2 days a week school in the fall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does this even accomplish?? Students attending even ONE day a week will be exposed to other children, expose the teachers and then come home from school and expose others, including parents, when they go to the playground, restaurants, childcare centers, stores etc.

This is pointless. Either have kids attend all days or zero days.

A big question is what if covid isn’t a problem? What if there is a treatment or a vaccine? It’s just assumed kids will only attend a day or two a week regardless?

What is the metric for school returning to a normal schedule?

No, of course not. Come on. The District and every other school system is working through the various scenarios which currently say no vaccine for a year or two. They are working off of having enough of a reduction in cases so our hospitals aren't overwhelmed, contract tracing is available, PPE is available, and more testing is available. If those things are in place, reopening slowly is possible. There will be new cases but it won't overwhelm the system. None of the inconvenient scenarios for schools - whether 2 days a week, rotating weeks, half days, whatever - will matter with a vaccine. if there is a vaccine that we can all access, problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another example of school is not childcare so you can work.

Written by a person with no childcare issues.

Newsflash...that's EXACTLY what school is. You think it's for an educated society? False. It's so kids have somewhere to go and eat and be supervised each day.

School can be both. Educating and "day care" . Pp you dont think schools teach kids anything? That's pretty harsh!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going for one week and then home for two weeks is the least convenient for my working life, but it seems to make the most sense considering how the virus works (at least to my understanding). The two weeks at home should be enough time to find out if exposure happened during the school week.

Follow up questions would be: if/when cases show up, does everyone in the school stay home? Or just that one third of the kids? Or just the kids in classes on that floor? In that particular classroom?

The other options just seem like they add a lot of continuous risk of exposure.

These are really important questions. How will schools be setup to minimize exposure/contact between student groups? If kids are passing each other in the halls, sharing bathrooms without cleaning in-between student groups or going to lunch or recess together, then the entire school will likely have to close. if there is no contact between the small classroom groups, then just that floor or class can close.

I also wonder about rules for kids and adults. If there is refusal or inability to wear a mask, wash hands, get a temperature check or whatever is required, will schools have the authority to bar those individuals? Will teachers and admin be backed up if they refuse entry to those who won't comply?

We've had parents push past the security guard and refuse to follow procedures in normal circumstances. We've all seen the news of the people who are refusing to wear masks in stores and etc. What protections will our schools and children and teachers have against those who won't comply?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Going for one week and then home for two weeks is the least convenient for my working life, but it seems to make the most sense considering how the virus works (at least to my understanding). The two weeks at home should be enough time to find out if exposure happened during the school week.

Follow up questions would be: if/when cases show up, does everyone in the school stay home? Or just that one third of the kids? Or just the kids in classes on that floor? In that particular classroom?

The other options just seem like they add a lot of continuous risk of exposure.

These are really important questions. How will schools be setup to minimize exposure/contact between student groups? If kids are passing each other in the halls, sharing bathrooms without cleaning in-between student groups or going to lunch or recess together, then the entire school will likely have to close. if there is no contact between the small classroom groups, then just that floor or class can close.

I also wonder about rules for kids and adults. If there is refusal or inability to wear a mask, wash hands, get a temperature check or whatever is required, will schools have the authority to bar those individuals? Will teachers and admin be backed up if they refuse entry to those who won't comply?

We've had parents push past the security guard and refuse to follow procedures in normal circumstances. We've all seen the news of the people who are refusing to wear masks in stores and etc. What protections will our schools and children and teachers have against those who won't comply?

I feel like it's virtually impossible to keep kids separate. Kids with behavioral difficulties, or even energetic kids, will have trouble following the new social distancing guidelines. Also, will kids need to come with backup masks, or will those be provided? What if kids pull down their masks, or if the mask is too large and slips down so that their nose is exposed, or if they sneeze in their mask and need a new one? What if a kid is coughing a lot in class? Will that kid be sent to the nurse? Our neighborhood school doesn't have a nurse present every day--will they hire more nurses?

I know they can't plan for everything, but just wondering about these likely scenarios.

[Anonymous]

At my school before we left, we had a huge bullying issue that surrounded Asian children. Kids wouldn’t go near them, they would call them
Names and insist they had the virus. This also included kids who showed up and were coughing. The schools and parents are going to have to do some serious work surrounding this to make all children feel safe when they are back in the building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my school before we left, we had a huge bullying issue that surrounded Asian children. Kids wouldn’t go near them, they would call them
Names and insist they had the virus. This also included kids who showed up and were coughing. The schools and parents are going to have to do some serious work surrounding this to make all children feel safe when they are back in the building.

That happened in DC?! Very disappointing to hear

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my school before we left, we had a huge bullying issue that surrounded Asian children. Kids wouldn’t go near them, they would call them
Names and insist they had the virus. This also included kids who showed up and were coughing. The schools and parents are going to have to do some serious work surrounding this to make all children feel safe when they are back in the building.

Holy shit. What school was this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At my school before we left, we had a huge bullying issue that surrounded Asian children. Kids wouldn’t go near them, they would call them
Names and insist they had the virus. This also included kids who showed up and were coughing. The schools and parents are going to have to do some serious work surrounding this to make all children feel safe when they are back in the building.

Holy shit. What school was this?

All I will say is Upper NW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my school before we left, we had a huge bullying issue that surrounded Asian children. Kids wouldn’t go near them, they would call them
Names and insist they had the virus. This also included kids who showed up and were coughing. The schools and parents are going to have to do some serious work surrounding this to make all children feel safe when they are back in the building.

Would love to know what a school is supposed to do about a kid who has been taught it’s ok to be a jerk. We literally can say “don’t do that” and call the parent. If you want more options, call your council member and demand more options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does this even accomplish?? Students attending even ONE day a week will be exposed to other children, expose the teachers and then come home from school and expose others, including parents, when they go to the playground, restaurants, childcare centers, stores etc.

This is pointless. Either have kids attend all days or zero days.

A big question is what if covid isn’t a problem? What if there is a treatment or a vaccine? It’s just assumed kids will only attend a day or two a week regardless?

What is the metric for school returning to a normal schedule?

No, of course not. Come on. The District and every other school system is working through the various scenarios which currently say no vaccine for a year or two. They are working off of having enough of a reduction in cases so our hospitals aren't overwhelmed, contract tracing is available, PPE is available, and more testing is available. If those things are in place, reopening slowly is possible. There will be new cases but it won't overwhelm the system. None of the inconvenient scenarios for schools - whether 2 days a week, rotating weeks, half days, whatever - will matter with a vaccine. if there is a vaccine that we can all access, problem solved.

I’m still confused. Are you saying school will be on a one or two day a week schedule until there’s a readily available vaccine? So for one or two more years?

Because above you say “hospitals aren’t overwhelmed...testing available.” Well all of that should be in place this fall. So that can’t be the metric DCPS is using. If so, school should be the regular schedule.

If DCPS really implements this schedule, especially if the vaccine appears to be under control, then they need to be explicit with parents about what needs to happen for schools to return to the normal schedule. This needs to be based on science and not “we are scared something might happen so let’s implement a reduced schedule for kids even though it won’t really change anything.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Going for one week and then home for two weeks is the least convenient for my working life, but it seems to make the most sense considering how the virus works (at least to my understanding). The two weeks at home should be enough time to find out if exposure happened during the school week.

Follow up questions would be: if/when cases show up, does everyone in the school stay home? Or just that one third of the kids? Or just the kids in classes on that floor? In that particular classroom?

The other options just seem like they add a lot of continuous risk of exposure.

These are really important questions. How will schools be setup to minimize exposure/contact between student groups? If kids are passing each other in the halls, sharing bathrooms without cleaning in-between student groups or going to lunch or recess together, then the entire school will likely have to close. if there is no contact between the small classroom groups, then just that floor or class can close.

I also wonder about rules for kids and adults. If there is refusal or inability to wear a mask, wash hands, get a temperature check or whatever is required, will schools have the authority to bar those individuals? Will teachers and admin be backed up if they refuse entry to those who won't comply?

We've had parents push past the security guard and refuse to follow procedures in normal circumstances. We've all seen the news of the people who are refusing to wear masks in stores and etc. What protections will our schools and children and teachers have against those who won't comply?

I feel like it's virtually impossible to keep kids separate. Kids with behavioral difficulties, or even energetic kids, will have trouble following the new social distancing guidelines. Also, will kids need to come with backup masks, or will those be provided? What if kids pull down their masks, or if the mask is too large and slips down so that their nose is exposed, or if they sneeze in their mask and need a new one? What if a kid is coughing a lot in class? Will that kid be sent to the nurse? Our neighborhood school doesn't have a nurse present every day--will they hire more nurses?

I know they can't plan for everything, but just wondering about these likely scenarios.

Exactly. Kids going to school 2 days makes zero sense. They will still be exposed and exposed others. Is DCPS saying there’s a reduced transmission if kids touch either other 2 days a week instead of 5? Because I doubt it.

[Anonymous]

Everybody wants different things. I'd send older kids back to school with masks. They should only have math, English and science classes, maybe foreign language. Lunch will be eaten at home.
For younger kids, I'd like an option of no DL at all. DS is in K and has learned absolutely nothing. He hates getting on Zoom and simply doesn't understand that Zoom is school online. He read couple of books with the teacher, but this is what we do at home anyway.
There are lots of kids who will be fine if the skip 6 months to a year of schooling and simply do reading, writing and some math at home. They need to help people with childcare and help those families who need help.
I wish I could just "disappear" with my DC until it's safe again to go to school. Not sure if one less kid for DCPS is much help.
My other idea is that maybe, just maybe 1st graders can keep masks on. They could do 3 hour school days - compacted ELA, math, science and foreign language. Lunch eaten at home and lunch hour is used to sanitize school as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

It's May. No one knows what school is going to look like this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Everybody wants different things. I'd send older kids back to school with masks. They should only have math, English and science classes, maybe foreign language. Lunch will be eaten at home.
For younger kids, I'd like an option of no DL at all. DS is in K and has learned absolutely nothing. He hates getting on Zoom and simply doesn't understand that Zoom is school online. He read couple of books with the teacher, but this is what we do at home anyway.
There are lots of kids who will be fine if the skip 6 months to a year of schooling and simply do reading, writing and some math at home. They need to help people with childcare and help those families who need help.
I wish I could just "disappear" with my DC until it's safe again to go to school. Not sure if one less kid for DCPS is much help.
My other idea is that maybe, just maybe 1st graders can keep masks on. They could do 3 hour school days - compacted ELA, math, science and foreign language. Lunch eaten at home and lunch hour is used to sanitize school as much as possible.

I thought only ~25% of kids attend their IB? Eating lunch at home would not be a quick jog a couple blocks for the majority of kids, and therefore doesn't seem to be a workable option, especially for those with working parents/no one at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another example of school is not childcare so you can work.

Written by a person with no childcare issues.

Newsflash...that's EXACTLY what school is. You think it's for an educated society? False. It's so kids have somewhere to go and eat and be supervised each day.

Not PP. School is so kids can learn and be formally educated. It happens that Americans have used it as free childcare, it happens that employers have not been forced to work around families. It is not uncommon in other cultures for companies and retailers to have shorter hours so that families can balance home and work better. America is at a cross roads of becoming a human or money centered place. But, will those of you that want balance also be willing to keep waiting more than a week for Amazon items, have more limited shopping options, pay more for items and so forth so EVERYONE can have a more balanced life and kids can be educated safely???