Anne Arundel back on November 16 for K-2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The teachers are making it seem like this is a death march to the inevitable hardship of awful education as if the last month hasn't been overwhelming and ineffective for many parents. What is the deal. It's only K-2 and it's a hybrid schedule.
Working without a contract? Well, I think the board knows where the teachers stand so why even negotiate at this point.
Keep posting memes about how 'scary' life will be behind chromebooks with masks on -- as if 60% of kids aren't in virtual learning centers or pods doing that anyway.

It's not just K-2, it's ECI - 5th, with a goal of secondary in mid-December.

Most of what I'm seeing from teachers isn't an issue of going back per se, but it's going back with this half-baked plan.
Have you read the description of hybrid? Nearly two hours of "quiet time" in the middle of the day for 6 year olds doesn't seem feasible. A teacher trying to manage 12 kids in person and 12 on a computer doesn't seem feasible.

There may be ways to do hybrid well. This isn't it.
https://www.aacps.org/Page/9012

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers are making it seem like this is a death march to the inevitable hardship of awful education as if the last month hasn't been overwhelming and ineffective for many parents. What is the deal. It's only K-2 and it's a hybrid schedule.
Working without a contract? Well, I think the board knows where the teachers stand so why even negotiate at this point.
Keep posting memes about how 'scary' life will be behind chromebooks with masks on -- as if 60% of kids aren't in virtual learning centers or pods doing that anyway.

It's not just K-2, it's ECI - 5th, with a goal of secondary in mid-December.

Most of what I'm seeing from teachers isn't an issue of going back per se, but it's going back with this half-baked plan.
Have you read the description of hybrid? Nearly two hours of "quiet time" in the middle of the day for 6 year olds doesn't seem feasible. A teacher trying to manage 12 kids in person and 12 on a computer doesn't seem feasible.

There may be ways to do hybrid well. This isn't it.
https://www.aacps.org/Page/9012

I get that the plan isn't perfect. Some schools have similar ones though so it definitely isn't novel. The craziness I was seeing today was the "AACPS Teachers: Wanted Dead or Alive" memes. It's a bit over the top. So many much more high risk personnel are back to work and it's not helping their point at all.

I wouldn't want to work without a contract. I understand. Parents need options though. I wonder if the 2 hour break time midday could be shortened or changed now that it's hybrid and not 100% virtual.

Tweaks can happen without the social media firestorm. But, I guess it's 2020 and that's just how things go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The teachers are making it seem like this is a death march to the inevitable hardship of awful education as if the last month hasn't been overwhelming and ineffective for many parents. What is the deal. It's only K-2 and it's a hybrid schedule.
Working without a contract? Well, I think the board knows where the teachers stand so why even negotiate at this point.
Keep posting memes about how 'scary' life will be behind chromebooks with masks on -- as if 60% of kids aren't in virtual learning centers or pods doing that anyway.

It's not just K-2, it's ECI - 5th, with a goal of secondary in mid-December.

Most of what I'm seeing from teachers isn't an issue of going back per se, but it's going back with this half-baked plan.
Have you read the description of hybrid? Nearly two hours of "quiet time" in the middle of the day for 6 year olds doesn't seem feasible. A teacher trying to manage 12 kids in person and 12 on a computer doesn't seem feasible.

There may be ways to do hybrid well. This isn't it.
https://www.aacps.org/Page/9012

I get that the plan isn't perfect. Some schools have similar ones though so it definitely isn't novel. The craziness I was seeing today was the "AACPS Teachers: Wanted Dead or Alive" memes. It's a bit over the top. So many much more high risk personnel are back to work and it's not helping their point at all.

I wouldn't want to work without a contract. I understand. Parents need options though. I wonder if the 2 hour break time midday could be shortened or changed now that it's hybrid and not 100% virtual.

Tweaks can happen without the social media firestorm. But, I guess it's 2020 and that's just how things go.

Fortunately my facebook feed looks a little different than that. I haven't seen any of those memes. (Not doubting they exist, just glad my friends haven't shared them!) I am seeing a TON of parents that are confused and concerned, and teachers frustrated because they haven't gotten any details from the district. And those "tweaks" are important details that parents and teachers understandably want to know before making a decision - but the decision is due in less than a week!

Unfortunately I don't think there is any plan to shorten the two hour break, because the hybrid kids who happen to be at home that day still need time to go to school to pick up food. It would take a whole-sale change of how they distribute food to change the midday break. (And to give credit where credit is due, the food services have been absolutely amazing since March!)

I'm sure there are some teachers and parents who would want to stay shut down until a vaccine. But there are a lot more teachers and parents who are just incredibly frustrated with how this is being rolled out and how people are being forced to make decisions with an unclear and "messy" (to use Arlotto's favortie word) plan

[Anonymous]

That explains the two hour break. Thank you! I was wondering why it was there in the beginning. Yes, the food services have been great. We have gone a few times to help the kids have a sense of normalcy.

Here is the link to where I think one of the graphics for the meme came from that was posted this morning. I am starting to wonder what type of fb parenting groups I am in!
https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/return-to-school-teachers-consider-taking-leave-ahead-of-anne-arundel-county-reopening

[Anonymous]

I think having teachers splitting their attention between all the kids learning virtually and all the kids in person is going to get really challenging because it's harder to monitor both groups simultaneously

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

That was my thought too. The 3 - 5 kids will get SIX whole days in person before winter break. Hardly seems worth the risk of travel/holidays/etc, not to mention the extra work for the teachers around the holidays.

Six is better than none. I don't know why this would disrupt anyone's holiday plans. Are people really staying in their houses 100% still? I see soccer games, kids at parks, kids at stores, what is the difference?

I have two kids, one in private high school and one in public. I can definitively say that having them in a classroom with a live teacher is much more beneficial for any length of time. If children who choose all virutal are with a new teacher, I get the disruption, but when there is a large cohort of virtural learners who are not also kids in the classroom, the coursework may be given on a different schedule or pace. The two hour learning break, for one. This may not happen with the kids who are on the hybrid but at home. Who knows?

Many unanswered questions which will need to be addressed, but progress is progress. And as for mask compliance issues, I know that there will always be a risk to someone's mask coming down under their noses or messing with them all day. Unless you keep your child home 100% of the time (in which you should do virutal learning), these things are happening out there daily. I have to correct my child on her mask placement and yes, it's a pain, but she does it when she notices. She's back in school and there have been zero cases in her Upper School.

I think change is scary and transition is tough. Those of us who have one child in private have seen it work out, so it's simply not as scary. For the record, we are keeping our kids home the week of Thanksgiving for an extra two days so we can see grandma without worrying a lot. We have the option to be in the virutal cohorts for days we are not in school for our oldest. It's a way to do so without losing ground academically. I hope that can be the case for public schools as well.

For so many who don't have stay at home parents or who are strugglin wtih virtual learning, those six days can be a god send. To those who don't want to go back, there are options while the options, granted, include more change.

Before I see my elderly parents? Yes, yes I am staying in my house for two weeks.

I'm not sure what point you are making. Should schools remain closed so that you can see your elderly parent?

Right... if you are not comfortable, simply don't send your kid back. Stay virtual. Problem solved! Nobody is forcing you to return.

Exactly this, and the number of people flying to Florida for Thanksgiving from this area really not very large . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

Seriously, this. Why are you acting like responsibly avoiding an outbreak is an outbreak? That's literally the opposite.

[Anonymous]

It’s a start, and will be a relief for many parents right now. Lots of kinks will be worked out. Lower numbers will actually be a good start. Easing in as good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s a start, and will be a relief for many parents right now. Lots of kinks will be worked out. Lower numbers will actually be a good start. Easing in as good.

I agree. Avoiding all Covid19 cases won’t ever happen. Herd immunity or immunity with a vaccine for all is not on the immediate horizon. This is the “new normal” everyone has been warned about.

There is no magical date to start back on the path to reopening. Private schools have been doing this for a solid month with only sporadic outbreaks. I don’t get why the adults thought schools would stay closed until it was full time and no masks again.

Honestly, we are probably years away from that!
If kids can practice soccer and football, they can sit behind chromebooks in a classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

So anyway, it was life-threatening for at least a few families, was disruptive fir an entire grade, and also affected siblings. I want none of that. It's fine that you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

So anyway, it was life-threatening for at least a few families, was disruptive fir an entire grade, and also affected siblings. I want none of that. It's fine that you do.

“Life-threatening?” If it was life-threatening (because some of the families had members whose lives were actually threatened by coronavirus) they should not have come back and opted for full time remote. Most families of K-12 kids do not.

[Anonymous]

Also if switching back to full time DL is so disruptive I have some news you’re going to want to sit down to hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

So anyway, it was life-threatening for at least a few families, was disruptive fir an entire grade, and also affected siblings. I want none of that. It's fine that you do.

“Life-threatening?” If it was life-threatening (because some of the families had members whose lives were actually threatened by coronavirus) they should not have come back and opted for full time remote. Most families of K-12 kids do not.

Where did you get that crystal ball where you can see exactly how this thing will affect everyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's be sure to send kids right before Thanksgiving so that we can put family members at risk, or miss out on holidays. GREAT MOVE!

Are you serious? Do you not even know what Anne Arundel's numbers have been like, for many months, despite the influx of tourists?

My kid has been hybrid in private school in AA Co all year and it's gone brilliantly. And the school has, obviously, not had an outbreak.

How nice for you. School of the Incarnation around the corner from me did have an outbreak.

Really? They had an "outbreak" or a few cases?

Enough cases to shut down a whole grade and pull siblings out of other grades, so whatever you like.

It only takes one case to shut down a grade. That isn't an outbreak. It's containment.

So anyway, it was life-threatening for at least a few families, was disruptive fir an entire grade, and also affected siblings. I want none of that. It's fine that you do.

“Life-threatening?” If it was life-threatening (because some of the families had members whose lives were actually threatened by coronavirus) they should not have come back and opted for full time remote. Most families of K-12 kids do not.

Where did you get that crystal ball where you can see exactly how this thing will affect everyone?

Have you missed all of the statistics and data on this? Your risk level is very easy to analyze these days. Of course freak deaths happen but they’re just that.