Outdoor lunch petition in APS

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Ok I admit I didn't focus on lunch at school enough before. My kids' teachers said they would get the kids outside when possible. Now that we're in this, I'm realizing this isn't going to be good enough.

I also didn't realize some schools aren't doing any outside lunch at all. My friend just filled me in on her kid's school's lunch plans and it sounds like a super-spreader event waiting to happen.


Here's the petition. Maybe it will help? https://www.change.org/OutsideLunchAPS

Considering it has even reached 500 signatures I am guessing there is a lot less concern over this issue then as imagined ...

Oh there’s concern for the issue, but as stated earlier, APE parents are too petty to sign it.

Nope. Try again. Lots of them signed it. I know because I am in the group and there was plenty of support and many posted they signed it.

Nope. I'm in APE too. A member posted the petition there. But it got just four likes. and APE nitpicked it.

Not what I would call "plenty of support." I was very disappointed. Most of APE doesn't seem to get that this is what we need to keep schools open.

I think there needs to be a balance struck.

A balance? Either help with safety measures, or don't. It's clear that safety isn't a priority for most APE members.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our time and energy would be better spent advocating for full-time in the fall.

Numbers are still high in this area. If we continue to reduce numbers (by avoiding indoor eating) then we are in a better position for fall.

[Anonymous]

APS needs to stop letting / forcing principals to make public health decisions. They are not experts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This petition is pretty meaningless. What it asks for is that schools be required to offer an outdoor lunch option every day unless it is unsafe to do so, in which case they can eat inside. But who decides what is safe? Can the school decided it’s too rainy? Too hot/cold? Unsafe because there’s insufficient aides available to supervise? If so, then what this petition is asking for is no different than APS’s current policy of strongly encouraging outdoor lunch. If the drafter wants more specific rules on the conditions that would allow a school to deem it unsafe, then she needs to explain what those should be so people understand the constraints that would be put on schools and people can decide whether the feel like the proposed rules adequately respect non-covid safety considerations.

Stop making so much sense. 🤪

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APS needs to stop letting / forcing principals to make public health decisions. They are not experts.

And they’re too far down in the weeds. Completely agree.

[Anonymous]

I agree that principal authority is much too strong in APS. There should be policies related to health and instruction that reach across all schools and shouldn't be based on princials' whims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree that principal authority is much too strong in APS. There should be policies related to health and instruction that reach across all schools and shouldn't be based on princials' whims.

I think that’s one thing many of us can agree on. Not only has there been wasted time with each principal trying to re-invent the wheel, there’s been inequities in how they rolled plans out (availability of printed materials, teaching models in upper elementary, ability to change from hybrid/virtual, and more).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that principal authority is much too strong in APS. There should be policies related to health and instruction that reach across all schools and shouldn't be based on princials' whims.

I think that’s one thing many of us can agree on. Not only has there been wasted time with each principal trying to re-invent the wheel, there’s been inequities in how they rolled plans out (availability of printed materials, teaching models in upper elementary, ability to change from hybrid/virtual, and more).

Absolutely. In my view, it's one of APS's greatest problems. A total waste of time and the cause of infuriating inequities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our time and energy would be better spent advocating for full-time in the fall.

Full time with kids packed into cafeterias... good luck with that. #superspreader

What's your answer PP - keep kids hybrid or DL until they are vaccinated in 2023? While the learning loss continues to get worse and worse? I am advocating for Full-time. My kids mental health needs it badly. I'm OK with them being 3 feet apart and taking that risk as opposed to the damage that has been caused this past year. Everyone is different and has their own story. Schools all over the country have been back FT and able to figure it out. We need to make it priority to get them back FT.

Nope, never said that, said that packing them into indoor cafeterias is a bad idea. There's this weird thing amongst the open uppers where if someone mentions safety, the open uppers immediately accuse them of pushing for stay closed.

why is outdoor lunch threatening to you PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many elementary school kids are not having lunch outside. I was disappointed that my third grader ate inside and had PE inside today at Ashlawn. It's a beautiful day. Couldn't one of those activities have happened outside?

Did they say why not? Such nice weather!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Outdoor lunch is the right idea and we are lucky that our elementary principal has prioritized it.

APS should do outdoor lunch to the maximum extent practicable.

However the petition contains hardline language and I won't sign it for that. If there is a lightening storm or tornado, my kid can eat in the classroom with the window cracked.

Nothing against the organizer, I d sign it if I agreed with the language and appreciate any genuine effort to keep hybrid safe and ongoing. I don't have any HS or MS kids, but indoor lunch seems the weakest link, so.......

The petition literally accounts for this. You sound like you're looking for any excuse not to sign it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree that principal authority is much too strong in APS. There should be policies related to health and instruction that reach across all schools and shouldn't be based on princials' whims.

I think that’s one thing many of us can agree on. Not only has there been wasted time with each principal trying to re-invent the wheel, there’s been inequities in how they rolled plans out (availability of printed materials, teaching models in upper elementary, ability to change from hybrid/virtual, and more).

Absolutely. In my view, it's one of APS's greatest problems. A total waste of time and the cause of infuriating inequities.

Yep. We have outdoor lunch, but our issue is lack of instruction. The principal has allowed teachers to keep cutting back instruction. My grader lost nearly two hours of math instruction a week in the switch to hybrid, with new blocks for "independent study." What the heck is independent study for a 7 yo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our time and energy would be better spent advocating for full-time in the fall.

Full time with kids packed into cafeterias... good luck with that. #superspreader

What's your answer PP - keep kids hybrid or DL until they are vaccinated in 2023? While the learning loss continues to get worse and worse? I am advocating for Full-time. My kids mental health needs it badly. I'm OK with them being 3 feet apart and taking that risk as opposed to the damage that has been caused this past year. Everyone is different and has their own story. Schools all over the country have been back FT and able to figure it out. We need to make it priority to get them back FT.

Nope, never said that, said that packing them into indoor cafeterias is a bad idea. There's this weird thing amongst the open uppers where if someone mentions safety, the open uppers immediately accuse them of pushing for stay closed.

why is outdoor lunch threatening to you PP?

They just like to argue and complain about EVERYTHING instead of productively trying to get our kids in school safely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many elementary school kids are not having lunch outside. I was disappointed that my third grader ate inside and had PE inside today at Ashlawn. It's a beautiful day. Couldn't one of those activities have happened outside?

Did they say why not? Such nice weather!

Ashlawn family here. That’s disappointing. Especially since most PE classes are on at-home days. The lunch issue, and possibly whether to have PE outside, must be at teacher discretion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many elementary school kids are not having lunch outside. I was disappointed that my third grader ate inside and had PE inside today at Ashlawn. It's a beautiful day. Couldn't one of those activities have happened outside?

Did they say why not? Such nice weather!

Ashlawn family here. That’s disappointing. Especially since most PE classes are on at-home days. The lunch issue, and possibly whether to have PE outside, must be at teacher discretion.

Glebe had PE in the classroom today. Super disappointing.