@88jm19 yeah I don’t know. Parents demand a lot around here. Some school districts nearby in similar communities have approved a hybrid plan. Some teachers in many schools districts will be having in person class. Honestly, even though we still have a high schooler, I’m not making a stink personally. She will deal with whatever she gets. I would likely be more involved and looking at this every which way if I had multiple kids in K-12 this year.
Don’t get me wrong, I wish D could go to school but I think it’s going to stink in person anyway. Half or two thirds of the kids not there on any given day. Teachers likely distracted and not able to be the teachers I know they can be under these conditions. I’d like her to be able to go for a few weeks to meet her teachers in person and gosh I wish sports and ECs could happen after school but I’m seriously just hoping for prom in a giant tent and an in person graduation at this point. I don’t think it’s even worth my wishing for anything close to normal for fall or winter.
@Knowsstuff - thanks for the helpful info. I appreciate it. I like the suggestions and the lack of snark in your reply.
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Oh, for goodness sake! My college daughter and her boyfriend are of course together. They got tested a couple of months ago and will get tested again soon, since they are in SC and it’s out of control there.
Is it ideal? No. But schools are working hard to make it the best it can be right now. At some point, the parents and the kids need to engage themselves. Teachers can’t do it all.
I am sending my daughter, a freshman, to Michigan State. The university has emphasized that much of the fun of college takes place outdoors, and they gave many examples of favorite places on campus. They are not telling kids to sit alone in their rooms.
I’m guessing it’s the same reason that Bowdoin has so few classrooms that work now. They only have classrooms that fit 25 kids or so, like the size of a high school classroom. In those classrooms, you can now only fit ten kids so they cannot be used. The 21 classrooms at Haverford that can be used are likely classrooms for 50 kids (that will now hold 20) and then other spaces big enough to use like auditorium or theaters.
True but, at least in a lot of states, outdoors is still requiring masks and social distancing so it’s not great. And studying together (which is a lot of the time that S19 spends with friends outside of the time he’s practicing his sport or eating) isn’t easily done outside. So remote class will have to be alone in their room if they are expected to contribute via Zoom and studying will likely be alone since kids aren’t allow visitors to their rooms. Expected amount of hours spent studying (at least at Bowdoin) is 35 hours a week plus class time of 12 hours. That’s a lot of alone time.
They have tons of classrooms, but most are set up with Harkness tables and have absolutely zero room to socially distance. Unfortunately they could only identify 21 spaces (many were not intended to be classrooms originally) that will work for social distancing in class. All in-person classes on campus will share these spaces. They typically don’t offer evening or weekend classes (or during the athletics block) but they’ve been spread out over a wider range of days/times to accommodate.
So why can’t a core group of kids (family unit) plan on studying together? This would motivate the kids and have a schedule also. Plus make it more fun. It’s gonna happen anyways.
Question to the parents of High schoolers (really any grade that they can act civil…).
If your school is mostly online, do you plan on your kid studying with other kids? Like maybe in the basement for more room kinda thing? Of course outside on nice days and create a “family” unit? Just curious.
We connected with another family who had a freshman and a sophomore, and those 2 students spent most of the last 4 weeks of school at my house, working remotely on their schoolwork. It was definitely motivating for my freshman son to have a friend to “suffer” with, and I believe everyone benefited. We would certainly consider something similar if our district goes online in September. We won’t know until August 11th. (My kids are 8th, 10th, 12th grades, plus a college freshman.)
In other news today, many families in our area are feeling hopeful after the MHSAA announced that fall sports will begin on time as long as the situation remains stable here. It’s still a lot of hemming and hawing about what-ifs, but it does give some hope.
Agree - a lot of people miss the point about affordability, they don’t have too many options, similar to many places in CA, people can’t just go to Stanford if they’re unhappy with the way San Jose St went mostly online (some labs, art, music classes are in person).
"Don’t think really anyone wants to tell someone “told you so”.
UM is a great school, know lots of alums who loved it there, but you brag about UM’s plan so much I think you went there (assuming you didn’t) and not your kid.
Just wondering how many of us are experiencing boards of education in our communities meeting virtually to recommend k-12 schools open in person? Am I the only one who finds this ironic?
I’m a 6th grade teacher. I worked really freaking hard in the spring, and did a pretty decent job under the circumstances. I want to go back if it’s safe, but if the boards of Ed. don’t want to be in a room together, why should I hunker down in person on the daily with 20 kids?!
Well, when a student isn’t allowed to have anyone in their dorm room and the only time they can take their mask off is in their room, they have no family. A “family” is a group of people you don’t have to social distance from or wear masks around. Kids who live off campus could decide to make a family but a lot of kids in dorms are signing social contracts that say they will keep their masks on around their friends.
At least at Haverford, there will be no group studying. The library will be open but one person per large study table and capped number of overall students. Outside could work but is six feet apart and masked and studying for different classes really studying together?
They’ve also sent a follow on email telling kids to really, really consider if they’re willing to follow all the rules- only unmasked alone in their own dorm rooms (except showers and teeth brushing), no groups or pods, six feet and masks everywhere else (even outdoors), classes that are hybrid may shift at any time, dining is to go, sports are off, please don’t leave campus, please quarantine for two weeks if you’re from the 18 states on PA’s naughty list, and everyone is going away and online after thanksgiving anyway. If you can’t be all-in they want you to tell them you’re just staying home, even if you already said you were coming back.