New York Schools can reopen in person

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Governor of VA also announced something similar. But as you see, several counties in VA are not reopening. Unfortunately, I think the teachers will not allow them to reopen either.

+1. And this is why the visceral backlash against teachers and school administrators. Countless other professionals continue to work despite risks which can be mitigated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NYC teacher again-I'll also add that we are going back to "blended" learning, where kids will be at school between one and three days a week (not four or five days). They will be remote the rest of the time. At some schools the day(s) they are going in are not consistent, so good luck finding childcare on that schedule. The kids have to sit at their desks from 8:30-2, eating lunch in their seat while we continue to teach (I guess to prevent the kids from trying to talk to each other). They can't share materials. There is no recess.

One of the biggest concerns I’ve heard from folks (families and teachers) is the childcare gaps associated with the hybrid schedule. My friend and her DH are both teachers and their 2nd grader is returning to their previous in home daycare for the other three days. Maybe it will all work out fine but she was like, if we have to do this other families are too, if they can even find such an option. In a lot of cases it may be grandparents filling the gap.

True but it is better than DL which is zero childcare (yes, I know, school isn't childcare -- whatever, the place where my children will be under supervision while I am working).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a NYC teacher. We are talking about striking. Teachers are willing to teach under safe conditions only. The current plans that the city submitted to the state are not acceptable. There were parent and teacher protests at DOE headquarters this week.
The conditions that we stayed open under in March were horrific-the city claimed that there were twice weekly "deep cleanings" happening (no) and that there were cleaning supplies delivered to all schools (never materialized) and that we were amping up hand washing (we had no soap or hot water). When teachers were calling the health department to report positive COVID cases, the department refused to shut the schools down (as they had promised to do) and questioned the validity of the tests. Teachers were standing outside schools telling parents that their children were not safe and turning them away, risking their own jobs. We will not go back to that.

What specific safety-related things are you asking for so that we as parents can advocate too?

Intermittent testing of school communities to identify asymptomatic cases (you would identify a statistically representative percentage of the population and test that %), a school nurse in every school (currently there are 400 vacancies), contract tracing, a comprehensive procedure for shutting down schools for known positive cases, and evidence that procedures (social distancing, mask wearing, reporting and tracing of positive cases) are being followed. For example, the Department of Education and the city initially promised us that ventilation systems would be upgraded, but have since said that a window that opens even an inch would be considered acceptable and adequate ventilation to reopen. That's not good enough.

DP- are there nurse position vacancies because NYS is unwilling to hire, or because not enough nurses want the job?

I grew up in NYS and always remember having a nurse at school but when I mentioned this to my DH he said he never had one at his schools in a different state.

It's a little bit complicated. The nurses in NYC work for two different unions (the Department of Ed and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene), depending on the job posting. For DC37 nurses the salary is really low and most people are unwilling to accept the job. For DOE nurses, the salary is significantly (about 12k) higher. Guess how they usually try to hire nurses? The vacancies are never filled because people can't survive on that salary in NYC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Governor of VA also announced something similar. But as you see, several counties in VA are not reopening. Unfortunately, I think the teachers will not allow them to reopen either.

+1. And this is why the visceral backlash against teachers and school administrators. Countless other professionals continue to work despite risks which can be mitigated.

I think what the Governor said was schools can open as long as we're in Phase 3. He didn't define any specific COVID metrics that would indicate it is safe to re-open. FCPS is working on those now and I understand the state is as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MD at 3.9%, MoCo at 2.4

OPEN THE SCHOOLS

Seems that’s the best number in the region—are they steady/declining or increasing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are willing to teach because the risk of infection is considerably lower.

Solve the virus spread and you solve the problems of schools (and work, and travel, and just about everything else). But most people here would rather just argue about the everything else rather than solve the real problem.

Many NOVA jurisdictions positivity rate is below 5%. Honest question, what number are you okay with? NYC’s metric to reopen is 5%— although they are lower.

DP.. what's the 7 day rolling average? Is nova/VA seeing cases go up even as the rate is below 5%? Then that's a concern. NY's rate is flat or going down. That's why they feel it's ok to re-open.

Fairfax County is currently at 5.6 cases per 100,000 and steady if not slightly declining (we were at 6.1 at end of July).

So, on average, 99,994 healthy students/adults in Fairfax County out of 100,000. .

If we get to 99,996 heathy students/adults, can we reopen? This is ridiculous.

Exactly. Does anyone know what positivity rates we are waiting on? I believe DC and NYC have similar positivity rates, yet one is closed and the other is allowed to open. Assume that in the absence of federal guidance this is a district-based decision? Are teachers looking for 0%? Not sure if the unions have said anything in this regard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are willing to teach because the risk of infection is considerably lower.

Solve the virus spread and you solve the problems of schools (and work, and travel, and just about everything else). But most people here would rather just argue about the everything else rather than solve the real problem.

Many NOVA jurisdictions positivity rate is below 5%. Honest question, what number are you okay with? NYC’s metric to reopen is 5%— although they are lower.

NP
I think that’s a big barrier. Nobody has taken the lead here (I’m in NoVA) to set that metric. Everyone is looking to somebody else to set it.

Same in MD. Cuomo, for all of his flaws, is actually taking responsibility and leading.

Great leadership in NY:
https://nypost.com/2020/07/13/its-just-nuts-to-praise-nys-success-against-the-coronavirus/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-new-yorks-coronavirus-response-made-the-pandemic-worse-11591908426
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2020/07/23/opinion-andrew-cuomo-gaslights-americans-poor-coronavirus-response-covid-19-new-york/5482272002/
https://data.cms.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-Nursing-Home-Data/bkwz-xpvg/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MD at 3.9%, MoCo at 2.4

OPEN THE SCHOOLS

Seems that’s the best number in the region—are they steady/declining or increasing?

Declining. In MoCo, our pos rate has declined for 14 out of the last 14 days.

[Anonymous]

Cuomo reopening is based solely on numbers. He's leaving the rest up to school boards and superintendents. Our HS is hybrid. Kids will be grouped: Group A in person Mon/Tues, Group B in person Thurs/Fri, Wednesday all DL for cleaning and meetings. We have the option to opt out and DL full time.

Our public schools and a few privates have seen a significant increase in enrollment. Approx 200 new students enrolled for our public schools. One small private has also increased, but not sure what the number is since HS is boarding and most are internationals.

NYC migrated East and they're not leaving. Population swelled over Easter/Passover weekend. Assuming the reopening decision will help. Real estate market is strong with little inventory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a NYC teacher. We are talking about striking. Teachers are willing to teach under safe conditions only. The current plans that the city submitted to the state are not acceptable. There were parent and teacher protests at DOE headquarters this week.
The conditions that we stayed open under in March were horrific-the city claimed that there were twice weekly "deep cleanings" happening (no) and that there were cleaning supplies delivered to all schools (never materialized) and that we were amping up hand washing (we had no soap or hot water). When teachers were calling the health department to report positive COVID cases, the department refused to shut the schools down (as they had promised to do) and questioned the validity of the tests. Teachers were standing outside schools telling parents that their children were not safe and turning them away, risking their own jobs. We will not go back to that.

What specific safety-related things are you asking for so that we as parents can advocate too?

Intermittent testing of school communities to identify asymptomatic cases (you would identify a statistically representative percentage of the population and test that %), a school nurse in every school (currently there are 400 vacancies), contract tracing, a comprehensive procedure for shutting down schools for known positive cases, and evidence that procedures (social distancing, mask wearing, reporting and tracing of positive cases) are being followed. For example, the Department of Education and the city initially promised us that ventilation systems would be upgraded, but have since said that a window that opens even an inch would be considered acceptable and adequate ventilation to reopen. That's not good enough.

Wow, I'm the PP that was hoping that schools were doing a better job with putting protocols in place but after what you wrote, I am totally on your side. And I apologize for my ignorance and privilege- I'm in a wealthy school district and I completely discounted the HUGE disparities that exist for other districts. Guidelines say there should be a "pandemic coordinator or team" for each school so I am appalled that some schools don't even have nurses. The other big issue is the level of trust that teachers need to have with the administration to deliver on their promises for adequately safe opening.

[Anonymous]

Thats because the virus already ran through NY.

[Anonymous]

Are districts going to actually reopen though? I got the impression that teacher unions are strong in NY. At least, all the parents will know it’s the union and not the state’s fault if schools remain closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Governor of VA also announced something similar. But as you see, several counties in VA are not reopening. Unfortunately, I think the teachers will not allow them to reopen either.

What is it that was announced? I have only seen that a dashboard is being developed but is it out yet?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/newsadvance.com/news/state-and-regional/virginia-creating-covid-19-dashboards-to-help-inform-school-reopening-decisions/article_b52b12f3-0f4d-56be-8493-91db982ab9c8.amp.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a NYC teacher. We are talking about striking. Teachers are willing to teach under safe conditions only. The current plans that the city submitted to the state are not acceptable. There were parent and teacher protests at DOE headquarters this week.
The conditions that we stayed open under in March were horrific-the city claimed that there were twice weekly "deep cleanings" happening (no) and that there were cleaning supplies delivered to all schools (never materialized) and that we were amping up hand washing (we had no soap or hot water). When teachers were calling the health department to report positive COVID cases, the department refused to shut the schools down (as they had promised to do) and questioned the validity of the tests. Teachers were standing outside schools telling parents that their children were not safe and turning them away, risking their own jobs. We will not go back to that.

What specific safety-related things are you asking for so that we as parents can advocate too?

Intermittent testing of school communities to identify asymptomatic cases (you would identify a statistically representative percentage of the population and test that %), a school nurse in every school (currently there are 400 vacancies), contract tracing, a comprehensive procedure for shutting down schools for known positive cases, and evidence that procedures (social distancing, mask wearing, reporting and tracing of positive cases) are being followed. For example, the Department of Education and the city initially promised us that ventilation systems would be upgraded, but have since said that a window that opens even an inch would be considered acceptable and adequate ventilation to reopen. That's not good enough.

Wow, I'm the PP that was hoping that schools were doing a better job with putting protocols in place but after what you wrote, I am totally on your side. And I apologize for my ignorance and privilege- I'm in a wealthy school district and I completely discounted the HUGE disparities that exist for other districts. Guidelines say there should be a "pandemic coordinator or team" for each school so I am appalled that some schools don't even have nurses. The other big issue is the level of trust that teachers need to have with the administration to deliver on their promises for adequately safe opening.

Schools in my NoVA district don’t have nurses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are willing to teach because the risk of infection is considerably lower.

Solve the virus spread and you solve the problems of schools (and work, and travel, and just about everything else). But most people here would rather just argue about the everything else rather than solve the real problem.

Many NOVA jurisdictions positivity rate is below 5%. Honest question, what number are you okay with? NYC’s metric to reopen is 5%— although they are lower.

DP.. what's the 7 day rolling average? Is nova/VA seeing cases go up even as the rate is below 5%? Then that's a concern. NY's rate is flat or going down. That's why they feel it's ok to re-open.

Fairfax County is currently at 5.6 cases per 100,000 and steady if not slightly declining (we were at 6.1 at end of July).

So, on average, 99,994 healthy students/adults in Fairfax County out of 100,000. .

If we get to 99,996 heathy students/adults, can we reopen? This is ridiculous.

Exactly. Does anyone know what positivity rates we are waiting on? I believe DC and NYC have similar positivity rates, yet one is closed and the other is allowed to open. Assume that in the absence of federal guidance this is a district-based decision? Are teachers looking for 0%? Not sure if the unions have said anything in this regard.

Not DC, but a district in nearby NoVA:

#8 Controlled community transmission: A demonstrated decline in new cases and hospitalizations for at least 14 days, a positive test rate of less than five percent, a transmission rate of under 1.0, and testing, contact tracing and isolation capacity in a given public health jurisdiction is necessary to move from remote instruction to in-person. A policy must be adopted that provides sick leave for educators and staff.


https://www.fcft.org/safe-reopening