@Altras I have heard the speculation about 4-6 week shutdown after Biden takes over, but it makes no sense whatsoever given the current state of covid surge. Numbers being what they are in most of the country today, action is needed by Thanksgiving, as medical capacity will be an issue very soon. Definitely long before Christmas. By the time February rolls around (earliest Biden could try to do something), we will either be well into riding the curve back down, or things will be dire enough that we will have been shutdown for a good while by then.
@cityran the numbers in NJ are going wild, as is the entire trip-state area really, CT is also out of control and NY not far behind. I think just about every school holding in person classes (boarding or not) in the area is on the edge of their seat just hoping to make it to Thanksgiving.
@417WHB I’ve been watching as many of the states in the northeast have gone from orange to red…I’m supposed to fly up to meet kiddo at the Newark airport but being in a plane up and back “unnecessarily” with covid numbers so high, and plans to have Thanksgiving with my parents, makes me really nervous. Going to try to convince kiddo to make the trip solo.
Our school added yet another staff positive yesterday. I assume because they immediately tested all those in contact with the previous positive cases. All the info is on our dashboard, so we don’t have specifics of how the covid patients are doing. Hopefully all are mild / asymptomatic cases, and hopefully it hasn’t spread anymore than that. Kiddo hadn’t heard a word about it , so I’m guessing the staff members are not teachers. Every day we don’t get an email from the school shutting things down is a good day!!
Frankly that’s how I’ve been functioning from the start.
Kiddo and I had discussed the high probability of a shut down not being “if” but “when”. The restrictions on boarders at kiddo’s school sounded like they’d be hard to endure for an independent free-spirited teen, so I discussed with kiddo how this was an adventure, as long as it lasted.
When saying goodbye to kiddo on campus in August I jokingly asked how long kiddo thought it would be until things shut down. “2 weeks.” Well, it’s been longer than 2 weeks and kiddo loves the new school, so every day in the bucket now is a win.
Well PA just shared this about the Spring trimester:
“Spring: Our Spring Term plans are to welcome all students back to campus in a shortened, phased manner over two days. Quarantine will begin at home and continue on campus. Testing will resume upon arrival and continue regularly throughout the term.”
This is a very welcomed bit of news. Let’s hope it sticks.
That’s a bit sad and seems a tad premature. I guess I am hopeful that spring can be halfway normal. Probably silly of me. I don’t mind how things are now for me but man it sucks so so so much for the kids.
@one1ofeach It seemed early to me too. I wonder what the reason is behind the early announcement? Maybe to encourage more applicants to be sure to do some virtual events? Anyway, my DD3 isn’t applying to Andover but it does have me wondering what spring will look like.
With PA, have heard some rumblings that their challenges have been having sufficient faculty that are OK with being in person in dorms on campus. As a result, the difficulty with having more than a small amount of boarding students back on campus. If accurate, that’s a big problem the school needs to fix.
Here is a brief update from DA - hope it’s helpful or (at least) interesting.
Students home from later today through @ January 10
Revised onboarding plan for students - testing and isolation, yet also quicker return to the classrooms compared to Fall term.
9th & 10th grade students will have 2 weeks of specialty online seminars for about 2 weeks in December. During that time, 11 & 12th will be focused on college planning activities, counseling, seniors writing essays.
WInter term resumes in mid January with on-campus athletics, practices (not competing against other schools, however),
A new outdoor ice rink is being built
Plans for additional outdoor gathering places with more fire pits
No plans yet for ski team - a lot depends on venue(s) opening
A new dining pavilion is being built -
Winter Carnival being planned along with additional outdoor events
Plans for Day students to become “Boarders” winter term
Yes @CateCAParent - The sit down dinners are a big part of the culture. The students have missed that tradition this past term. So, I think they will have them a couple of times per week. Personally, I am happy about day students coming on campus as boarders next term. I think it closes a gap - at least on our campus, it is only about 10% day students. By having all students on campus it just one less potential variable to worry about.
On the Cate front, they have ratcheted back some of the freedoms, with this new wave. They had just implemented a policy of letting parents visit (strict guidelines), and that’s gone. I am pretty happy about that, actually, and not just because I was jealous.
Speaking of jealous, I am a wee bit jealous of y’all getting to see your kiddos. Cate is full speed ahead on Thanksgiving plans, sounds like a lot of good plans, and kiddo is happy about having a free week on campus with his friends. Missing him sucks, but timing-wise I think the school lucked (?) out - hopefully the wave will flatten a bit before the kids travel on Dec 11.
The school has a bit of time to figure out what January looks like. They are still planning on a Jan 10 return. If the return timing has to change, then they are talking about options, but they all involve the kids coming back.
@Golfgr8 That is a fabulous plan. Love the fire pits and outdoor rink in particular. What about the classes though? You don’t have regular classes again till mid January? We have a week off for Thanksgiving and then roll right into winter term (remotely to start).
Yew @417WHB - no regular classes until January 11th.
UPDATE for kids in school in MA! You all can clarify if this would also apply to private schools. Yesterday the MIAA approved a plan to bring back several winter sports with modifications. I’m not sure this is such a good idea, but here is the article about the plan:
@Golfgr8
My mind is boggled that public schools, some of which have school 2x per week for 2.5 hours, are going to run winter sports. While private schools, full time in person learning, zero covid cases, have canceled the winter season.
@Golfgr8 unfortunately, no ?. The MIAA is the governing body for the publics and some parochial schools in MA. The ISL, Founders and 8 Schools make their own decisions.
I get why the MIAA is doing everything they can to have seasons. The committee making the decisions is made up mostly of AD’s. I think these are job saving decisions. I know my school committee would be hard pressed to keep an AD and staff on this year if there where no sports running at all. Covid has brought on so many other needs in the budget.
My LPS had Fall practices and competed in a 5 school cohort just playing each of those schools multiple times. There didn’t seem to be any Covid related issues to the sports, so there was a lot of expectations for the MIAA to try for something in the winter. Who knows if it will actually happen…
It did break my heart seeing the kids playing all the time when I passed the HS knowing my athlete wasn’t able to compete at BS.
Thanks @mommysmalls - we share your pain! Especially after paying for club team and being unable to attend practices or tournaments. Tough year - we see other kids in MA playing with their teams or at club practice. I thought it was the hockey parents pushing hard for winter sports ?.
This is why I just don’t get why ISL and 10 school aren’t willing to do ANYTHING.
I don’t know about you guys @mommysmalls and @Golfgr8 but we were told if there wasn’t a covid problem we’d at least get scrimmages this fall. That never happened.
