Diocese of Arlington Schools - Covid closings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please, please no hybrid teaching/learning! That was the worst! That just might do me in! I would consider quitting!

-Catholic School Teacher

I agree with this teacher. My child was at a Catholic school that was hybrid almost all of last year. It was terrible. Hard on the teachers and students. It’s in person or full virtual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please, please no hybrid teaching/learning! That was the worst! That just might do me in! I would consider quitting!

-Catholic School Teacher

I’ll bite. What’s your backup plan when massive numbers of kids and your colleagues test positive? We just shut it all down, no learning at all? Other teachers are on the Catholic school threads talking about limited staff to start, and tiny sub pools. I get that. So then what’s the answer? We ask the smart kid in the class to teach math? We tell half of your class that’s home with covid to just catch up when they can? How? What if you are out by the time they return?

Either in-person or virtual.

Hybrid teaching was the last straw for many teachers. How many have left the profession? Answer: too many!

What's the tipping point to go fully virtual then? 5% 10% 25% 50%

Not sure but Alexandria is at nearly 20% positivity (might exceed it if you factor in positive home tests that don’t get officially counted by the health dept.) and still climbing. If schools don’t pivot this week, next week will be much worse and this is likely to drag on even longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please, please no hybrid teaching/learning! That was the worst! That just might do me in! I would consider quitting!

-Catholic School Teacher

I’ll bite. What’s your backup plan when massive numbers of kids and your colleagues test positive? We just shut it all down, no learning at all? Other teachers are on the Catholic school threads talking about limited staff to start, and tiny sub pools. I get that. So then what’s the answer? We ask the smart kid in the class to teach math? We tell half of your class that’s home with covid to just catch up when they can? How? What if you are out by the time they return?

Either in-person or virtual.

Hybrid teaching was the last straw for many teachers. How many have left the profession? Answer: too many!

What's the tipping point to go fully virtual then? 5% 10% 25% 50%

In the fall, schools thought community transmission levels would drive a closure. But, CDC has changed the rhetoric to keep kids in school no matter what. Don't quarantine exposed kids. Use test and stay, So, now these schools can stay open as long as they have the staff to do so. With triple vaxxed teachers and shortened isolation quarantines, if the teachers stay healthy, they won't need to close at all. Individual students will miss school. But, these school are small, I'm sure the teachers would prefer to catch them up than do hybrid.

[Anonymous]

Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

[Anonymous]

Are any schools recommending vaccines? Our school has a hands off approach. I wish they would at least encourage them. So frustrating!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

As a teacher, living with my elderly, vaxxed, and boosted parents, I will think twice about approaching students wearing low quality, ill-fitting masks. I hope Johnny does not extra help with his shoe laces or opening his juice box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

As a teacher, living with my elderly, vaxxed, and boosted parents, I will think twice about approaching students wearing low quality, ill-fitting masks. I hope Johnny does not extra help with his shoe laces or opening his juice box.

I hope you’re not teaching young elementary students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they will open on time, and then close when too many staff are out. They could start planning right now, instead of having to “pivot” in a hastely manner when the **** hits the fan! I feel all schools will end up doing this. They have to be able to say they had the intention of opening. Any thoughts on CYO basketball? I am pretty sure they will shut that down pretty soon.

Our CYO is only for 7th and 8th graders this year, with proof of vaccination. I would really be upset if CYO shuts down. (this is St. Joe's in Herndon)

What? St Joe’s (Herndon) coach told me vaccinations were not required. Masks on bench but not during play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

As a teacher, living with my elderly, vaxxed, and boosted parents, I will think twice about approaching students wearing low quality, ill-fitting masks. I hope Johnny does not extra help with his shoe laces or opening his juice box.

I hope you’re not teaching young elementary students.

I hope you will send your kids with a proper fitting mask and also model good mask behavior at home. We all need to do our part. I have no issues helping little Johnny out, as long as he is wearing a good mask, over his nose and mouth. I wear one all day, and do most of the talking. I am sure you understand how miserable it is to talk in a mask, but guess what, we still do it.

Protecting my parents is my top priority: Honor your father and mother. I am sorry, but my family comes first. If admins drop the mask requirement, many teachers will leave. Trust me, many Catholic School teachers are not in it for the money! Hardly any of us are the main breadwinners! We can get by without our salaries just fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they will open on time, and then close when too many staff are out. They could start planning right now, instead of having to “pivot” in a hastely manner when the **** hits the fan! I feel all schools will end up doing this. They have to be able to say they had the intention of opening. Any thoughts on CYO basketball? I am pretty sure they will shut that down pretty soon.

Our CYO is only for 7th and 8th graders this year, with proof of vaccination. I would really be upset if CYO shuts down. (this is St. Joe's in Herndon)

What? St Joe’s (Herndon) coach told me vaccinations were not required. Masks on bench but not during play.

I’m very curious when this changed, because I asked specifically about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think they will open on time, and then close when too many staff are out. They could start planning right now, instead of having to “pivot” in a hastely manner when the **** hits the fan! I feel all schools will end up doing this. They have to be able to say they had the intention of opening. Any thoughts on CYO basketball? I am pretty sure they will shut that down pretty soon.

Our CYO is only for 7th and 8th graders this year, with proof of vaccination. I would really be upset if CYO shuts down. (this is St. Joe's in Herndon)

What? St Joe’s (Herndon) coach told me vaccinations were not required. Masks on bench but not during play.

I’m very curious when this changed, because I asked specifically about this.

First they said only vaxxed kids could play. I assume there was backlash, so they changed the rules a week or two later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

As a teacher, living with my elderly, vaxxed, and boosted parents, I will think twice about approaching students wearing low quality, ill-fitting masks. I hope Johnny does not extra help with his shoe laces or opening his juice box.

I hope you’re not teaching young elementary students.

I hope you will send your kids with a proper fitting mask and also model good mask behavior at home. We all need to do our part. I have no issues helping little Johnny out, as long as he is wearing a good mask, over his nose and mouth. I wear one all day, and do most of the talking. I am sure you understand how miserable it is to talk in a mask, but guess what, we still do it.

Protecting my parents is my top priority: Honor your father and mother. I am sorry, but my family comes first. If admins drop the mask requirement, many teachers will leave. Trust me, many Catholic School teachers are not in it for the money! Hardly any of us are the main breadwinners! We can get by without our salaries just fine.

I genuinely appreciate and respect your desire to protect your elderly parents. I just question whether my child wearing a cloth mask during 2/3 of the school day (omitting morning snack, recess, lunch/ mask breaks and Gym class) is really contributing in any meaningful way toward that goal (Especially given that in our case we regularly see her primary teacher and several of her classmates attending our fairly packed parish mass unmasked each Sunday ). At the same time I have seen a distinct impact on my daughter’s classroom participation/socialization as a result of masking. She is shy/soft spoken as it is and has a bit of a speech impediment and masking has made it harder for her to communicate with her teachers/classmates. As a result over the last 18 months she has become increasingly withdrawn and her classroom participation grades have declined.

[Anonymous]

^^what Diocese of Arlington K-8 school removes their masks for indoor PE class? They certainly don’t at my kids school.

To the anti-mask parents: please stop sending your children into school with those cheesecloth type masks. Or you showing up to the building seeing the “please wear a mask” sign and disregard it because you don’t think masks are necessary. Model good behavior and follow the rules please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school will go back on Monday. Fingers crossed all goes well. Pray for us! I hope there is a push for higher quality masks, and consequences for kids who do not wear them correctly. So far, many kids get away with wearing them under their chins.

Sorry, but I will be praying for a swift end to the mask mandate. The majority of the kids in our parish are already attending Sunday mass unmasked anyway, as endorsed by the diocese, so I don’t get the double standard. Not to mention that the cloth masks do little to prevent the spread of omicron and they are regularly removing them for recess/PE/lunch anyway. It’s just theater to placate the paranoid parents at the expense of those of us who have children with speech issues, etc.

As a teacher, living with my elderly, vaxxed, and boosted parents, I will think twice about approaching students wearing low quality, ill-fitting masks. I hope Johnny does not extra help with his shoe laces or opening his juice box.

I hope you’re not teaching young elementary students.

I hope you will send your kids with a proper fitting mask and also model good mask behavior at home. We all need to do our part. I have no issues helping little Johnny out, as long as he is wearing a good mask, over his nose and mouth. I wear one all day, and do most of the talking. I am sure you understand how miserable it is to talk in a mask, but guess what, we still do it.

Protecting my parents is my top priority: Honor your father and mother. I am sorry, but my family comes first. If admins drop the mask requirement, many teachers will leave. Trust me, many Catholic School teachers are not in it for the money! Hardly any of us are the main breadwinners! We can get by without our salaries just fine.

I genuinely appreciate and respect your desire to protect your elderly parents. I just question whether my child wearing a cloth mask during 2/3 of the school day (omitting morning snack, recess, lunch/ mask breaks and Gym class) is really contributing in any meaningful way toward that goal (Especially given that in our case we regularly see her primary teacher and several of her classmates attending our fairly packed parish mass unmasked each Sunday ). At the same time I have seen a distinct impact on my daughter’s classroom participation/socialization as a result of masking. She is shy/soft spoken as it is and has a bit of a speech impediment and masking has made it harder for her to communicate with her teachers/classmates. As a result over the last 18 months she has become increasingly withdrawn and her classroom participation grades have declined.

At our school, students wear masks to PE and recess. Cloth masks will not be enough thus time around. Double masking (surgical + cloth) and KN95s are recommended now.

Yes, I have also seen people without masks at Sunday masses. It makes me very uncomfortable. Via social media, I saw mask-less people attending Christmas mass at my parish. Parishioners do have the safe virtual mass option. There are choices for mass. If schools go mask-less, there is no other
“safer” choice.

I also understand how wearing masks affects learning and socializing. I am a “specials” teacher. I have a hard time getting to know all my students as it is. Masks make it so much worse. What would be worse is more teachers having to stay home, and students missing out on learning altogether.