they could work.  Even if a kid was sent home they would wait in the office for hours till someone picked them up.  The US needs to change habits and mentality longterm towards masks and hygeine for things to go back to any sense of normalcy.  

justmakingthebest's picture

I swear to DOG I will lose it if they don't reopen in the fall!

I was just talking to one of my bosses (My son is tutoring her's right now because she can't take it anymore) and we decided that if they don't reopen we will get together with another family and just hire a teacher and do our own little homeschool co-op. It has been nothing but melt down and frustration at my house with my daughter. Thankfully my son has it under control because I couldn't take 2 kids with all of these issues!

Jcksjj's picture

It is a LOT of work. I'm kind of torn because I want ODS9 to be able to go back to school, but at the same time homeschool means way less SD time since I refuse to do it and she's at BMs most of the time now.