A proposed plan for H’s school district was presented to the school board last night. Former teachers still begin on Aug. 3rd, but they have 2 weeks to prepare for kids. K-3 all report 4 days/week, grades 4-5 report two days/week. Wednesday are remote for everyone for cleaning. I believe middle school/high school is similar to grade 4-5. They’ve changed the times for several schools. H is lucky that his only went from 7:30-2:30 to 8-3. Some schools go 9:40-4:40!!! Ugh!
But no details about what the classes will look like. Will K-3 be the same size? How can you social distance 25 kids in a little class with round tables? If not, where will they be? Will H be teaching a regular class or what?
There’s also nothing about masks being required for kids. If it’s required, I am sure many would not comply no matter what. I just learned that a very popular church is having a teen lock-in tonight. I… just… can’t… fathom…
I’m with @socaldad2002 . Re-opening a college or university is a completely different issue from re-opening k-12. If the college students are boarding away from home, even if it’s just by themselves, off-campus - it means they are not potentially bringing the virus home to parents and grandparents. That’s a major advantage over k-12 at a time when the virus is raging out of control in most of the contiguous lower 48 states.
Colleges tend to think of themselves as problem solvers. This is especially true of the ones a little further down the food-chain from HYPMS; their faculty tend to be younger; the administrators are less hide-bound (I’m betting the median age of the entire staff hovers around 40 y/o.) Given the tools, they are eager to show what can be done with a variety of teaching approaches; classroom retooling; testing, social distancing and reconfiguring dormitories.
It won’t be a normal Fall semester; but, I think the calculus is that even if it isn’t, the improvisation, the FOMO, the sense of “history in the making” will all add up to something exciting.
I certainly hope a lot of colleges are successful with their plans in the fall. If too many schools have problems, then there is no hope for spring, but if a good amount of schools can prove that they can operate with limited infections or problems, then that bodes well for solutions and plans going forward - and hopefully a more normal spring term
My D20’s college is also expecting to have most classes in-person. Are some of you trying to say that the round-the-clock work these folks have been putting in is just to trick us into giving them our money? The provost and dean made it abundantly clear at the town hall last night that they were not getting much, if any, sleep and had poured themselves into their goal of delivering a safe and high quality educational experience. I was quite impressed and I hope everything unfolds at least somewhat the way they are expecting it to.
Ditto. My son just confirmed his living arrangements that is off campus but linked to the university. Like a large dorm with a chef ?. He’s not staying here regardless so he’s going back
Room and board are cash cows for these colleges. UMD initially said that they would hold classes under 50 people in person. That would still leave a lot of classes that students could actually attend. The reality is when the schedules were adjusted on Wednesday that very few classes were in-person. Mainly just one credit labs. They waited a long time to announce this. Many students with more notice could have made better decisions. Many other colleges in the area are not offering housing this year. Maryland is planning on bringing 9,000 students into the dorms. There are going to be issues. They have also added a housing addendum to state that if the college has to shutter operations that room and board would not be refunded/prorated. That alone tells me it’s a money thing. They are surely going to close at some point and go full online.
Why stay at Maryland? It’s our best option for a great education in Maryland. Affordable, highly ranked, selective. We can’t afford to just go anyplace we want. We are getting a good education at a good price here. My son decided to just take online classes there this fall and skip room and board, stay at home. In the end UMD is where he wants to be and where I want him. That doesn’t change the fact that they are stringing kids along and offering them s sub-par experience just to get room and board money out of them.
The teacher’s union in Maryland is a political organization. They spend big dollars lobbying for a certain party. They are Maryland’s top spending lobby. The teacher’s union is statewide not just in the rural areas. The rural areas aren’t necessarily poorer. Our county is providing laptops for every student and teacher this fall. They seemed all set to do a hybrid start and then suddenly went all online after a state press conference. I’m sure they were pressured to do so.
Our positivity rate in Maryland has been under 5% and steady for several weeks.
In the end I don’t think they are doing what is best for the children and ultimately that’s what should be done.
I think folks get vested in their kids school’s plans. Want to believe that their school has the best approach so later they can brag “told you so”. If it’s a conservative plan, they don’t want to see other schools with more open plans succeeding, because that would mean their kid missed out on a more ‘normal’ experience.
My kid’s school is going the more conservative route. If other schools with less restrictions have success, it is a hard pill to swallow that her school went too conservative and she missed out on some things. But ultimately the more schools that have a successful fall, mean that spring term has a better chance of success for all.
@homerdog I personally don’t see the benefit of a parent petition. Much depends on the demographics of the district staff inside the schools. Can the schools get enough teachers to cover all the classes? The logistics are complicated with moving parts.
I’m no longer teaching, but similar to the whole mess with masks, I wonder how schools will be able to enforce all these new public health rules within the school.
Then again, perhaps your community is willing to make the commitment to safety compliance and I’m being too skeptical.
In any case, I find Evanston’s sudden reversal interesting.
Califorina “has banned all public and private schools in San Diego County and most other California counties from holding in-person classes until the counties do a better job of containing the coronavirus.”
Any county on the state’s watch list, which right now is 32 counties (about 80 percent of the state’s population), must offer virtual learning only “until the county meets the criteria for the monitoring list and stays off the list for 14 consecutive days. San Diego County is on the list because it has a case rate greater than 100 per 100,000 people; the county’s rate is currently 147.2.”
This state mandate applies to both public and private K-12 schools. Elementary schools can apply for a waiver to stay open for in person learning, but it sounds like an onerous process.
All children in grades 3+, when they do return to campus, will be required to wear masks.
Don’t think really anyone wants to tell someone “told you so”. At least here, I hope not, otherwise you will all be doing that to me…LOL…But yes, I think we do get vested especially if the school gives you reason to believe that they are really trying to make things work. If my son’s school goes all online after they attempt a hybrid fall then so be it. He will still be around his friends and students to motivate him. It is different being on campus even if stuck in a dorm room vs his bedroom at home. 2 lights burnt out and he doesn’t even want to change them …LOL… Drives me crazy. He says he can see his computer monitor better. …For him being on campus is just more motivating and yes, being an upperclassmen it is an easier transition compared to a freshman. But in about a month he is out of here. He better at least clean up his room…
I too am surprised by all the negativity, and wish the colleges trying to open all the best of luck in the future. My 2 kids are eager to return to campus, and do not know anyone who wishes to stay home-clearly they have different friend groups than other posters. I am so happy and excited for them.
@88jm19 - The rumor in Evanston is that teachers don’t want to go back.
More info out of Purdue today. They published their compliance policy for mask wearing. This is the highlight:
“if someone absolutely refuses to wear a mask: for a student, that could mean suspension from the University; for a staff member, that might mean termination.”
They also said they are providing each student a face shield to be worn over a mask if 6 ft social distancing isn’t possible.
Also more information about testing since they are already seeing students having issues having access depending on where they live:
"The testing program, a Purdue partnership with Rutgers University and Vault Health, will allow students to complete saliva-screening tests for the coronavirus over video chat with supervisors from Vault Health. The supervisors will aid students in conducting and sending the tests properly without the need for in-person interaction.
Results will be emailed to students 48-72 hours after their tests have been received and processed by Vault Health. The Protect Purdue Health Center will receive a copy of students’ test results as well, the release notes."
I wish all the colleges the best of luck too - whether or not they are bringing students back. Each of them has to juggle so many different factors, and each is unique in terms of the combination of location and specific faculty/endowment/staff/student/parent issues. What a nightmare for everyone. I feel for those administrators who are doing their best. No matter what, there is going to be some segment of parents or students loudly complaining. There is no perfect or “right” solution that will make everyone happy, only ways to move the educational process forward while trying to minimize risk.
I agree. I think colleges are sincere in their efforts and doing whatever they think it takes to not have an outbreak. And I think most of their plans have the potential for success. It is really up to the students whether the plans work. There has to be 100% buy in on all the rules and regulations.
If you have that link let me know. . I offered my son a facesheild for at least when he gives a presentation. Thought it would be easier. Even just walking home from class or something. Thx
Our property taxes are very high and the majority of those go towards the schools, so parents feel they have a right to have the kids back at school. We have a highly involved and vocal community. The CDC has said kids should go back to school in some way. I think parents understand that it would be hybrid and the kids would wear masks for sure.
@momofsenior1 I’ve heard that our teacher union is “getting ready” to make their plea that school should be all remote. The board meeting for this show down isn’t for another couple of weeks. Our board president has already quit. I’ll be getting the popcorn ready and watching virtually.
Parents may feel they have the right to have kids in school, but the reality is that it will be very difficult to make teachers conduct in-person classes.