Principals have a big meeting today and will be communicating changes to their staff soon.

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a fifth grader who has selected full time distance learning, I’m just hoping for clarity on teacher assignments and class composition. If they yank one of our teachers to teach a second grade class, for example, will we have a temporary new DL teacher and then a new one after that when they bring the fifth graders back to the building for hybrid? FWIW, our school had a very large percentage choose hybrid.

I don’t think they’ll yank your DL. I think it’s the 3-5 hybrids that they’ll yank for K-2.

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a fifth grader who has selected full time distance learning, I’m just hoping for clarity on teacher assignments and class composition. If they yank one of our teachers to teach a second grade class, for example, will we have a temporary new DL teacher and then a new one after that when they bring the fifth graders back to the building for hybrid? FWIW, our school had a very large percentage choose hybrid.

That’s the question. Why are they delaying 3-5. Do they have plans to repurpose them in high hybrid schools? Who knows? That’s the most logical explanation. The explanation of not bringing too many back at a time from Duran carries very little water since he’s bringing much high volumes of teachers to single buildings for middle and high just a week later.

As the parent of a fifth grader who has selected full time distance learning, I’m just hoping for clarity on teacher assignments and class composition. If they yank one of our teachers to teach a second grade class, for example, will we have a temporary new DL teacher and then a new one after that when they bring the fifth graders back to the building for hybrid? FWIW, our school had a very large percentage choose hybrid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it's true that 3-5 would go back after 6-12, I think that kind of makes sense. Kids in 3-5 are old enough to mostly get a lot out of distance learning, and they don't have the academic needs older kids do, if that makes sense. Like, if they miss out on a bunch of instruction, they have a long time to make up for it, whereas older kids don't.

I have a sixth grader and a third grader, and as much as I want them to go back (I signed both up for hybrid) I am much more concerned about my sixth grader than my third grader.

You concerned socially or academically? I am concerned about 6-12 switching classes and having significantly more exposures...Also, transmitting COVID like adults.

I am concerned for my sixth-grader academically (she is doing okay socially thanks to masked outdoor activities and FaceTime). She might get behind in math and writing skills and (as I'm sure you know) she is at the point where those are becoming really important because older grades assume competency from younger grades.

I am definitely concerned with exposure, and it is surprising to me that they would prioritize the older kids for going back. But it does make sense when you're looking it from a holistic perspective. I signed my kids up for hybrid after it looked like APS was going to be really strict with the metrics. I will reassess if they send them back when it looks more dangerous (I have heard that going from hybrid to distance is probably workable).

Anonymous wrote:If it's true that 3-5 would go back after 6-12, I think that kind of makes sense. Kids in 3-5 are old enough to mostly get a lot out of distance learning, and they don't have the academic needs older kids do, if that makes sense. Like, if they miss out on a bunch of instruction, they have a long time to make up for it, whereas older kids don't.

I have a sixth grader and a third grader, and as much as I want them to go back (I signed both up for hybrid) I am much more concerned about my sixth grader than my third grader.

I also have a 3rd and 6th grader, and I agree with this. That said, my 3rd grader will be devastated if her brother gets to go back and she doesn’t. She misses school terribly.

Anonymous wrote:If it's true that 3-5 would go back after 6-12, I think that kind of makes sense. Kids in 3-5 are old enough to mostly get a lot out of distance learning, and they don't have the academic needs older kids do, if that makes sense. Like, if they miss out on a bunch of instruction, they have a long time to make up for it, whereas older kids don't.

I have a sixth grader and a third grader, and as much as I want them to go back (I signed both up for hybrid) I am much more concerned about my sixth grader than my third grader.

You concerned socially or academically? I am concerned about 6-12 switching classes and having significantly more exposures...Also, transmitting COVID like adults.

If it's true that 3-5 would go back after 6-12, I think that kind of makes sense. Kids in 3-5 are old enough to mostly get a lot out of distance learning, and they don't have the academic needs older kids do, if that makes sense. Like, if they miss out on a bunch of instruction, they have a long time to make up for it, whereas older kids don't.

I have a sixth grader and a third grader, and as much as I want them to go back (I signed both up for hybrid) I am much more concerned about my sixth grader than my third grader.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would 3-5 be less of a priority than 6-12, who can definitely get plenty from DL? Very odd indeed. Could not watch so interested in whether this was addressed.

I don’t know what Duran had to say, but the writing was on the wall at our school’s town hall in December- younger kids are being prioritized in the return, and that includes staffing. If teachers of lower elementary grades don’t return to in person teaching for whatever reason, they will likely be replaced with staff from upper elementary grades. Be aware, parents of 3rd-5th graders, that there may not be teachers available to teach all 3rd through 5th grade students who have chosen hybrid. Perhaps there will be shuffling of teachers between schools, depending on demand.🤷🏽‍♀️

Our principal does not expect to have to move people based on numbers. I know of one other school where that is also true (both South Arlington)

I would imagine it might be a problem in the high hybrid selection schools to the north.

Anonymous wrote:He said they don’t want to rush too many people in. Pre-K-2 are likely to struggle the most. I think 3-5 will be a couple weeks behind.

Too many? He’s bringing back all 6-12 just a week later. But no 3-5? 6-12 has many many more teachers per student. Don’t get putting 3-5 behind 6-12. Unless previous poster is correct that they may reassign 3-5 to hybrid for k-2.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would 3-5 be less of a priority than 6-12, who can definitely get plenty from DL? Very odd indeed. Could not watch so interested in whether this was addressed.

I don’t know what Duran had to say, but the writing was on the wall at our school’s town hall in December- younger kids are being prioritized in the return, and that includes staffing. If teachers of lower elementary grades don’t return to in person teaching for whatever reason, they will likely be replaced with staff from upper elementary grades. Be aware, parents of 3rd-5th graders, that there may not be teachers available to teach all 3rd through 5th grade students who have chosen hybrid. Perhaps there will be shuffling of teachers between schools, depending on demand.🤷🏽‍♀️

Our principal does not expect to have to move people based on numbers. I know of one other school where that is also true (both South Arlington)

He said they don’t want to rush too many people in. Pre-K-2 are likely to struggle the most. I think 3-5 will be a couple weeks behind.

Anonymous wrote:Why would 3-5 be less of a priority than 6-12, who can definitely get plenty from DL? Very odd indeed. Could not watch so interested in whether this was addressed.

I don’t know what Duran had to say, but the writing was on the wall at our school’s town hall in December- younger kids are being prioritized in the return, and that includes staffing. If teachers of lower elementary grades don’t return to in person teaching for whatever reason, they will likely be replaced with staff from upper elementary grades. Be aware, parents of 3rd-5th graders, that there may not be teachers available to teach all 3rd through 5th grade students who have chosen hybrid. Perhaps there will be shuffling of teachers between schools, depending on demand.🤷🏽‍♀️

Why would 3-5 be less of a priority than 6-12, who can definitely get plenty from DL? Very odd indeed. Could not watch so interested in whether this was addressed.

I think grades three through five fall into group 2, tier 3 (or however they’ve labeled this stuff). This group of students is carved out from the current return plan. Are these teachers still expected to go back into the building in a few weeks even if the student return isn’t yet scheduled? Did anyone explain why this group was singled out? Personally it makes sense to me - the kids are old enough to get something out of distance learning, but young enough that the content is simple enough to convey over a screen. But is that the basis for this, or find Duran give another explanation?