All schools should offer an all-virtual option

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That isn't what OP is asking for. We want something that bridges the gap to the vaccine, creates a structure for the inevitable back-and-forth to virtual for those families who prefer in-person, and maintains the belonging to their own school community.

I want a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom single family home with a large yard, near rock creek park but on the east side. And, I want it for 650k or less.

If we are taking about things we want that are completely unrealistic.

Lol

[Anonymous]

Not schools; school districts. I’m an educator myself (college) and know first-hand the challenges of providing a quality online education. It’s too heavy a lift for a single school, but certainly a school district can pull it off.

[Anonymous]

Some of you need to understand that DCPS isn’t going to provide what you want. It just isn’t. I don’t know what you expect to happen from arguing with other parents on DCUM, but it certainly won’t manifest in a virtual school option at every DC school. Teachers hated DL and by and large parents hated it. Teachers hate the idea of concurrent even more. DL resulted in overall worse educational outcomes for kids, and no public health authority is recommending virtual school where masks are mandated.

Make your choices accordingly, but don’t expect everyone to bend to your ideas or wills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you are opposed to virtual class, are you comfortable with the idea that your kid would be completely isolated from their school apart from some homework assignments for weeks on time multiple times at unpredictable interval through the year, sometimes just your kids, sometimes their whole class?
That sounds awful.
What we're asking for sounds less awful for everyone.
A contingent following along from home, a less densely packed classroom, quarantining kids occasionally joining those following along virtually.

My kids were online all last year and it was isolating, often unpredictable, and not an education. So, I am comfortable if we need to be home some weeks, if other weeks we are getting actual full day instruction.

So you want the best for your kids, half the time, accepting that half the time nobody gets anything, and everyone is forced to take on the same amount of historical risk, instead of letting virtual families follow along. It's just so weird of you.

What is historical risk? Your arguments are weird, not me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you are opposed to virtual class, are you comfortable with the idea that your kid would be completely isolated from their school apart from some homework assignments for weeks on time multiple times at unpredictable interval through the year, sometimes just your kids, sometimes their whole class?
That sounds awful.
What we're asking for sounds less awful for everyone.
A contingent following along from home, a less densely packed classroom, quarantining kids occasionally joining those following along virtually.

My kids were online all last year and it was isolating, often unpredictable, and not an education. So, I am comfortable if we need to be home some weeks, if other weeks we are getting actual full day instruction.

So you want the best for your kids, half the time, accepting that half the time nobody gets anything, and everyone is forced to take on the same amount of historical risk, instead of letting virtual families follow along. It's just so weird of you.

Teacher here. I think the disconnect here is that there is no simply “following along” that happens with simulcasting. It’s not like you simply point a camera generally at the front of the classroom and let ‘er rip. Teachers must sit in front of the computer, thereby forcing in person kids to also sit in front is screens even in the same room. Lessons and materials need to be constantly adapted for both audiences. Posting on Canvas is a lengthy process. It’s a MUCH more challenging job with poor results for students on both ends. Not to mention that in person students can’t ever leave the classroom to, for example, read outside or go look for things in nature, etc.

[Anonymous]

I am pretty sure this is what’s going to happen. There are what, four weeks until school opens? Day by day things are getting worse. All of you people posting that this isn’t feasible are going to be lucky if schools open at all.

[Anonymous]

There’s an all virtual charter school you can sign up for if this is what you want. Better use of resources to streamline virtual learning than implement it separately at each school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you are opposed to virtual class, are you comfortable with the idea that your kid would be completely isolated from their school apart from some homework assignments for weeks on time multiple times at unpredictable interval through the year, sometimes just your kids, sometimes their whole class?
That sounds awful.
What we're asking for sounds less awful for everyone.
A contingent following along from home, a less densely packed classroom, quarantining kids occasionally joining those following along virtually.

My kids were online all last year and it was isolating, often unpredictable, and not an education. So, I am comfortable if we need to be home some weeks, if other weeks we are getting actual full day instruction.

So you want the best for your kids, half the time, accepting that half the time nobody gets anything, and everyone is forced to take on the same amount of historical risk, instead of letting virtual families follow along. It's just so weird of you.

Teacher here. I think the disconnect here is that there is no simply “following along” that happens with simulcasting. It’s not like you simply point a camera generally at the front of the classroom and let ‘er rip. Teachers must sit in front of the computer, thereby forcing in person kids to also sit in front is screens even in the same room. Lessons and materials need to be constantly adapted for both audiences. Posting on Canvas is a lengthy process. It’s a MUCH more challenging job with poor results for students on both ends. Not to mention that in person students can’t ever leave the classroom to, for example, read outside or go look for things in nature, etc.

Whoever wasn’t already aware of this and how hard and also bad it is must not have lived through the same school year I did. We all know this. Thanks teacher for spelling it out.

That said, there should be some kind of plan for quarantine periods. Also those should be reduced based on testing, and perhaps phased out entirely, but so far they exist.

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous. DCPS only needs to offer/host/launch one virtual school (or better, contract with a company that does this well because that’s all they do). Want virtual? Sign your child up for that school and give up your rights to whatever in-person school you attended previously. It’s absurd to expect every individual school to divvy up its budget between inperson and virtual and expect to do it all well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am pretty sure this is what’s going to happen. There are what, four weeks until school opens? Day by day things are getting worse. All of you people posting that this isn’t feasible are going to be lucky if schools open at all.

Stop. Just stop. Covid rates are up in DC but the picture is NOT bad. Hospitalizations are not spiking. Deaths are not spiking. More people are dying from guns in DC than from covid. Last year we had in-person school *pre-vaccine* with worse numbers - and it was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If you are opposed to virtual class, are you comfortable with the idea that your kid would be completely isolated from their school apart from some homework assignments for weeks on time multiple times at unpredictable interval through the year, sometimes just your kids, sometimes their whole class?
That sounds awful.
What we're asking for sounds less awful for everyone.
A contingent following along from home, a less densely packed classroom, quarantining kids occasionally joining those following along virtually.

My kids were online all last year and it was isolating, often unpredictable, and not an education. So, I am comfortable if we need to be home some weeks, if other weeks we are getting actual full day instruction.

So you want the best for your kids, half the time, accepting that half the time nobody gets anything, and everyone is forced to take on the same amount of historical risk, instead of letting virtual families follow along. It's just so weird of you.

Teacher here. I think the disconnect here is that there is no simply “following along” that happens with simulcasting. It’s not like you simply point a camera generally at the front of the classroom and let ‘er rip. Teachers must sit in front of the computer, thereby forcing in person kids to also sit in front is screens even in the same room. Lessons and materials need to be constantly adapted for both audiences. Posting on Canvas is a lengthy process. It’s a MUCH more challenging job with poor results for students on both ends. Not to mention that in person students can’t ever leave the classroom to, for example, read outside or go look for things in nature, etc.

Whoever wasn’t already aware of this and how hard and also bad it is must not have lived through the same school year I did. We all know this. Thanks teacher for spelling it out.

That said, there should be some kind of plan for quarantine periods. Also those should be reduced based on testing, and perhaps phased out entirely, but so far they exist.

I’d like DCPS to use the British approach where close contacts don’t have to be quarantined but have to be tested every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am pretty sure this is what’s going to happen. There are what, four weeks until school opens? Day by day things are getting worse. All of you people posting that this isn’t feasible are going to be lucky if schools open at all.

Stop. Just stop. Covid rates are up in DC but the picture is NOT bad. Hospitalizations are not spiking. Deaths are not spiking. More people are dying from guns in DC than from covid. Last year we had in-person school *pre-vaccine* with worse numbers - and it was fine.

You do realize that we are still *pre-vaccine* for a lot of children, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am pretty sure this is what’s going to happen. There are what, four weeks until school opens? Day by day things are getting worse. All of you people posting that this isn’t feasible are going to be lucky if schools open at all.

Stop. Just stop. Covid rates are up in DC but the picture is NOT bad. Hospitalizations are not spiking. Deaths are not spiking. More people are dying from guns in DC than from covid. Last year we had in-person school *pre-vaccine* with worse numbers - and it was fine.

You do realize that we are still *pre-vaccine* for a lot of children, right?

the point is, the adult vaccine slows spread to kids and from kids. we’re shifting the goal posts now. T3 and T4 were FINE. there a mounting hysteria happening unrelated to facts on the ground. NO CHILDREN have died in DC from covid, and daycares, schools, and camps have been open. There is no reason to be freaking out now. the kids need to be in school. you may homeschool or find an online charter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am pretty sure this is what’s going to happen. There are what, four weeks until school opens? Day by day things are getting worse. All of you people posting that this isn’t feasible are going to be lucky if schools open at all.

Stop. Just stop. Covid rates are up in DC but the picture is NOT bad. Hospitalizations are not spiking. Deaths are not spiking. More people are dying from guns in DC than from covid. Last year we had in-person school *pre-vaccine* with worse numbers - and it was fine.

You do realize that we are still *pre-vaccine* for a lot of children, right?

the point is, the adult vaccine slows spread to kids and from kids. we’re shifting the goal posts now. T3 and T4 were FINE. there a mounting hysteria happening unrelated to facts on the ground. NO CHILDREN have died in DC from covid, and daycares, schools, and camps have been open. There is no reason to be freaking out now. the kids need to be in school. you may homeschool or find an online charter.

T3 and T4 were hybrid, pre-Delta. That data tells us nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That isn't what OP is asking for. We want something that bridges the gap to the vaccine, creates a structure for the inevitable back-and-forth to virtual for those families who prefer in-person, and maintains the belonging to their own school community.

I want a 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom single family home with a large yard, near rock creek park but on the east side. And, I want it for 650k or less.

If we are taking about things we want that are completely unrealistic.

No, we are talking about strictly what was offered last year at plenty of schools around the country and in DC.
There are various names for it, depending on the state, simulcast in DC, concurrent elsewhere in the DMV.
Teachers and districts have a year+ of collective, global even, experience with it, and we have the delta variant staring us in the face.

You know what we educators have? Data. Data that shows what a gross disservice all of this was to many many many kids and mostly to the kids who were already struggling the most. If you can swing virtual fine, you can keep your kid learning fine. Select homeschool or a DC virtual option (there are more than one). Maybe not in your desired bilingual program but so be it, your choice.

+1 We cannot do the hell that was virtual school (either 100% or simulcast) again