Teachers not returning. MCPS to hire “Monitors” instead

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand who cohorting and masking isn’t enough. In preschools they don’t keep the kids six feet apart because they cant. They mask and keep classes segregated so no spread within school to other cohorts. Why can’t we just restart school in masks and keep classes separate? What difference does it make if there are 12 kids or 20 kids in the same air for 7 hours. Either we are ok with that or we aren’t. Seems like unnecessary theatre.

Masks help but they don't stop covid. And cohorting really isn't great as kids often have siblings in other groups, parents working and socializing outside school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay on top of the news. Johnson and Johnson has submitted vaccine for emergency use. Numbers are falling fast and will continue to do so. The rest of the country is moving on in the best interests of children.
Hate to ruin life for the doom day preachers - but things are getting better every day!

They are falling as restaurants are closed and travel is over till spring break. Come spring break and easter numbers will surge again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stay on top of the news. Johnson and Johnson has submitted vaccine for emergency use. Numbers are falling fast and will continue to do so. The rest of the country is moving on in the best interests of children.
Hate to ruin life for the doom day preachers - but things are getting better every day!

Is it approved for kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand who cohorting and masking isn’t enough. In preschools they don’t keep the kids six feet apart because they cant. They mask and keep classes segregated so no spread within school to other cohorts. Why can’t we just restart school in masks and keep classes separate? What difference does it make if there are 12 kids or 20 kids in the same air for 7 hours. Either we are ok with that or we aren’t. Seems like unnecessary theatre.

Masks help but they don't stop covid. And cohorting really isn't great as kids often have siblings in other groups, parents working and socializing outside school.

Preschools have class limits. Mine is 8 max. A friends center is 10 max.

[Anonymous]

If you care about this, please sign the petition to force MCPS to comply with Governor's order for in-person schooling, which is not the same as students (including elementary school and special needs students) sitting at their desks in MCPS school buildings learning via their Chromebooks while their teachers teach them from home:

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/750/082/966/we-demand-mcps-provide-live-in-person-instruction-beginning-31-as-gov-hogan-demanded/?fbclid=IwAR16dQwFddmgVcYzaBW66nAn0jnk-foLF8PoTLQPj0hjMce4o8y_5UtkEs4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Parents are demanding in person. MCPS has to do it with small groups and the only safe way to do it is this way. You demand, they agreed, so stop complaining. Even if they were taught in person there would be huge restrictions. However, none of this matters as we aren't going back till covid numbers lesson.

The numbers have lessened. 5.6% positivity rate and 23.8 cases per 100k as of 2/3, the metrics for re-opening are 5% positivity rate and 15 cases per 100k, if this trend holds we will hit the metrics before the March 15th opening date. The people throwing out the numbers as a reason the schools won’t re-open should bother to check them before being so certain they will be prohibitive.

I hope you are right, but it’s not a given that the trend will continue. The new variants can change it very quickly, unfortunately, especially if the vaccine rollout continues to be slow.

The new variants are already here, so the data include them.

But they are not yet dominant, which could happen by March according to the CDC. Not trying to be negative, and I do hope that the cases continue to fall, but it’s not a given.

The future is inherently uncertain, on account of not having happened yet, but we (individuals/society/organizations) make plans nonetheless.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

Thank you!! Part of my frustration, as an MCPS parent, is the lack of transparency on these issues. I don’t blame you or the teachers at ALL for that—it’s the BOE’s (continued) failure. It makes total sense to me that classroom monitors could be useful in the ways you describe, in addition to the teachers and paras who would be in the building.

My kids are at a learning hub (and thriving as much as they can), so I know there are real benefits to this model, and I also don’t have the weird paranoia around my kids being with non-teachers that some PPs seem to. It doesn’t work for kids with special needs and really young kids, but I’m hopeful this step will get us closer to a real return to in-person education in the Fall.

Again, thank you.

+1 This is the kind of information that parents need to hear to convince us that we’re not being offered fake news that will result in the rug being pulled out from under us.

People like you are the answer. Thank you!

Thank you to my para colleague for this response. This is the most accurate, factual post in this thread. Thank you for being a voice of reason.
I will add that this format is merely the first step in the process of reopening buildings. I am not looking forward to this structure (I teach some of our youngest children in Mcps) but I know that it will not last forever and it means we are one step closer to getting to where we all want to be.

If we required convicted felons to sit at a desk all day in prison, with the only breaks being to use the toilet, the government would be sued for cruel and unusual punishment. To require it of 5 year olds? The all-day screens are terrible enough without adding strict physical limitations. I really hope that parents will say no to this for young children.

Welcome to 2021 in a pandemic!

Except that it doesn't have to be that way. It's a choice, not a requirement or a necessity.

Its also a choice for people to continue their lives as normal instead of being on a partial lockdown to help stop the spread. Everyone needs to do their part, which isn't going to happen so accept this as the new normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand who cohorting and masking isn’t enough. In preschools they don’t keep the kids six feet apart because they cant. They mask and keep classes segregated so no spread within school to other cohorts. Why can’t we just restart school in masks and keep classes separate? What difference does it make if there are 12 kids or 20 kids in the same air for 7 hours. Either we are ok with that or we aren’t. Seems like unnecessary theatre.

Masks help but they don't stop covid. And cohorting really isn't great as kids often have siblings in other groups, parents working and socializing outside school.

As people have been saying since April, the point is to mitigate risk, not eliminate risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Its also a choice for people to continue their lives as normal instead of being on a partial lockdown to help stop the spread. Everyone needs to do their part, which isn't going to happen so accept this as the new normal.

I honestly don't understand the repeated reference to this, on DCUM. Who is continuing their lives as normal, in Montgomery County? You couldn't even if you wanted to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents are demanding in person. MCPS has to do it with small groups and the only safe way to do it is this way. You demand, they agreed, so stop complaining. Even if they were taught in person there would be huge restrictions. However, none of this matters as we aren't going back till covid numbers lesson.

The numbers have lessened. 5.6% positivity rate and 23.8 cases per 100k as of 2/3, the metrics for re-opening are 5% positivity rate and 15 cases per 100k, if this trend holds we will hit the metrics before the March 15th opening date. The people throwing out the numbers as a reason the schools won’t re-open should bother to check them before being so certain they will be prohibitive.

I hope you are right, but it’s not a given that the trend will continue. The new variants can change it very quickly, unfortunately, especially if the vaccine rollout continues to be slow.

The new variants are already here, so the data include them.

But they are not yet dominant, which could happen by March according to the CDC. Not trying to be negative, and I do hope that the cases continue to fall, but it’s not a given.

The future is inherently uncertain, on account of not having happened yet, but we (individuals/society/organizations) make plans nonetheless.

Agree completely, but we should make plans for more than one possible outcome, don’t you think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Its also a choice for people to continue their lives as normal instead of being on a partial lockdown to help stop the spread. Everyone needs to do their part, which isn't going to happen so accept this as the new normal.

I honestly don't understand the repeated reference to this, on DCUM. Who is continuing their lives as normal, in Montgomery County? You couldn't even if you wanted to.

^^^also "partial lockdown" is like "a little bit pregnant"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But they are not yet dominant, which could happen by March according to the CDC. Not trying to be negative, and I do hope that the cases continue to fall, but it’s not a given.

The future is inherently uncertain, on account of not having happened yet, but we (individuals/society/organizations) make plans nonetheless.

Agree completely, but we should make plans for more than one possible outcome, don’t you think?

Sure. MCPS already has done that, though. If the numbers don't go down, MCPS will continue with everyone doing DL at home. That's the plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents are demanding in person. MCPS has to do it with small groups and the only safe way to do it is this way. You demand, they agreed, so stop complaining. Even if they were taught in person there would be huge restrictions. However, none of this matters as we aren't going back till covid numbers lesson.

Yes! We demand it! Public health be damned!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But they are not yet dominant, which could happen by March according to the CDC. Not trying to be negative, and I do hope that the cases continue to fall, but it’s not a given.

The future is inherently uncertain, on account of not having happened yet, but we (individuals/society/organizations) make plans nonetheless.

Agree completely, but we should make plans for more than one possible outcome, don’t you think?

Sure. MCPS already has done that, though. If the numbers don't go down, MCPS will continue with everyone doing DL at home. That's the plan.

That would make sense. Sure, it's unfortunate there's this deadly pandemic but not like there are a lot of options here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But they are not yet dominant, which could happen by March according to the CDC. Not trying to be negative, and I do hope that the cases continue to fall, but it’s not a given.

The future is inherently uncertain, on account of not having happened yet, but we (individuals/society/organizations) make plans nonetheless.

Agree completely, but we should make plans for more than one possible outcome, don’t you think?

Sure. MCPS already has done that, though. If the numbers don't go down, MCPS will continue with everyone doing DL at home. That's the plan.

That would make sense. Sure, it's unfortunate there's this deadly pandemic but not like there are a lot of options here.

There may not be many options, but there are certainly more than just that one.