Is any ES offering or planning to offer any form of outdoor lunch this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Forest Knolls had it last year but not this year. I don’t mind. Seemed like a logistical nightmare. And one time during lunch a neighbor’s house was surrounded by armed officers and all the kids went running back into the building. Don’t get the wrong idea - it’s a lovely neighborhood but this weird one-off example is one of many possible reasons why some of the things we did during Covid are unsustainable over the long haul.

Similar with flora singer- a lot of these elementary schools are in neighborhoods on small properties and just not set up for this sort of thing.

[Anonymous]

If folks are really invested in this, the best way to start is to figure out what other schools are doing.

Here, I'll get you started: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-create-an-anonymous-collaborative-google-sheet-1821990886

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

It’s great news. Why keep children safe during a pandemic? We’ve gots so many children, what’s a few that get sick, miss school, get permanently disabled? They won’t be missed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They are not even distancing anymore at our elementary school. DS said that they're back to being scrunched in - 2 tables per class.

If you look at the pictures posted by MCPS and the schools there is zero distancing.

I mean, the CDC no longer recommends distancing.

The cdc failed us.

No they didn’t. How?

DP

Oh, the CDC failed our kids spectacularly. There is no doubt about that.

(I’m fine with indoor or outdoor lunch, but have no trust in the CDC after their nonsense.)

Yes, it was very bad under Trump.

Eh, it’s actually been worse under Biden.

Yeah, yeah. Next! :roll:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

It’s great news. Why keep children safe during a pandemic? We’ve gots so many children, what’s a few that get sick, miss school, get permanently disabled? They won’t be missed.

It’s weird because teachers and staff were required to be vaccinated. There was definitely a mandate. Originally, MCPS didn’t even allow for religious exemptions. They only began to allow religious exemptions when some teachers rightfully pushed back.

But parent volunteers can be unvaccinated?

How in the world does that fly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

It’s great news. Why keep children safe during a pandemic? We’ve gots so many children, what’s a few that get sick, miss school, get permanently disabled? They won’t be missed.

It’s weird because teachers and staff were required to be vaccinated. There was definitely a mandate. Originally, MCPS didn’t even allow for religious exemptions. They only began to allow religious exemptions when some teachers rightfully pushed back.

But parent volunteers can be unvaccinated?

How in the world does that fly?

It's really not that hard for people to just look it up:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/student-leadership/volunteer.aspx

It appears that volunteers for some one-off occasion, like, say, assisting with the Valentine's Day party in your child's classroom don't really have any requirements except checking in with the front office to show your ID and get a badge.

Volunteers who will be chaperoning field trips or helping out on any kind of regular basis must upload proof of vaccination and complete "Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training".

Volunteers who will ever be alone with children without an MCPS staff member present must also complete a formal background check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

It’s great news. Why keep children safe during a pandemic? We’ve gots so many children, what’s a few that get sick, miss school, get permanently disabled? They won’t be missed.

It’s weird because teachers and staff were required to be vaccinated. There was definitely a mandate. Originally, MCPS didn’t even allow for religious exemptions. They only began to allow religious exemptions when some teachers rightfully pushed back.

But parent volunteers can be unvaccinated?

How in the world does that fly?

It's really not that hard for people to just look it up:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/student-leadership/volunteer.aspx

It appears that volunteers for some one-off occasion, like, say, assisting with the Valentine's Day party in your child's classroom don't really have any requirements except checking in with the front office to show your ID and get a badge.

Volunteers who will be chaperoning field trips or helping out on any kind of regular basis must upload proof of vaccination and complete "Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training".

Volunteers who will ever be alone with children without an MCPS staff member present must also complete a formal background check.

Which would mean lunch volunteers would need background checks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've lost the ability to tell A+ trolling from clinically significant anxiety.

Ah, DCUM, never change! Luv too weaponize mental illness. Yes, a parent is interested in continuing a helpful accommodation that was provided all of last school year! Must be mental illness!

This is OP.

Let's see if I can make it clearer than I already have.

Outdoor lunch makes a difference in terms of COVID mitigation for everyone, but particularly for us and a number of other families.

I am under no illusions it's a panacea.

My child does mask otherwise.

It's very much a "nice-to-have," but I can accept it if it's truly not possible.

Weirdly, I am aware of the existence of Virtual Academy and of the option of pulling my kid out for lunch.

I am a sentient being and can think of more than one possible reason it can't be done-- e.g., not enough lunch monitors, parent volunteers not allowed, concerns about kids running off, etc. But thanks!

Principal is being unreasonable in that they (according to another parent) specifically stated that they will not even give the reason for their refusal and will not discuss possible solutions.

Parents are willing to volunteer, and have stated that, including the one who relayed this story to me-- and me, a repeated PTA board member who has volunteered at the school many times.

I don't know if that can be allowed. I don't know much of anything until I speak to the principal, which I will, this week.

Thanks to the people who relayed that this is a school-by-school decision, and that some are doing it. That helps.

If I have any additional question for those who aren't invested in wishing COVID on my immunocompromised family, it's whether parents are allowed to volunteer for this duty at your school. Thanks.

I am curious, though, if this is A+ trolling, is it because it's so subtle? Is it because I'm not asking for much, or really anything, except for information? Is it because I am being so reasonable about what I'm willing to accept? I'm not great at judging trolling. Would love to learn more about how to properly grade it.

Great! Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out now.

Get the parents together and present the principal with a plan to consider.

Make sure the parents are background checked, vaccinated and boosted. Explain what the parents will do with the kids when it rains. And be prepared to be the back up person if one of those parents do not show up.

Let us know how it works out!

Before you post, make sure you are in the correct forum. MCPS doesn't have a vaccinated and boosted requirement. Good luck finding the right forum.

In order to be a parent volunteer in MCPS, you are required to be vaccinated.

Parents who are advocating for outdoor lunch are likely going to be super Covid-cautious. They are likely already vaxxed and double boosted.

They actually don't have a requirement. They ask volunteers to be vaccinated, not even boosted. It's an ask not a mandate.

Do you have a link to verify this? Last year, there was definitely a vaccine mandate for volunteers. Happy to hear that it’s changed if that is true!

It’s great news. Why keep children safe during a pandemic? We’ve gots so many children, what’s a few that get sick, miss school, get permanently disabled? They won’t be missed.

It’s weird because teachers and staff were required to be vaccinated. There was definitely a mandate. Originally, MCPS didn’t even allow for religious exemptions. They only began to allow religious exemptions when some teachers rightfully pushed back.

But parent volunteers can be unvaccinated?

How in the world does that fly?

It's really not that hard for people to just look it up:
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/student-leadership/volunteer.aspx

It appears that volunteers for some one-off occasion, like, say, assisting with the Valentine's Day party in your child's classroom don't really have any requirements except checking in with the front office to show your ID and get a badge.

Volunteers who will be chaperoning field trips or helping out on any kind of regular basis must upload proof of vaccination and complete "Online Recognizing Child Abuse and Neglect Training".

Volunteers who will ever be alone with children without an MCPS staff member present must also complete a formal background check.

Also, that means the PP is incorrect. If a parent wants to volunteer regularly for outdoor lunch, he or she would need to be vaccinated. Meaning there IS a vaccine mandate for MCPS volunteers.

OP, make sure your list of volunteers has been vaccinated and background checked before you present your plan to the principal.

[Anonymous]

What is the point of outdoor lunch if kids are in the classrooms all day unmasked?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Every time a post is made on DCUM that even remotely hints at Covid precautions, it attracts hateful people who reflexively attack the OP.

If this had nothing to do with Covid, people would find alfresco lunch wonderful! Like 19:37 does, actually.

So keep pushing for outdoor lunch, but sell it as a mental health measure - lots of sheeple falling for the mental health angle, these days. Point to studies proving that kids benefit mentally and physically from spending more time outdoors. Tout the physical benefits to luring kids with playground equipment and getting them to exercise and breathe fresh air.

And keep mum on the Covid front. All the cautious people will be on your side, and all the outdoor-loving people will be on your side. And you'll avoid the weirdos who think that worrying about Covid is a crime.

When there's a will, funds will be found...

Good luck finding the staff. Do you have any idea what staffing is like? Not just in schools, but everywhere - there are staffing shortages. Public AND private sector.

Even if you have the ‘funds’, there are simply not enough paras and aides to support outdoor lunch for every elementary school kid.

It's exactly the same number running the show outdoors or indoors. Also LOL to those who claim it's more work to "set up and take down" outdoor lunch. There is no setting up or taking down anything outside. But they do put up and take down the tables inside. So if you're trying to skip some steps, eating outside is easier.

I don't know how school lunch worked at your school but in my school everybody sat at tables and that took a lot of effort to get nine tables moved outside everyday.

Depending on the layout of the school some outdoor lunches took place scattered all around the grounds of the building because there wasn't space to fit all the children outside especially when recess was running concurrently

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The county no longer pays for monitors and we don’t have enough staff to cover outdoor lunch. It’s a logistical nightmare to shift gears when the weather doesn’t permit outdoor lunch; unless parents actually want to volunteer (and they don’t). So go ahead and waste your principals time complaining about something they have obviously considered and dealt with for the past two years.

MCPS still has federal covid money that is unspent. It was literally designed to support initiatives such as this. I get that it’s hard to hire people (everywhere), but just because some people are over covid does not mean these funds should not be allocated to support the one part of the day that is highest risk to students who are otherwise masking.

There are so many hundreds paraeducator jobs in the county. It's not like mcps isn't trying to fill these jobs.

I don’t think a lunch monitor position has the same hours or qualification requirements as a paraeducator. I also agree with the poster upthread that you don’t need double the number of staff to supervise outdoor lunch. There’s a ratio they need to meet, whether they are inside or outside.

Typically schools will try to package up a para job with lunch and recess hours so that way you can a give employees a full day or close to it. I suppose there are some people who would like to just work a few hours in the middle of the day ( might work well for bus drivers who have a few hours to kill in between the morning and afternoon routes) but most people require a full time job or close to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the point of outdoor lunch if kids are in the classrooms all day unmasked?

Because some of us have kids who do mask all day except lunch.

[Anonymous]

How did it go, OP? We’re you able to organize parents and convince the principal to allow outdoor lunch?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the point of outdoor lunch if kids are in the classrooms all day unmasked?

Because some of us have kids who do mask all day except lunch.

You need to make your own arrangements then, you can’t expect the schools to cater to you.