Have any preschools announced extending the winter break?

[Anonymous]

Preschool teacher here. Our school hasn’t made an announcement, but I can’t see how we could go back under these circumstances.

I’m not talking about daycares, but rather about standard pre-schools.

[Anonymous]

Could you take FMLA?

[Anonymous]

Under what circumstances? Are you personally sick?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool teacher here. Our school hasn’t made an announcement, but I can’t see how we could go back under these circumstances.

I’m not talking about daycares, but rather about standard pre-schools.

If my daycare/preschool closes further I am withdrawing. They already closed between Christmas and NYE with no cases. Suggesting we find alternative care arrnagmenents after stating they are closing so families can quarantine after spending time with family so completely disingenuous and has no basis in public health/science.

I get that theyll have a wait-list but people will be really disappointed when they find out their kids are home 1/5 of the month if not more depending.

[Anonymous]

[guardian]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool teacher here. Our school hasn’t made an announcement, but I can’t see how we could go back under these circumstances.

I’m not talking about daycares, but rather about standard pre-schools.

Why can’t you go back? Follow the model that New York Public Schools are using: test-to-stay with parent-administered at-home tests. Private preschools wouldn't even be obligated to provide the tests.

[Anonymous]

Why can't you go back? Kids 5 and up are vaccinated. Adults are vaccinated. Preschool kids have mild to no symptoms. Vaccinated people have mild to no symptoms. What specifically are you concerned about?

[Anonymous]

and what is the end game? close for the rest of the year? for a few weeks? What would then be the criteria for reopening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool teacher here. Our school hasn’t made an announcement, but I can’t see how we could go back under these circumstances.

I’m not talking about daycares, but rather about standard pre-schools.

So you think you should stay home and continue to collect a paycheck while parents are paying for a childcare service they aren’t receiving? Why?

[Anonymous]

most parents 'count' on the preschool in some way. It may not be for a full time job, but it may allow them to work part time, it may mean they work full time, but have part time childcare and part time preschool, it may allow them a sanity break to care for an infant, etc. "extending winter break' with no notice for a preschool (as compared to say, a one day a week mothers day out program), is likely to have serious ramifications for many families. It shouldn't be done lightly- I see zero justification other than 'the headlines are bad.'

[Anonymous]

Also- think about the impact of closing on a preschool child's mental health. You are going to tell them you are closing because it is 'not safe????' What will you do to make them feel safe whenever you do get around to deigning to let them back in the classroom? That's really hard for a concrete thinking 3 and 4 year old to understand. They thrive on routine. They know that they are supposed to go back to their beloved school next week, why exactly do you want to disrupt that?????

[Anonymous]

You may have noticed from these replies, OP, but most parents are completely done with the notion that schools or childcare will just close at the drop of a hat. That was totally unfathomable a few years ago and it’s not okay for it to be the norm forever going forward. At the beginning of the pandemic maybe there were good reasons but at this point we have a vaccine and several effective therapeutic treatments. Schools can’t just close because there are germs going around. You need to adjust to the idea that you have to go to work every day as scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Ours already said they’re opening next week as scheduled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Preschool teacher here. Our school hasn’t made an announcement, but I can’t see how we could go back under these circumstances.

I’m not talking about daycares, but rather about standard pre-schools.

Under what circumstances? Plenty of us parents also have to work in-person and a lot of us have exhausted our leave from all the previous closings.

[Anonymous]

Ours just did, due to rising cases in the area and nationally (not in the school). Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ours just did, due to rising cases in the area and nationally (not in the school). Sigh.

I don't understand this thinking close when there's not enough teachers to maintain ratio otherwise stay open. Because unfortunately you end up closing twice because now we're having to cover for you not being open because there's cases in DC but there are no actual cases in the school. When it gets to the point that it is unsafe and you can't maintain ratios then it is appropriate to close because you cannot keep children safe. Understandable to take leave for that but what I can't continue to take leave for are these hypotheticals and then full well knowing that at some point they will close because of staff getting sick so I've just been f***** twice. Now add in the fact that it's going to snow tomorrow and they're going to close because it's quote unsafe.
At some point dual working families will need to leave the workforce. Once I leave I won't go back until my son is actually in school and old enough to be independent for more than 1 hour at a time.