Anonymous wrote:

ACPS' math is wrong in terms of the number of desks they can fit into a classroom. They are not calculating the six feet correctly. It runs from where the student is sitting. The way they are doing it leaves nine feet of space in most cases.


My interpretation was that they were leaving walking space for someone to walk between desks - like a kid in the back needs to walk to the front to go out the door for the bathroom or early pickup or whatever.

Why is that necessary when it would be no more than a few seconds of someone being within less than six feet? And when no other school districts are doing it that way? Makes no sense.

Read the new CDC guidelines. It makes perfect sense. 15 minutes cumulative. Kids (and their teachers) would easily hit that after 7 hours in a classroom together. There is a lot of movement just for the bathroom, water, etc.

x1000 The only reason I would advocate for anyone to consider the hybrid is if your back is against the wall in your need for childcare. Otherwise your kid will be safer, emotionally and physically, at home.

My child has a learning disability but is in a general education classroom. I don't feel that his IEP accommodations are being delivered effectively virtually. Open your mind to the possibility that everyone's circumstances are different, and you may find other reasons to advocate for.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

""I think having all of our students at one time in our classrooms, it definitely, probably won't be until a vaccine occurs," Alexandria, Virginia superintendent Gregory Hutchings tells
@JakeTapper"

Well, actually, I am ok with that - meaning not having all students at one time in the classroom until a vaccine. But why are we having NO students in at one time (except very young self-contained special ed)? Why not do a hybrid model?

Yes, good point.

Do you realize how incredibly difficult the hybrid model will be? Children will not go to their home schools, have the teacher that they have now and nothing that we knew as normal will be in place. No small groups, all day in the same classroom, limited recess structure, and very limited interaction with the other 5 children in the classroom. What are we going back to? In addition, none of us will be allowed to go inside the school to see where our child is going! So you get to go back and then you will complain about it not being the same. The children need to stay home until we get a vaccine.

x1000 The only reason I would advocate for anyone to consider the hybrid is if your back is against the wall in your need for childcare. Otherwise your kid will be safer, emotionally and physically, at home.

Daycares and private schools are operating with masks and distancing. Parents should embrace the fact that kids can and have adapted to those measures. It’s actually much less dystopian than being stuck in front of a screen all day every day, especially for younger kids. They can still socialize and play to get much-needed interaction for social-emotional development and learning.

With regard to bringing back just kinders, again there is a real lack of creativity and openness on ACPS’s part. They could do two full days for different cohorts or even a.m. and p.m. half-day schedules. Plus, it’s still likely some kids will remain virtual and those could be matched up with teachers who are unable to go in person due to health reasons.

Other school districts in our area and different states have been able to figure this out. What is so different about ACPS that none of these options are even on the table? Not to mention our public health metrics are very good. They could at least try a pilot program at one of the elementary schools that has enough kinder teachers to come back.

Anonymous wrote:Do you realize how incredibly difficult the hybrid model will be? Children will not go to their home schools, have the teacher that they have now and nothing that we knew as normal will be in place. No small groups, all day in the same classroom, limited recess structure, and very limited interaction with the other 5 children in the classroom. What are we going back to? In addition, none of us will be allowed to go inside the school to see where our child is going! So you get to go back and then you will complain about it not being the same. The children need to stay home until we get a vaccine.

Eh, my kindergartner's pre-k/preschool/daycare did this over the summer. No shared supplies, teachers masked, limited recess, no parents inside, etc. It worked and was way better than what she has now, sitting alone in a room on mute and wearing headphones.

Do you realize how incredibly difficult the hybrid model will be? Children will not go to their home schools, have the teacher that they have now and nothing that we knew as normal will be in place. No small groups, all day in the same classroom, limited recess structure, and very limited interaction with the other 5 children in the classroom. What are we going back to? In addition, none of us will be allowed to go inside the school to see where our child is going! So you get to go back and then you will complain about it not being the same. The children need to stay home until we get a vaccine.

While you are certainly welcome to keep your child at home until there is a vaccine, others of us don't believe that is necessary for our kids, and that our kids can return in a hybrid model, as other districts are planning. The classrooms can accommodate more than 5 kids if the desks are distanced properly to leave 6 feet of space, rather than 9, as in the incorrect ACPS model.

Furthermore, how often do you think parents go inside school? That concern about seeing where your child is is ridiculous. I have three kids, and other than special volunteering events for parents, which are like 3 hours a year in younger grades only, parents don't go in classrooms.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

This part is not accurate.

“It adds general-education pre-kindergarteners through fifth-graders in January 2021, and general-education sixth-graders, seventh-graders and eighth-graders in February.”

There is NO approved plan to bring back any additional students beyond the designated disability/ELL population. The reporter got it wrong.

This comment is correct and the video of the meeting will make it clear.

This article makes the point except I think Hutchings was not really proposing in person school for large populations even though Monday’s release suggested he was: https://www.alxnow.com/2020/10/22/school-board-shelves-plan-to-reopen-schools-in-2021-students-with-disabilities-transitioning-back-next-month/

It’s almost as though he was intentionally presenting something totally unappealing and worthless, knowing the board would have no choice but to reject it outright and remain all virtual. There ARE alternatives, such as bringing back k-2. Why aren’t they even being discussed or considered? Heck, even bringing back just kindergarten next month seems feasible. Total lack of vision or creativity. All virtual for all students does not need to be a forgone conclusion.

Dr. Hutchings claimed that staffing issues prohibit even bringing only back K because there is not enough K teachers to cover the classes. I still think you can get around that if more asynchronous days were added to free up staff for in person.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

This part is not accurate.

“It adds general-education pre-kindergarteners through fifth-graders in January 2021, and general-education sixth-graders, seventh-graders and eighth-graders in February.”

There is NO approved plan to bring back any additional students beyond the designated disability/ELL population. The reporter got it wrong.

This comment is correct and the video of the meeting will make it clear.

This article makes the point except I think Hutchings was not really proposing in person school for large populations even though Monday’s release suggested he was: https://www.alxnow.com/2020/10/22/school-board-shelves-plan-to-reopen-schools-in-2021-students-with-disabilities-transitioning-back-next-month/

It’s almost as though he was intentionally presenting something totally unappealing and worthless, knowing the board would have no choice but to reject it outright and remain all virtual. There ARE alternatives, such as bringing back k-2. Why aren’t they even being discussed or considered? Heck, even bringing back just kindergarten next month seems feasible. Total lack of vision or creativity. All virtual for all students does not need to be a forgone conclusion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

This part is not accurate.

“It adds general-education pre-kindergarteners through fifth-graders in January 2021, and general-education sixth-graders, seventh-graders and eighth-graders in February.”

There is NO approved plan to bring back any additional students beyond the designated disability/ELL population. The reporter got it wrong.

This comment is correct and the video of the meeting will make it clear.

This article makes the point except I think Hutchings was not really proposing in person school for large populations even though Monday’s release suggested he was: https://www.alxnow.com/2020/10/22/school-board-shelves-plan-to-reopen-schools-in-2021-students-with-disabilities-transitioning-back-next-month/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

""I think having all of our students at one time in our classrooms, it definitely, probably won't be until a vaccine occurs," Alexandria, Virginia superintendent Gregory Hutchings tells
@JakeTapper"

Well, actually, I am ok with that - meaning not having all students at one time in the classroom until a vaccine. But why are we having NO students in at one time (except very young self-contained special ed)? Why not do a hybrid model?

Yes, good point.

Do you realize how incredibly difficult the hybrid model will be? Children will not go to their home schools, have the teacher that they have now and nothing that we knew as normal will be in place. No small groups, all day in the same classroom, limited recess structure, and very limited interaction with the other 5 children in the classroom. What are we going back to? In addition, none of us will be allowed to go inside the school to see where our child is going! So you get to go back and then you will complain about it not being the same. The children need to stay home until we get a vaccine.

Anonymous wrote:

""I think having all of our students at one time in our classrooms, it definitely, probably won't be until a vaccine occurs," Alexandria, Virginia superintendent Gregory Hutchings tells
@JakeTapper"

Well, actually, I am ok with that - meaning not having all students at one time in the classroom until a vaccine. But why are we having NO students in at one time (except very young self-contained special ed)? Why not do a hybrid model?

Yes, good point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

This part is not accurate.

“It adds general-education pre-kindergarteners through fifth-graders in January 2021, and general-education sixth-graders, seventh-graders and eighth-graders in February.”

There is NO approved plan to bring back any additional students beyond the designated disability/ELL population. The reporter got it wrong.

This comment is correct and the video of the meeting will make it clear.

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

This part is not accurate.

“It adds general-education pre-kindergarteners through fifth-graders in January 2021, and general-education sixth-graders, seventh-graders and eighth-graders in February.”

There is NO approved plan to bring back any additional students beyond the designated disability/ELL population. The reporter got it wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/alexandria-city-public-schools-will-return-hundreds-of-students-with-disabilities-to-classrooms-through-the-end-of-2020/2020/10/22/dbb284c2-13d4-11eb-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html

It has some accurate facts, but that reporter is a press agent for Hutchings. The headline is burying the lede which is "ACPS school board approves plan with no return to school for 95% of students"

The weakness of board, with a few exceptions, not conveyed. Nor the true blowhard Hutchings is. What a clown.

Right, and Hutchings was not advocating for one day a week in person contrary to the article. He presented that as the only option and the Board correctly rejected it because it makes no sense. Now Hutchings can say the Board is deciding not to bring back the broad swath of students in person when he really presented no reasonable option for doing so.

Is this article accurate?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/ale...b-bc10-40b25382f1be_story.html


It has some accurate facts, but that reporter is a press agent for Hutchings. The headline is burying the lede which is "ACPS school board approves plan with no return to school for 95% of students"

The weakness of board, with a few exceptions, not conveyed. Nor the true blowhard Hutchings is. What a clown.

Right, I think it is inaccurate in that the dates for general education students were not voted on or approved, correct? Or did I misunderstand?