With teachers vaccinated, why are we still talking about hybrid, and not a full return to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vaccinating teachers only ensures safety for teachers. The problem is that many parents and grandparents have not been vaccinated yet so if a kid gets COVID at school and brings it home, they may be infecting a multi-generational household (some that may be high risk).

Then those kids can stay virtual. I don't have those concerns for my children.

So people should have to stay all-virtual to make unsafe classrooms so that your snowflake can go 5 days a week? Nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vaccinating teachers only ensures safety for teachers. The problem is that many parents and grandparents have not been vaccinated yet so if a kid gets COVID at school and brings it home, they may be infecting a multi-generational household (some that may be high risk).

So THOSE kids stay home. Not ALL kids.

No, dear. You are not getting what you demand no matter how much you scream.

Deal with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vaccinating teachers only ensures safety for teachers. The problem is that many parents and grandparents have not been vaccinated yet so if a kid gets COVID at school and brings it home, they may be infecting a multi-generational household (some that may be high risk).

Then those kids can stay virtual. I don't have those concerns for my children.

So people should have to stay all-virtual to make unsafe classrooms so that your snowflake can go 5 days a week? Nice.

Those kids can choose to go in or not. What is your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The science of how vaccines work is that once you are vaccinated you do NOT transmit the virus. Jesus H. Stop repeating this BS.

I think we'll believe Dr. Fauci and other leading scientists, who say "it's being studied and we don't know yet" rather than you, Jane Internet Rando who's desperate to get her kids out of her house, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised it was a hybrid/ concurrent model and not just a concurrent one. Couldn’t we have just bought some extra trailers or rented space with the CARES money? Who knows? Unfortunately, leadership just charges ahead with a plan without soliciting feedback from stakeholders, first.

And how to you multiply teachers to put in those extra trailers/ rented spaces?

DP, but what about using the hired classroom monitors? Ask those teachers who put in ADA requests to accept the vaccine as their reasonable accommodation (I understand that not all teachers can take this, but I imagine many can). Yes, you'll still be projecting the teacher to the kids in the trailers half time or something, but you'd at least have them in the building. Or you space the bigger classes way out in the gym, use microphones and the monitors make sure the kids in the back aren't goofing off. Basically this model, which was working even BEFORE vaccines in a public school district:

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/school-openings-covid-19.html

Vaccines do not and will not change ADAs already granted for the school year. No one with an already granted ADA will be compelled to come back n person until the fall, regardless of vaccine status.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids need to be protected too.

Look up how many Covid deaths are in kids under 18. I’ll wait.

They need more protection from the flu and school shootings and car accidents and drownings than Covid.

The has already been covered. Read the thread again for reading comprehension this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stepping back from the broader discussions in all of the northern Virginia school districts about returning to schools this spring in the hybrid model, with kids only in buildings 2 days a week - why are parents conceding that this is the right next step to take? Shouldn't we be advocating instead for a full return in the next 4-6 weeks instead of hybrid?

The hybrid models were originally conceived last spring and summer when COVID vaccines were still in trials and not yet approved, so it made sense to err on the side of caution with return to school models, and develop these hybrid plans. But now that all teachers and school staff are in the process of being vaccinated, why is this still the focal point of school districts' planning?

The main unmitigated risk (after the vaccinations for teachers and other school staff are completed) will be the risk to the schoolkids. But there is little to no evidence to suggest that 6 feet of distancing (a metric that was adopted before masks started to be widely worn) in a classroom leads to any significant reduction in risk compared with a normal classroom -- assuming that kids are still wearing masks throughout the day, and that other precautionary measures related to ventilation and health screening are taken. There would need to be adjustments to things like lunch and PE, and efforts should be made to prevent classes from mixing, but other school districts around the country have figured this out. And recent studies indicate that in districts where kids have gone back full-time, there is not evidence of higher community spread as a result.

The hybrid model as it's currently envisioned for later this spring seems like it will continue to provide a suboptimal learning experience, especially if teachers have to be teaching simultaneously half of their students in the classroom and half remotely. And it continues to wreak havoc with parents' ability to work, especially those who are essential employees but still stuck in the vaccine queue behind teachers.

In a full return-to-school model, there should still of course be an option for parents to keep their kids in full-time distance learning, if they feel unsafe. But parents who have evaluated the risks ands benefits, and want their kids back in school full-time should have that choice too, now that these secondary risks to teachers and school staff are largely mitigated. At this point I imagine that most parents would be comfortable with a full return to school, instead of this hybrid model.

I worry that parents here are so eager for any baby steps forward, after nearly a full lost year, that we're conceding the debate to the teachers and school administrators instead of pushing for a full-time return in the March timeframe. Curious what others here think...

Very well said. The fact that a school system as highly regarded and well resourced as Fcps has gone this long 100% DL is an outrage and shows how warped this issue has become around here.

People, read up on how schools all across the country have opened. So many schools, especially elementary, have been 5 days in person, and even more open hybrid. Ignore the headlines about LA or Chicago school opening troubles.... those are not the examples we should be aspiring to!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stepping back from the broader discussions in all of the northern Virginia school districts about returning to schools this spring in the hybrid model, with kids only in buildings 2 days a week - why are parents conceding that this is the right next step to take? Shouldn't we be advocating instead for a full return in the next 4-6 weeks instead of hybrid?

The hybrid models were originally conceived last spring and summer when COVID vaccines were still in trials and not yet approved, so it made sense to err on the side of caution with return to school models, and develop these hybrid plans. But now that all teachers and school staff are in the process of being vaccinated, why is this still the focal point of school districts' planning?

The main unmitigated risk (after the vaccinations for teachers and other school staff are completed) will be the risk to the schoolkids. But there is little to no evidence to suggest that 6 feet of distancing (a metric that was adopted before masks started to be widely worn) in a classroom leads to any significant reduction in risk compared with a normal classroom -- assuming that kids are still wearing masks throughout the day, and that other precautionary measures related to ventilation and health screening are taken. There would need to be adjustments to things like lunch and PE, and efforts should be made to prevent classes from mixing, but other school districts around the country have figured this out. And recent studies indicate that in districts where kids have gone back full-time, there is not evidence of higher community spread as a result.

The hybrid model as it's currently envisioned for later this spring seems like it will continue to provide a suboptimal learning experience, especially if teachers have to be teaching simultaneously half of their students in the classroom and half remotely. And it continues to wreak havoc with parents' ability to work, especially those who are essential employees but still stuck in the vaccine queue behind teachers.

In a full return-to-school model, there should still of course be an option for parents to keep their kids in full-time distance learning, if they feel unsafe. But parents who have evaluated the risks ands benefits, and want their kids back in school full-time should have that choice too, now that these secondary risks to teachers and school staff are largely mitigated. At this point I imagine that most parents would be comfortable with a full return to school, instead of this hybrid model.

I worry that parents here are so eager for any baby steps forward, after nearly a full lost year, that we're conceding the debate to the teachers and school administrators instead of pushing for a full-time return in the March timeframe. Curious what others here think...

Very well said. The fact that a school system as highly regarded and well resourced as Fcps has gone this long 100% DL is an outrage and shows how warped this issue has become around here.

People, read up on how schools all across the country have opened. So many schools, especially elementary, have been 5 days in person, and even more open hybrid. Ignore the headlines about LA or Chicago school opening troubles.... those are not the examples we should be aspiring to!

Okay. But five days a week isn’t happening this school year. All the complaining in the world won’t make that happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised it was a hybrid/ concurrent model and not just a concurrent one. Couldn’t we have just bought some extra trailers or rented space with the CARES money? Who knows? Unfortunately, leadership just charges ahead with a plan without soliciting feedback from stakeholders, first.

And how to you multiply teachers to put in those extra trailers/ rented spaces?

DP, but what about using the hired classroom monitors? Ask those teachers who put in ADA requests to accept the vaccine as their reasonable accommodation (I understand that not all teachers can take this, but I imagine many can). Yes, you'll still be projecting the teacher to the kids in the trailers half time or something, but you'd at least have them in the building. Or you space the bigger classes way out in the gym, use microphones and the monitors make sure the kids in the back aren't goofing off. Basically this model, which was working even BEFORE vaccines in a public school district:

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/10/school-openings-covid-19.html

Vaccines do not and will not change ADAs already granted for the school year. No one with an already granted ADA will be compelled to come back n person until the fall, regardless of vaccine status.

ADA is invalid now a vaccine is available, you need to prove you can't take the vaccine moron

ADA’s are in place for rest of school year unless a teacher rescinds it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stepping back from the broader discussions in all of the northern Virginia school districts about returning to schools this spring in the hybrid model, with kids only in buildings 2 days a week - why are parents conceding that this is the right next step to take? Shouldn't we be advocating instead for a full return in the next 4-6 weeks instead of hybrid?

The hybrid models were originally conceived last spring and summer when COVID vaccines were still in trials and not yet approved, so it made sense to err on the side of caution with return to school models, and develop these hybrid plans. But now that all teachers and school staff are in the process of being vaccinated, why is this still the focal point of school districts' planning?

The main unmitigated risk (after the vaccinations for teachers and other school staff are completed) will be the risk to the schoolkids. But there is little to no evidence to suggest that 6 feet of distancing (a metric that was adopted before masks started to be widely worn) in a classroom leads to any significant reduction in risk compared with a normal classroom -- assuming that kids are still wearing masks throughout the day, and that other precautionary measures related to ventilation and health screening are taken. There would need to be adjustments to things like lunch and PE, and efforts should be made to prevent classes from mixing, but other school districts around the country have figured this out. And recent studies indicate that in districts where kids have gone back full-time, there is not evidence of higher community spread as a result.

The hybrid model as it's currently envisioned for later this spring seems like it will continue to provide a suboptimal learning experience, especially if teachers have to be teaching simultaneously half of their students in the classroom and half remotely. And it continues to wreak havoc with parents' ability to work, especially those who are essential employees but still stuck in the vaccine queue behind teachers.

In a full return-to-school model, there should still of course be an option for parents to keep their kids in full-time distance learning, if they feel unsafe. But parents who have evaluated the risks ands benefits, and want their kids back in school full-time should have that choice too, now that these secondary risks to teachers and school staff are largely mitigated. At this point I imagine that most parents would be comfortable with a full return to school, instead of this hybrid model.

I worry that parents here are so eager for any baby steps forward, after nearly a full lost year, that we're conceding the debate to the teachers and school administrators instead of pushing for a full-time return in the March timeframe. Curious what others here think...

Very well said. The fact that a school system as highly regarded and well resourced as Fcps has gone this long 100% DL is an outrage and shows how warped this issue has become around here.

People, read up on how schools all across the country have opened. So many schools, especially elementary, have been 5 days in person, and even more open hybrid. Ignore the headlines about LA or Chicago school opening troubles.... those are not the examples we should be aspiring to!

Okay. But five days a week isn’t happening this school year. All the complaining in the world won’t make that happen.

We're not even back in school yet and they're already complaining about something else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stepping back from the broader discussions in all of the northern Virginia school districts about returning to schools this spring in the hybrid model, with kids only in buildings 2 days a week - why are parents conceding that this is the right next step to take? Shouldn't we be advocating instead for a full return in the next 4-6 weeks instead of hybrid?

The hybrid models were originally conceived last spring and summer when COVID vaccines were still in trials and not yet approved, so it made sense to err on the side of caution with return to school models, and develop these hybrid plans. But now that all teachers and school staff are in the process of being vaccinated, why is this still the focal point of school districts' planning?

The main unmitigated risk (after the vaccinations for teachers and other school staff are completed) will be the risk to the schoolkids. But there is little to no evidence to suggest that 6 feet of distancing (a metric that was adopted before masks started to be widely worn) in a classroom leads to any significant reduction in risk compared with a normal classroom -- assuming that kids are still wearing masks throughout the day, and that other precautionary measures related to ventilation and health screening are taken. There would need to be adjustments to things like lunch and PE, and efforts should be made to prevent classes from mixing, but other school districts around the country have figured this out. And recent studies indicate that in districts where kids have gone back full-time, there is not evidence of higher community spread as a result.

The hybrid model as it's currently envisioned for later this spring seems like it will continue to provide a suboptimal learning experience, especially if teachers have to be teaching simultaneously half of their students in the classroom and half remotely. And it continues to wreak havoc with parents' ability to work, especially those who are essential employees but still stuck in the vaccine queue behind teachers.

In a full return-to-school model, there should still of course be an option for parents to keep their kids in full-time distance learning, if they feel unsafe. But parents who have evaluated the risks ands benefits, and want their kids back in school full-time should have that choice too, now that these secondary risks to teachers and school staff are largely mitigated. At this point I imagine that most parents would be comfortable with a full return to school, instead of this hybrid model.

I worry that parents here are so eager for any baby steps forward, after nearly a full lost year, that we're conceding the debate to the teachers and school administrators instead of pushing for a full-time return in the March timeframe. Curious what others here think...

Very well said. The fact that a school system as highly regarded and well resourced as Fcps has gone this long 100% DL is an outrage and shows how warped this issue has become around here.

People, read up on how schools all across the country have opened. So many schools, especially elementary, have been 5 days in person, and even more open hybrid. Ignore the headlines about LA or Chicago school opening troubles.... those are not the examples we should be aspiring to!

Okay. But five days a week isn’t happening this school year. All the complaining in the world won’t make that happen.

We're not even back in school yet and they're already complaining about something else.

Exactly, we will complain until we get back to educating our children in person, instead of teaching young kids to write using Google docs. Seriously, DL is a really poor excuse to teach first grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vaccinating teachers only ensures safety for teachers. The problem is that many parents and grandparents have not been vaccinated yet so if a kid gets COVID at school and brings it home, they may be infecting a multi-generational household (some that may be high risk).

So THOSE kids stay home. Not ALL kids.

No, dear. You are not getting what you demand no matter how much you scream.

Deal with it.

Neither are you - which appears to be DL for good. Sorry, dear.
DL

[Anonymous]

DP ^^

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vaccinating teachers only ensures safety for teachers. The problem is that many parents and grandparents have not been vaccinated yet so if a kid gets COVID at school and brings it home, they may be infecting a multi-generational household (some that may be high risk).

Then those kids can stay virtual. I don't have those concerns for my children.

So people should have to stay all-virtual to make unsafe classrooms so that your snowflake can go 5 days a week? Nice.

What? The point was that those who choose to stay virtual can do that. What are you talking about?
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stepping back from the broader discussions in all of the northern Virginia school districts about returning to schools this spring in the hybrid model, with kids only in buildings 2 days a week - why are parents conceding that this is the right next step to take? Shouldn't we be advocating instead for a full return in the next 4-6 weeks instead of hybrid?

The hybrid models were originally conceived last spring and summer when COVID vaccines were still in trials and not yet approved, so it made sense to err on the side of caution with return to school models, and develop these hybrid plans. But now that all teachers and school staff are in the process of being vaccinated, why is this still the focal point of school districts' planning?

The main unmitigated risk (after the vaccinations for teachers and other school staff are completed) will be the risk to the schoolkids. But there is little to no evidence to suggest that 6 feet of distancing (a metric that was adopted before masks started to be widely worn) in a classroom leads to any significant reduction in risk compared with a normal classroom -- assuming that kids are still wearing masks throughout the day, and that other precautionary measures related to ventilation and health screening are taken. There would need to be adjustments to things like lunch and PE, and efforts should be made to prevent classes from mixing, but other school districts around the country have figured this out. And recent studies indicate that in districts where kids have gone back full-time, there is not evidence of higher community spread as a result.

The hybrid model as it's currently envisioned for later this spring seems like it will continue to provide a suboptimal learning experience, especially if teachers have to be teaching simultaneously half of their students in the classroom and half remotely. And it continues to wreak havoc with parents' ability to work, especially those who are essential employees but still stuck in the vaccine queue behind teachers.

In a full return-to-school model, there should still of course be an option for parents to keep their kids in full-time distance learning, if they feel unsafe. But parents who have evaluated the risks ands benefits, and want their kids back in school full-time should have that choice too, now that these secondary risks to teachers and school staff are largely mitigated. At this point I imagine that most parents would be comfortable with a full return to school, instead of this hybrid model.

I worry that parents here are so eager for any baby steps forward, after nearly a full lost year, that we're conceding the debate to the teachers and school administrators instead of pushing for a full-time return in the March timeframe. Curious what others here think...

Very well said. The fact that a school system as highly regarded and well resourced as Fcps has gone this long 100% DL is an outrage and shows how warped this issue has become around here.

People, read up on how schools all across the country have opened. So many schools, especially elementary, have been 5 days in person, and even more open hybrid. Ignore the headlines about LA or Chicago school opening troubles.... those are not the examples we should be aspiring to!

Okay. But five days a week isn’t happening this school year. All the complaining in the world won’t make that happen.

We're not even back in school yet and they're already complaining about something else.

Exactly, we will complain until we get back to educating our children in person, instead of teaching young kids to write using Google docs. Seriously, DL is a really poor excuse to teach first grade.

Kids are going back to school starting next week. Your 1st grader will be starting in 3 weeks. I an sure they will be practicing writing in notebooks. They are not going to change anything this year. 2 days in person and 2 virtual. The complaining won’t do anything and is a waste of time and energy.