How is your elementary school engaging with kids in quarantine?

[Anonymous]

My third grader is quarantined due to a positive exposure last weekend, so is out all week. The school seems to have no plan at all for keeping the kid engaged. I'm asking for class to be simulcasted through Teams - it was permitted during morning meeting (today, for the first time after MUCH fighting for it) but not permitted during instructional time. I've also proposed a quick small group to run through the substance of the math skills being covered this week or the writing skills - crickets. Is anyone having a better experience?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like your son's exposure was not at school? If not, I don't think requesting simulcast as a one-off for your son alone is a reasonable request. The small groups are more reasonable because they don't have a negative effect on the whole class, but -- again -- if this is an outside exposure, your son is basically just in the same position as any sick kid any other year from the school's perspective. Why would they be expected to provide any special accommodations they don't generally? Now this isn't to say that the city shouldn't be doing something, they absolutely should... likely through the central DCPS virtual school; but your individual school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like your son's exposure was not at school? If not, I don't think requesting simulcast as a one-off for your son alone is a reasonable request. The small groups are more reasonable because they don't have a negative effect on the whole class, but -- again -- if this is an outside exposure, your son is basically just in the same position as any sick kid any other year from the school's perspective. Why would they be expected to provide any special accommodations they don't generally? Now this isn't to say that the city shouldn't be doing something, they absolutely should... likely through the central DCPS virtual school; but your individual school?

I agree with this. It's a huge burden on the individual school/class. We had to do it in first grade at my school and it took up a lot of resources. That was for school exposure. Ideally DCPS would have a central option that kids could join when they are quarantining. It wouldn't be their teacher, but it would be something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like your son's exposure was not at school? If not, I don't think requesting simulcast as a one-off for your son alone is a reasonable request. The small groups are more reasonable because they don't have a negative effect on the whole class, but -- again -- if this is an outside exposure, your son is basically just in the same position as any sick kid any other year from the school's perspective. Why would they be expected to provide any special accommodations they don't generally? Now this isn't to say that the city shouldn't be doing something, they absolutely should... likely through the central DCPS virtual school; but your individual school?

sounds like a good incentive not to test or to acknowledge exposure

[Anonymous]

Schools need to do rapid testing. That would cut back on long term quarantining.

[Anonymous]

Counterpoint: If OP's kid's exposure was outside of school, and she is keeping him home from school, she is voluntarily doing this to protect others in the classroom from possibly getting the covid that her kid was exposed to. Particularly if he is not showing symptoms, OP has zero personal incentive to keep him home from school. Her motivations are primarily altruistic-- to protect others. I think a school would want to encourage this behavior by providing students who self-report and self-quarantine with the work so that these kids do not fall behind.

[Anonymous]

Asking for simulcasting is a huge burden on the teacher and school. I don't think that's a reasonable request unless a large percentage of the class is quarantining then it makes sense to just got virtual for the week.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the thoughtful responses. Yes, exposure was outside of school. The class has another similarly situated kid, so its two kids. And I am keeping my kid home to protect others, just in case. (Its terrible.)

If they tried simulcasting and it was a hot mess, I'd understand. But they don't seem to have any plan at all (how 'bout a lunch bunch math lesson?) and they both KNOW kids are going to be out and WANT kids to stay home of there is any risk at all. Morning meeting seemed to go okay today - the visual wasn't great but we could hear the teacher and my kid was called on to share - unmute-share-re-mute.

I wish they were trying harder or had a plan - what great PR it would be if I was telling everyone that I was glad I kept Kid home, just in case, and the school did a good job keeping us on track.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I agree that it's not the school's burden to simulcast for a kid who was exposed outside of school, but I also agree that these are not normal times, and we should expect a significant portion of the student body to be home at some point this year if everyone follows protocols. So it would be nice if there was a plan. When I was a kid, and had to stay home sick with mono, my teachers made a work plan from home for me. Maybe that is more what to expect. OP--are you trying to reach out to the teachers or the admin? Have they offered any at home learning options?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I agree that it's not the school's burden to simulcast for a kid who was exposed outside of school, but I also agree that these are not normal times, and we should expect a significant portion of the student body to be home at some point this year if everyone follows protocols. So it would be nice if there was a plan. When I was a kid, and had to stay home sick with mono, my teachers made a work plan from home for me. Maybe that is more what to expect. OP--are you trying to reach out to the teachers or the admin? Have they offered any at home learning options?

Sure, but if they had a plan, it wouldn't matter if the we were exposed outside of school or on the playground. I am reaching out and I'm getting some work, but I'm having to fight for it. (By contrast, a sib at another school has had robust contact from the school and assignments, a counselor is coordinating everything, etc.)

Would love to know what other schools are doing. Hoping for some new ideas I can propose to our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Counterpoint: If OP's kid's exposure was outside of school, and she is keeping him home from school, she is voluntarily doing this to protect others in the classroom from possibly getting the covid that her kid was exposed to. Particularly if he is not showing symptoms, OP has zero personal incentive to keep him home from school. Her motivations are primarily altruistic-- to protect others. I think a school would want to encourage this behavior by providing students who self-report and self-quarantine with the work so that these kids do not fall behind.

It sounds like the OP is legally quarantined by DOH based on their post, so this isn't actually true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the thoughtful responses. Yes, exposure was outside of school. The class has another similarly situated kid, so its two kids. And I am keeping my kid home to protect others, just in case. (Its terrible.)

If they tried simulcasting and it was a hot mess, I'd understand. But they don't seem to have any plan at all (how 'bout a lunch bunch math lesson?) and they both KNOW kids are going to be out and WANT kids to stay home of there is any risk at all. Morning meeting seemed to go okay today - the visual wasn't great but we could hear the teacher and my kid was called on to share - unmute-share-re-mute.

I wish they were trying harder or had a plan - what great PR it would be if I was telling everyone that I was glad I kept Kid home, just in case, and the school did a good job keeping us on track.

Oh, if you're not actually considered a close contact and required to quarantine by DOH, you are not going to get anything. Parents would keep their kids home left, right and center if this was an option, just look at the virtual school movement on this forum. No way the Mayor wants school setting up shadow virtual schools.

[Anonymous]

They need to have a plan. I know that there are schools that are telling parents that the kids will be provided with work to do at home regardless of the reason for their absence. This seems like the right approach during these unusual times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for the thoughtful responses. Yes, exposure was outside of school. The class has another similarly situated kid, so its two kids. And I am keeping my kid home to protect others, just in case. (Its terrible.)

If they tried simulcasting and it was a hot mess, I'd understand. But they don't seem to have any plan at all (how 'bout a lunch bunch math lesson?) and they both KNOW kids are going to be out and WANT kids to stay home of there is any risk at all. Morning meeting seemed to go okay today - the visual wasn't great but we could hear the teacher and my kid was called on to share - unmute-share-re-mute.

I wish they were trying harder or had a plan - what great PR it would be if I was telling everyone that I was glad I kept Kid home, just in case, and the school did a good job keeping us on track.

You can thank the teachers and WTU for this, NOT DCPS. WTU negotiated prohibitions on simulcasting/simultaneous in person and virtual. Basically, a student needs to have a documented medical issue requiring virtual and the school must need to have provide virtual in order to meet legal obligations (like IEP support) and must have tried every other option to no avail first. The MOU adds: “DCPS shall not require teachers to provide simultaneous instruction for student or family convenience.” And any teachers who are forced to provide simultaneous instruction and meet the limited criteria to do so must get paid additional stipends.

[Anonymous]

The MOU adds: “DCPS shall not require teachers to provide simultaneous instruction for student or family convenience.” And any teachers who are forced to provide simultaneous instruction and meet the limited criteria to do so must get paid additional stipends.


What the actual____???? Could you post a link to this?