Should we prepare for virtual schooling starting in January?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health:

“We have all the tools to keep schools open and safe: Vaccinations, testing, improvements in ventilation, tens of billions of dollars have gone to schools … If I hear of a single school district that goes remote but keeps bars open what that says to me is: They don’t care about kids — and they don’t care about COVID. Because bars spread COVID. Schools generally don’t — not if you put in place mitigation efforts.”

https://youtu.be/KMDCc26yGZM

Wow, she's stupid. She should know full well that unmasked school lunch totally negates all other mitigation efforts. Highly irresponsible person, and the dean of Brown's school of public health? Very disappointing.

(and yes, I have expertise on the matter, probably more than she does).

+1,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health:

“We have all the tools to keep schools open and safe: Vaccinations, testing, improvements in ventilation, tens of billions of dollars have gone to schools … If I hear of a single school district that goes remote but keeps bars open what that says to me is: They don’t care about kids — and they don’t care about COVID. Because bars spread COVID. Schools generally don’t — not if you put in place mitigation efforts.”

https://youtu.be/KMDCc26yGZM

Wow, she's stupid. She should know full well that unmasked school lunch totally negates all other mitigation efforts. Highly irresponsible person, and the dean of Brown's school of public health? Very disappointing.

(and yes, I have expertise on the matter, probably more than she does).

NP. I'm extremely skeptical that you have more relevant expertise than the dean of Brown's school of public health. And your response is to just insult her as "stupid"?

You are making her point for her in some respects, by showing how unthinking her critics are.

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

Person who claims to have more expertise than Ashish Jha has only now heard of Ashish Jha. ^^^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What the parents who seem obsessed with "if schools close down, everything needs to shut down..." are failing to see, is the problem isn't shutting down because of omicron itself. The problem is staffing shortages. Teachers are getting sick and cannot be at school. There is no one there to cover for them. Not sure why you're not comprehending this or getting it through your head. School closures will be due to staff shortages. Period.

Actually I think that most people understand school closures that are due to staff shortages...

They will just pack the kids into the auditoriums if there are not enough staff. Expect few actual school closures. The testing is so delayed and hard to manage that we will rarely hit 5%. Loads of unvaxed/untested kids in the buildings who refuse to get tested, vaxed, or wear masks appropriately. Society says at this point it is best to keep kids in the buildings no matter what.

Yep. We tried the other extreme-closing schools for 400 days and then “returning” part time and it didn’t work out so well. So yes, we are going to try the other way. Stay tuned. I think it’s going to be fine.

Ugh, why can't they just avoid both extremes, be reasonable and go virtual for 2 or 3 weeks in January so there's some orderly albeit imperfect learning going on rather than waiting for dozens of kids and staff to get sick before being forced to shut down with tons of teachers sick and unable to teach (and kids sick and unable to learn)? Obviously what happened last year was extreme, but so is forcing teachers and kids to get sick in the middle of a brutally contagious but likely shortlived outbreak and contribute to an overstressed medical and hospital system before most schools just shut down anyway, when there's an easy solution to sidestep all that.

[Anonymous]

I agree it makes sense to go virtual for 2-3 weeks, based on the explosion of cases. Our school pretty much emptied out this week due to vacations and the quintupling of cases. And already, the cases are getting closer and closer to home. By the time they get back from vacations and family gatherings, more exponential cases are possible. Hopefully we will have a better sense soon on severity of illness and how vaccinations plus boosters are holding up in the real world.

The issue is that schools may have to make decisions before all the data are in. In a pandemic, if you wait for definitive data before acting, you’re gambling on the outcome. For those saying omicron will turn out one way or the other, this is like the guys at a bar making a call on the game in the first half. Like you, I obviously have my theories on how this could unfold, but right now, I am just reading a lot and preparing for different ways this could turn out rather than just the extremes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What the parents who seem obsessed with "if schools close down, everything needs to shut down..." are failing to see, is the problem isn't shutting down because of omicron itself. The problem is staffing shortages. Teachers are getting sick and cannot be at school. There is no one there to cover for them. Not sure why you're not comprehending this or getting it through your head. School closures will be due to staff shortages. Period.

Actually I think that most people understand school closures that are due to staff shortages...

They will just pack the kids into the auditoriums if there are not enough staff. Expect few actual school closures. The testing is so delayed and hard to manage that we will rarely hit 5%. Loads of unvaxed/untested kids in the buildings who refuse to get tested, vaxed, or wear masks appropriately. Society says at this point it is best to keep kids in the buildings no matter what.

Yep. We tried the other extreme-closing schools for 400 days and then “returning” part time and it didn’t work out so well. So yes, we are going to try the other way. Stay tuned. I think it’s going to be fine.

Ugh, why can't they just avoid both extremes, be reasonable and go virtual for 2 or 3 weeks in January so there's some orderly albeit imperfect learning going on rather than waiting for dozens of kids and staff to get sick before being forced to shut down with tons of teachers sick and unable to teach (and kids sick and unable to learn)? Obviously what happened last year was extreme, but so is forcing teachers and kids to get sick in the middle of a brutally contagious but likely shortlived outbreak and contribute to an overstressed medical and hospital system before most schools just shut down anyway, when there's an easy solution to sidestep all that.

What’s ridiculous is that students have no choice at this point. If they don’t want to catch covid at school, then they have to quit school for a month

[Anonymous]

Latest community message is advising students to bring technology home for break in the event of a switch to virtual...

Dear MCPS Community,
As positive cases continue to rise, the risk that the COVID-19 pandemic poses remains strong. In response, we are asking our community to Remain Vigilant and to continue to follow the guidance from local health officials to help keep you safe and healthy. Vaccines, face coverings and social distancing are safe, easy, simple and necessary steps to keep the number of cases low.
Important Note:
Montgomery County Public Schools remain open to in-person instruction. Although case numbers are rising, preserving the in-person learning environment remains the best course of action for our students. Following winter break, we intend to return to fully in-person instruction as scheduled on January 3.
Continue to report positive cases:
Maintaining a safe environment when we return to school on Jan. 3 also means knowing and responding to positive student cases. If your child does test positive for COVID-19 during winter break, please report that to MCPS. The way to do that is by using this electronic form.
Positive Case Numbers are Rising:
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Montgomery County, in line with trends that we see in many areas of the country. In recent weeks, the number of positive COVID-19 cases among MCPS students and staff has been on the rise. Between Dec. 1 and Dec. 19, MCPS has recorded 1,196 positive cases. By comparison, from August 31st through November 30th there were a total of 1,155 cases–meaning that the district has experienced more positive cases in the last three weeks than in the first three months of the school year. This is an alarming trend that requires action.
Will MCPS close schools?
There is no plan to close all MCPS schools. To ensure the safety of students and staff, we will be following DHHS guidance around individual school outbreaks as defined by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Beginning in January, if 5 percent or more of unrelated students/teachers/staff (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff) test positive in a 14-day period, then DHHS and MCPS will work together to determine if the school should be closed for 14 days and the students transition to virtual learning.
Being prepared in the event of a quarantine:
Should the guidance indicate that a student, class or school need to quarantine and temporarily learn virtually it is important to be prepared. For winter break students should:
• Bring home a Chromebook and charger
• Bring home books, workbooks and other instructional materials that teachers may identify
• Know how to access MCPS resources online
o Zoom for Students
o Student Accounts and Access
o Parent/Guardian Accounts and Access
Accessing myMCPS Classroom via Clever
o Community Tech Support Portal
 Email [e-mail]
A Call to Action:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, much has been asked of our students and staff. As an institution, we are grateful for all you have done in the face of this pandemic. Due to the efforts of everyone in our community, we have been able to return to in-person learning five days a week. However, rising positive case numbers have required restrictions for athletics and extracurricular activities. This alarming trend also calls on all of us in Montgomery County to recognize the seriousness of this trend and to remain vigilant in our adherence to this simple list of health and safety strategies.
Here is what you can do:
• Get the shot. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and available for everyone ages 5 and older.
• Get the booster shot–The third shot to ensure you are sufficiently protected is now available for everyone 16 and above.
• Wear a face covering over your nose and mouth whenever you are in an MCPS building or in public buildings.
• Wash your hands frequently before and after eating or touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Say Yes to the Test– Give permission for the random and rapid COVID-19 screening programs in MCPS schools. This is critical to identifying cases and reducing the number of students in quarantine.
• Socialize outdoors. If you meet with others indoors, avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces. See more recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Planning to travel? Know what the CDC has to say about how to do that safely. Know what the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services says about travel and protecting yourself. If you do travel, upon your return it is recommended that you get a COVID-19 test. More information here
Many of us are experiencing pandemic fatigue. It has been a long road. But it is crucial that we continue practicing the preventive behaviors that have helped to keep our community safe.
Throughout the last nearly 20 months, it has been heartwarming to see how the Montgomery County community has adapted to pandemic mitigation strategies and adopted the vaccine in significant numbers. It has not been easy, but we have continued to move forward. We must maintain our efforts to keep our community safe. We must remain vigilant! We must do this together.
MCPS has partnered with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) through the pandemic, and their recommendations have guided MCPS for the past 21 months. Should guidance for families or staff change, MCPS will communicate those changes in a timely manner.
Best wishes for a healthy holiday season.

Dr. Monifa B. McKnight
Interim Superintendent
Montgomery County Public Schools Dr. James Bridgers
Acting Chief Health Officer
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Important Resources
• Need the shot? Visit the Montgomery County Health and Human Services website to find a clinic and to register for a free vaccine. https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/
• Say Yes to the Test COVID-19 Testing Information, Forms and Flyers: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus/random-testing.aspx
English PSA https://youtu.be/5bWVDTZNL4A
Spanish PSA https://youtu.be/UtJ8ikU4hcU
Say Yes to The Test Flyers: English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Amharic
• Do you have symptoms? Did you travel? Did you gather with others? Get a free test. https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/testing.html
• Latest news and information about COVID-19 in Montgomery County https://montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/news/index.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree it makes sense to go virtual for 2-3 weeks, based on the explosion of cases. Our school pretty much emptied out this week due to vacations and the quintupling of cases. And already, the cases are getting closer and closer to home. By the time they get back from vacations and family gatherings, more exponential cases are possible. Hopefully we will have a better sense soon on severity of illness and how vaccinations plus boosters are holding up in the real world.

The issue is that schools may have to make decisions before all the data are in. In a pandemic, if you wait for definitive data before acting, you’re gambling on the outcome. For those saying omicron will turn out one way or the other, this is like the guys at a bar making a call on the game in the first half. Like you, I obviously have my theories on how this could unfold, but right now, I am just reading a lot and preparing for different ways this could turn out rather than just the extremes.

Because NO ONE will believe it will only be two weeks. That kind of credulity belongs in March 2020.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health:

“We have all the tools to keep schools open and safe: Vaccinations, testing, improvements in ventilation, tens of billions of dollars have gone to schools … If I hear of a single school district that goes remote but keeps bars open what that says to me is: They don’t care about kids — and they don’t care about COVID. Because bars spread COVID. Schools generally don’t — not if you put in place mitigation efforts.”

https://youtu.be/KMDCc26yGZM

Wow, she's stupid. She should know full well that unmasked school lunch totally negates all other mitigation efforts. Highly irresponsible person, and the dean of Brown's school of public health? Very disappointing.

(and yes, I have expertise on the matter, probably more than she does).

NP. I'm extremely skeptical that you have more relevant expertise than the dean of Brown's school of public health. And your response is to just insult her as "stupid"?

You are making her point for her in some respects, by showing how unthinking her critics are.

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

There is literally no significant data that shows that cafeteria or schools are spreaders. There is NO evidence that school lunches are driving infection. There is substantial evidence that bars and restaurants and sporting events are. What are your credentials? For a supposed expert you are literally making sh/t up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health:

“We have all the tools to keep schools open and safe: Vaccinations, testing, improvements in ventilation, tens of billions of dollars have gone to schools … If I hear of a single school district that goes remote but keeps bars open what that says to me is: They don’t care about kids — and they don’t care about COVID. Because bars spread COVID. Schools generally don’t — not if you put in place mitigation efforts.”

https://youtu.be/KMDCc26yGZM

Wow, she's stupid. She should know full well that unmasked school lunch totally negates all other mitigation efforts. Highly irresponsible person, and the dean of Brown's school of public health? Very disappointing.

(and yes, I have expertise on the matter, probably more than she does).

NP. I'm extremely skeptical that you have more relevant expertise than the dean of Brown's school of public health. And your response is to just insult her as "stupid"?

You are making her point for her in some respects, by showing how unthinking her critics are.

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

There is literally no significant data that shows that cafeteria or schools are spreaders. There is NO evidence that school lunches are driving infection. There is substantial evidence that bars and restaurants and sporting events are. What are your credentials? For a supposed expert you are literally making sh/t up.

I am. So curious about what kind of magic aura exists around cafeterias that bars and restaurants don't have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree it makes sense to go virtual for 2-3 weeks, based on the explosion of cases. Our school pretty much emptied out this week due to vacations and the quintupling of cases. And already, the cases are getting closer and closer to home. By the time they get back from vacations and family gatherings, more exponential cases are possible. Hopefully we will have a better sense soon on severity of illness and how vaccinations plus boosters are holding up in the real world.

The issue is that schools may have to make decisions before all the data are in. In a pandemic, if you wait for definitive data before acting, you’re gambling on the outcome. For those saying omicron will turn out one way or the other, this is like the guys at a bar making a call on the game in the first half. Like you, I obviously have my theories on how this could unfold, but right now, I am just reading a lot and preparing for different ways this could turn out rather than just the extremes.

Because NO ONE will believe it will only be two weeks. That kind of credulity belongs in March 2020.

I am sorry, did you really believe in March 2020 that it was only going to be two weeks? Did anybody?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Latest community message is advising students to bring technology home for break in the event of a switch to virtual...

Specifically, in the event of a CLASS OR SCHOOL switch to virtual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Latest community message is advising students to bring technology home for break in the event of a switch to virtual...

Specifically, in the event of a CLASS OR SCHOOL switch to virtual.

Will MCPS close schools?

There is no plan to close all MCPS schools. To ensure the safety of students and staff, we will be following DHHS guidance around individual school outbreaks as defined by the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Beginning in January, if 5 percent or more of unrelated students/teachers/staff (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff) test positive in a 14-day period, then DHHS and MCPS will work together to determine if the school should be closed for 14 days and the students transition to virtual learning.

Being prepared in the event of a quarantine:

Should the guidance indicate that a student, class or school need to quarantine and temporarily learn virtually it is important to be prepared.

For winter break students should:

• Bring home a Chromebook and charger
• Bring home books, workbooks and other instructional materials that teachers may identify
• Know how to access MCPS resources online
o Zoom for Students
o Student Accounts and Access
o Parent/Guardian Accounts and Access Accessing myMCPS Classroom via Clever
o Community Tech Support Portal Email [e-mail]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health:

“We have all the tools to keep schools open and safe: Vaccinations, testing, improvements in ventilation, tens of billions of dollars have gone to schools … If I hear of a single school district that goes remote but keeps bars open what that says to me is: They don’t care about kids — and they don’t care about COVID. Because bars spread COVID. Schools generally don’t — not if you put in place mitigation efforts.”

https://youtu.be/KMDCc26yGZM

Wow, she's stupid. She should know full well that unmasked school lunch totally negates all other mitigation efforts. Highly irresponsible person, and the dean of Brown's school of public health? Very disappointing.

(and yes, I have expertise on the matter, probably more than she does).

NP. I'm extremely skeptical that you have more relevant expertise than the dean of Brown's school of public health. And your response is to just insult her as "stupid"?

You are making her point for her in some respects, by showing how unthinking her critics are.

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

There is literally no significant data that shows that cafeteria or schools are spreaders. There is NO evidence that school lunches are driving infection. There is substantial evidence that bars and restaurants and sporting events are. What are your credentials? For a supposed expert you are literally making sh/t up.

Different poster here.

1) Why on earth would restaurants drive infection and cafeterias not? That doesn't make any sense?
2) Omicron is way more contagious than prior variants by far, maybe as contagious as measles. It's been spread from one hotel room to another between people who never even saw each other. Even if it somehow didn't previously spread in cafeterias, it sure as heck will now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

PP you replied to. Apologies for thinking this was a woman. I am only now discovering her idiocies, as you can see, and they infuriate me. Titles and letters after their names don't make idiots less idiotic.

I am furious right now. Furious that in the face of the Omicron wave we're seeing, people can be so casual about risk and make such deeply inaccurate and downright offensive pronouncements. Has he sat inside a public school cafeteria? Have any of you? It's one thing to accept the risk, it's quite another to DENY its existence. Public school cafeterias can have more than a hundred students, elbow-to-elbow, maskless, mouths open (the din is something else). In times of low community spread, it is a manageable risk, as we saw when schools opened this year. But now? It has accelerated Omicron spread, as public school Covid cases show.

There are ways to fight for bars and restaurants closing before schools, I agree with that. But school lunches are not safe right now. There is no way to make them safe - either you accept that risk or you don't, but you don't lie about it.

I find this person's claims factually wrong, and were they a random stranger on the internet, I might excuse their ignorance and move on. But this person? They are using their degrees to lie to a trusting public. They are quite simply despicable.

NP. I like Dr. Jha on a lot of topics, but his statement here is poor. Lunch is the elephant in the room and without a strong mitigation plan, Omicron will spread unabated. Closing a school before allowing all kids to get infected is prudent, bars open or not. There are ways to mitigate, but one costs a lot of money and takes more time than this variant allows, and the other many parents don't support though it's low cost and immediate.

Person who claims to have more expertise than Ashish Jha has only now heard of Ashish Jha. ^^^