Anonymous wrote:Alternative is to require appropriate masks, not useless cloth masks.

And to have tables and heaters for those that want to eat outside. Kids all prefer outside, there should have been open air structures at the schools months ago. Even when Covid is less threatening, kids should be eating outside.

If short staffed at lunch, ask parents to cycle through to help.

If you are worried about cloth masks being acceptable, have your own kid wear an N94/5. See this thread. That is enough protection. https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1476176934568611843

Anonymous wrote:Alternative is to require appropriate masks, not useless cloth masks.

And to have tables and heaters for those that want to eat outside. Kids all prefer outside, there should have been open air structures at the schools months ago. Even when Covid is less threatening, kids should be eating outside.

If short staffed at lunch, ask parents to cycle through to help.

What kind of appropriate masks do you expect APS to provide? I assume APS would be providing those masks since anything other than the cloth masks is intended to be single-use.

Also, not all kids prefer outside. At my kid’s middle school, there is an option to eat outside but the majority choose to eat inside anyone because that’s what they prefer. That doesn’t mean APS couldn’t mandate outdoor lunch when conditions are appropriate, but it’s silly to claim that all kids prefer eating outside, especially in cold weather.

OP, what do you want APS to do differently? You sound full of complaints but no solutions.

Anonymous wrote:People were saying the same thing when school started in the fall.

100% this.

Anonymous wrote:Alternative is to require appropriate masks, not useless cloth masks.

And to have tables and heaters for those that want to eat outside. Kids all prefer outside, there should have been open air structures at the schools months ago. Even when Covid is less threatening, kids should be eating outside.

If short staffed at lunch, ask parents to cycle through to help.

Picnic tables were delivered to all schools last I heard. Are you in a school where they are regularly eating inside?

People were saying the same thing when school started in the fall.

Yup. It’s going to suck but it is what it is.

Anonymous wrote:What's the alternative? Seriously. We already require vaccines for staff and masks for all. Closing pre-emptively is counter productive. We can't stay closed until COVID is over. What are you expecting?

COVID is minor for vaccinated people. We have better treatments now. We need to open. Kids need to be in school.

If we open and get a ton of cases, then we respond (as-needed). That's all we can do. So, yes, fingers crossed.

This times 1000. You do not want to be PG county

Alternative is to require appropriate masks, not useless cloth masks.

And to have tables and heaters for those that want to eat outside. Kids all prefer outside, there should have been open air structures at the schools months ago. Even when Covid is less threatening, kids should be eating outside.

If short staffed at lunch, ask parents to cycle through to help.

What's the alternative? Seriously. We already require vaccines for staff and masks for all. Closing pre-emptively is counter productive. We can't stay closed until COVID is over. What are you expecting?

COVID is minor for vaccinated people. We have better treatments now. We need to open. Kids need to be in school.

If we open and get a ton of cases, then we respond (as-needed). That's all we can do. So, yes, fingers crossed.

Anonymous wrote:January is going to be a shit show

There will be some disruptions, but i don't think it will be horrible. Lots of people have already caught COVID over the last month and will be protected, quarantines for staff will be shorter. It's going to be ok. My students are too young for the vaccine so I think it will be challenging at times but I am happy to be returning as normal.

Of course they are

"State law in Virginia requires all public schools to offer in-person instruction to students during the 2021-22 school year and that remains our priority. Per this law, APS will only revert to remote instruction for a classroom or school in consultation with the health department in the event of high levels of COVID-19 transmission within a classroom or school and only on a temporary, limited basis."

Anonymous wrote:January is going to be a shit show

OMG WE'RE ALL GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET

/s

Glad calmer minds are making the call here.

Don’t you wish?
Just STOP. At least they’re trying. Bravo for not taking the easy road. Kids need to be in classrooms.

January is going to be a shit show