What does going back in person look like?

[Anonymous]

Our district (public) just went back last week. Elementary is 5 days/wk, MS and HS are hybrid.

Elementary: 70% of the kids are learning in-person, 30% chose distance learning. The distance learners have their own designated teachers (so teachers are teaching one or the other- not both distance and in-person). 5 days a week with the expected precautions. Going very well so far.

MS: group 1 is in person Mon/Tues, group 2 is in person Thurs/Fri. They switch classes like normal. Everyone distance learns on Wednesdays- no live instruction for anyone on that day- just assignments etc. On distance learning days (except Wed) the kids have live instruction all day (webcam in the classroom). My child hates the distance learning days at home- he is basically in front of the computer for 7hrs straight. But- it is going ok. I believe about 30% of kids are distance learning only. The teachers teach both at once, and everything for all kids is still centered around google classroom.

The high school is similar to MS from what I understand.

[Anonymous]

My district is also on its second week of in-person school. About 50% chose 5 day/week in-person and the other 50% chose full DL in an area with slightly better covid metrics than NOVA.

In person kids have to bring a signed declaration showing the kid's temperature and stating that the kid is showing no symptoms of covid. Kids stay in the same classroom all day, and the teachers switch. Lunch is outside and socially distanced, and it will continue being outside (probably) through the winter. There are hand sanitizer stations everywhere. Kids must wear masks, and the kids are all 6' apart in the classroom. Compliance with covid rules has been great so far, but the school is also filled with pretty nerdy kids in grades 5-12, so no littles.

Teachers will teach both distance learning classes and in-person classes, but not during the same class period. So, 1st period might be in-person, 2nd might be distance, 3rd is in-person again, and so on. If a kid who normally has in-person school is feeling sick, the kid can stay home and then follow along with the distance learning classes instead. So, there's no real reason to send sick kids to school. It has been great so far!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Joyful! I am a full-time substitute teacher in the midwest. It's a COVID position. Kids are back in class learning with mask on, and are happy to be there. The school system is good at quarantining those who are near an infected person. The sources of infection are NOT from school, however. Parties, church, and other places are the super spreader events.

+1000

I think we need to keep in mind when we read the news that just because a teacher or student has COVID, it does not logically follow that the infection must be school-related. Contract tracing usually shows that it is not.