SSMA covid-related closure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

But it makes no sense! How are they going to be open for more than a few days at a time? They'll be doing week-long closures all year, barely operating at all. If they truly think closing for a parent exposure (not even a parent with a positive test) is the right decision, they should just go virtual and do the best they can with it. Not being open every 3 days out of 10.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, are you an SSMA parent or did you only hear this?

Either there's a policy that means they never should have opened in the first place because they'll never open again if following this protocol, or there's got to be more to the story.

I'm an SSMA parent. The email from the school said only the affected classroom would close, but when I arrived for drop-off I was informed that the entire school was closed.

This is completely bananas. I'm really sorry. I'm pretty pragmatic about how long it will be for my elem kid's class to quarantine, but I can't imagine the entire school closing because a parent was exposed. I appreciate logical COVID containment and prevention strategies but this is absurd. I'd go directly to the school's Board of Directors and also review the school's covid plans that they had to file with the charter school board to see if this was approved or if they went overboard in response.

It's insane. I mean, what if they have a parent who is a doctor or a nurse working on a COVID ward? They'll be having to close continuously. They need to roll out a virtual school year or change this policy, there's just no way this could work in real life.

I think we all want our schools to have COVID protocols that make sense and be acting out of caution. But the bolded above was my first thought as well. If you're going to close because someone in a student's family (not the student) had a possible exposure to a possible COVID positive person, the school legit will never be open. Especially for schools in Brookland who have tons of parents that work at WHC and Children's and in other medical capacities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted this in the wrong forum and just realized this was already a thread. I said:

My son had a great first 2 days in pre-k3 at SS. He is almost 4 with a late birthday so this is his first "school" experience and he is so ready for school. Some tears yesterday and Monday at drop-off but BEAMING in the afternoons, saying he is sad to leave, talking about his teacher, singing the little songs, telling me "we can't be late! I don't want to miss story time!" I have been so thrilled with his reaction to in-person learning and the way he has taken to the school in just 2 days.

Late last night we got an email that a parent had a POSSIBLE exposure with a POSSIBLE positive person, and so the classroom of that specific family would be closed for two days. The email stated that school would remain in session as usual for all other classrooms. I understand the school wanting to be extra cautious, but also want to point out that the school's policy and the OSSE policy for dismissal only discuss a positive case at the school. This was neither a positive case for the parent, the parent's friend, nor the child at SS. But okay, they closed that class, said it would resume on Friday. My son's class was not affected so we went to school.

When we arrived we were turned away at the door by an administrator saying the entire school was closed. Mass confusion and panic, as parents in the drop-off line struggled to understand. I re-checked my email and the last comm I had was from the night before. They would only say "we just found out this morning" and no other clarification, just that school was closed. My son was shell-shocked, started crying, I am scrambling for alternative care, contacting work, etc. Huge cluster.

Finally at 11am they send a follow-up email saying there was a sibling at another school that might have had contact with a positive individual and so they were closing for the rest of the week, reopening on Tuesday, after labor day. No virtual learning during, just closed.

My thoughts are, I get that they are wanting to be cautious, but at what cost? 2 days in-person followed by 7 days off does not make for a smooth, stable, continuous routine. Finding out AT THE DOOR does not decrease the drop-off and separation anxiety these covid kids struggle with. Deviating from their own published policy and the OSSE guidance and operating in an ad-hoc case-by-case basis does not lead to transparency about WTF is going on with schools and COVID risk. And not communicating on top of it?! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

I have contacted OSSE with my concerns and emailed Jenkins, Taylor, and Rodriguez-Garcia and would encourage anyone else who feels like a closure for secondary possible exposure is bonkers to do the same!

I am so sorry, OP. This sucks so much for your son, and I feel infuriated on his behalf.

Side note: why did the parent who may have been in contact with a maybe positive person even report their hypothetical exposure to the school?? What kind of protocol were they following? What a way to cause trouble for kids in the name of excessive caution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

No, this is how you keep kids out of school. This is an extreme and bizarre overreaction. And with no plans to teach remotely? Did SSMA just want a very long vacation weekend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

DP. No, you have gone off the deep end like so many people during this pandemic. This is absolutely nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

Overreaction is not the goal either. It's nice that you have the financial means to either not work, not worry about staying gainfully employed or that your work load is light enough that rolling closures for possible second degree exposures are no problem to manage, but that is not the same for a lot of families -- particularly in Brookland.

[Anonymous]

Who runs the charter school board? This policy should be investigated and changed.

[Anonymous]

Kids are going to get COVID. And you know what? They're going to be totally fine. I'd be surprised if my kids didnt already have it, and we never knew it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids are going to get COVID. And you know what? They're going to be totally fine. I'd be surprised if my kids didnt already have it, and we never knew it.

45 kids died of Covid in the past 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Never forget that charters do not have to operate under the same rules as public schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids are going to get COVID. And you know what? They're going to be totally fine. I'd be surprised if my kids didnt already have it, and we never knew it.

45 kids died of Covid in the past 2 weeks.

Is that what you read on your moron friend's blog? Weird how every doctor says kids belong in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids are going to get COVID. And you know what? They're going to be totally fine. I'd be surprised if my kids didnt already have it, and we never knew it.

45 kids died of Covid in the past 2 weeks.

Source?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

DP. No, you have gone off the deep end like so many people during this pandemic. This is absolutely nuts.

+1 In person learning is the most important thing right now. It should be a priority. Shutting down for non-cases will keep schools closed all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

The appropriate response in a pandemic should look like an overreaction in hindsight. This is how you keep things safe.

DP. No, you have gone off the deep end like so many people during this pandemic. This is absolutely nuts.

+1 In person learning is the most important thing right now. It should be a priority. Shutting down for non-cases will keep schools closed all year.

People in D.C. are so crazy about coronavirus. We are like the mirror image of Florida.