What do you expect next academic year to be like at area schools (because of covid and economy)?

[Anonymous]

Thinking ahead, some experts are saying we'll have to go through several waves of social isolation over the next 12-18 months. And looking at the private school forum, more than a few families want to stop paying for private schools because of shaky finances and lower value if it's mostly being handled online anyway.

What do you think it will look like if this extends over a longer period of time? Will distance learning become the new norm, to avoid other people for a while, and to deal with overcrowded public schools? Will private schools take a big hit? Will more people homeschool? Kids need to be with other kids in person too, and some learning just doesn't translate well to online, so what can be done about that?

[Anonymous]

I don't know.

I think most everyone is eager to get back to normal, back to work, back to school as soon as possible, which will hopefully be this fall but may be later. More telework and job flexibility may become the norm but I think adults and kids want to go back to school, not remote or distance learning.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and I anticipate that every single PD we do this upcoming year (20-21) to revolve around tech and teaching through tech. I imagine that other district and state priorities will be set aside. I think we'll have rolling closures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and I anticipate that every single PD we do this upcoming year (20-21) to revolve around tech and teaching through tech. I imagine that other district and state priorities will be set aside. I think we'll have rolling closures.

I think 80% distance learning and 20% trauma informed teaching. When DCUM decided only poor kids had trauma, there was so much opposition to these programs. When it’s Larlo angrily grieving a lost family member or experiencing PTSD, it will be considered essential.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and I anticipate that every single PD we do this upcoming year (20-21) to revolve around tech and teaching through tech. I imagine that other district and state priorities will be set aside. I think we'll have rolling closures.

I think 80% distance learning and 20% trauma informed teaching. When DCUM decided only poor kids had trauma, there was so much opposition to these programs. When it’s Larlo angrily grieving a lost family member or experiencing PTSD, it will be considered essential.

Ugh, this is depressing.

[Anonymous]

Back to normal start in September; no way do we go back into quarantine or even social distancing. People will have had enough and assimilated the idea of death (as we do with other risky activities in life.) Lots of kids will be behind academically, so review for the first few months. A few more people will realize that they like homeschooling, so will take the plunge. Maybe a few less extracurriculars, as people decide that maybe they want to continue spending time with their family.

[Anonymous]

Eventually (ASAP, hopefully) there will be a titer (antibody test) for those of us who are pretty sure we've had it. Although immunity may fade over time, this would be true immunity not like a vaccine, so it should at least last a couple years unless the virus mutates (which they would know about pretty quickly). Even the least effective vaccine (pertussis) lasts a year. And there's no evidence thus far that covid is mutating.

I agree that they can't do another round of lockdown, even if/when there's a second wave of infections. The cost to the country is simply getting too high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eventually (ASAP, hopefully) there will be a titer (antibody test) for those of us who are pretty sure we've had it. Although immunity may fade over time, this would be true immunity not like a vaccine, so it should at least last a couple years unless the virus mutates (which they would know about pretty quickly). Even the least effective vaccine (pertussis) lasts a year. And there's no evidence thus far that covid is mutating.

I agree that they can't do another round of lockdown, even if/when there's a second wave of infections. The cost to the country is simply getting too high.

I've read that it has already been mutating: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/how-coronavirus-mutations-can-track-its-spread-and-disprove-conspiracies/

If they do start using an antibody test, what would kids w/o antibodies do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eventually (ASAP, hopefully) there will be a titer (antibody test) for those of us who are pretty sure we've had it. Although immunity may fade over time, this would be true immunity not like a vaccine, so it should at least last a couple years unless the virus mutates (which they would know about pretty quickly). Even the least effective vaccine (pertussis) lasts a year. And there's no evidence thus far that covid is mutating.

I agree that they can't do another round of lockdown, even if/when there's a second wave of infections. The cost to the country is simply getting too high.

I've read that it has already been mutating: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/03/how-coronavirus-mutations-can-track-its-spread-and-disprove-conspiracies/

If they do start using an antibody test, what would kids w/o antibodies do?

I guess there would need to be a decision made whether they're allowed to take the risk and then if so it would be up to the families to decide. I guess that educating even just half the kids in the country would be better than educating none. Less work for teachers later.

[Anonymous]

I wish they’d just not bother with this school year and make next academic year (it can start in summer) be year-round school. Better for working families anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Eventually (ASAP, hopefully) there will be a titer (antibody test) for those of us who are pretty sure we've had it. Although immunity may fade over time, this would be true immunity not like a vaccine, so it should at least last a couple years unless the virus mutates (which they would know about pretty quickly). Even the least effective vaccine (pertussis) lasts a year. And there's no evidence thus far that covid is mutating.

I agree that they can't do another round of lockdown, even if/when there's a second wave of infections. The cost to the country is simply getting too high.

But what would school systems do then? Segregated immune and not immune students and staff? The liability is too great.

[Anonymous]

I think you've framed your post inaccurately. I don't see anything like your premise on the Private Schools forum. While there will be some bailouts from private schools because parents won't be afford tuition, there definitely is no preponderance of postings in the Private Schools forums that there is unhappiness with the way the private schools have managed their online programs. If anything I think most parents are quite happy with the ways that their private schools have risen to the challenge. It seems to have been a much smoother transition than 2 local public systems (I'm looking at you FCPS and MCPS) have managed it. FWIW I am a public school teacher and our children go to schools that are frequently discussed on the Private School forums so I monitor the threads pretty carefully and I have a strong network of private school parent friends. Anyway I see the continued desire by private parents to keep their children in their private school environment, and not a massive bailout that you seem to be implying.

I want to add that the online teaching for my children at their private schools has been outstanding. Even the teacher whom I consider to be a Luddite with strong fuddy duddy tendencies (but an outstanding teacher nonetheless) has produced wonderful, high caliber live online lessons. You could have knocked me over with a feather I was so surprised when I saw what she had my kid doing on Day 2 and how she interacted with him live online. I was less surprised by the teachers at my daughters' school because they stepped up to the plate the way I anticipated.

Regarding changes for next year in my public school, I think we're going to have to do a lot more with a lot less. I predict there will be budget cuts across the board for schools because tax revenues will have been way down and demands on public programs funding unemployment and health care will go way up. I agree with assessments that we are going to need to plan for rolling closures.

[Anonymous]

There will be private school parents who will go public for financial reasons and public school parents who fill in those private school seats so, in this area, that’s probably a wash. People will be less critical of and condescending to homeschoolers.

BTW, I have been surprised and impressed with the DL from both our public school and our private school. Some friends’ privates have been on break and so have had a lot of time to pull together their plans. We will see how they do this week. I expect they will be fine.

It would be great if teachers, regardless of where they teach, could support other teachers - especially in such challenging times.

Looking at you, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish they’d just not bother with this school year and make next academic year (it can start in summer) be year-round school. Better for working families anyway.

Maybe if your kid is a first grader. I've got a HS junior. He was 3/4 of the way done with his classes when this thing with the Coronavirus happened. No way should he repeat the last year and delay his graduation.

I am so glad that he can finish his classes up online. And I really hope and pray that they can return to school in the fall. If it is in the best interests of some kids to continue to learn from home they should be able to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish they’d just not bother with this school year and make next academic year (it can start in summer) be year-round school. Better for working families anyway.

Maybe if your kid is a first grader. I've got a HS junior. He was 3/4 of the way done with his classes when this thing with the Coronavirus happened. No way should he repeat the last year and delay his graduation.

I am so glad that he can finish his classes up online. And I really hope and pray that they can return to school in the fall. If it is in the best interests of some kids to continue to learn from home they should be able to do so.

That’s not what PP is saying. She is saying let him continue to 12th but the first quarter of 12th (in the summer) should be what he would have learned in the last quarter of 11th (March-June) and not bother with distance learning right now.