As a parent of 2 kids in ES, we aren't accepting even if we were offered. I think a lot of this decision depends on the adults and how they have handled the situation at home, zoom calls, play dates, mask wearing, social distancing, visiting relatives interstate, traveling, skiing etc. We've supported our kids and kept them informed. They like being at home. They like being together. Do they miss school and their friends? For sure. Are they learning, yes. Is DL perfect? Far from it. We'll wait for the surge and numbers to go down to what they were like in the fall.

We very nervously accepted spots for our kids (K and Pk). Based on ongoing HVAC repairs, I fear this is our only chance to go back this year, and I worry about any more kids in an already-huge DL K class. I hate that we have the option now, when cases are surging, rather than in August. I totally understand saying no. We’re rolling the dice in hopes of improved mental health for the kids.

Anonymous wrote:I’m optimistic enough to think that not enough parents will opt out of testing to make a significant difference in understanding transmission at the school (even though I wish opting out were not an option).

I also don’t think you should flame people for traveling without knowing more about what they are doing. We have done a lot but only to places we can drive to. If someone has to keep we use the woods. And once we arrive at our Airbnb we do only outdoor activities, and all our shopping is contactless either thru delivery or pickup. This sort of activity keeps us sane and doesn’t drive the spread.

Yet, with vaccines on the horizon, and all we have invested in figuring out DL, I don’t see a compelling reason to send my kids into a school building right now. For my kids, the added value of an in-person experience (esp with covid restrictions) over the DL experience, is simply not worth the risk of me or my spouse getting covid. And that is not to mention the public health concerns. I wish more people thought this way.

So YOUR completely recreational activities (which rely on other people shopping for and delivering food to you) are not a public-health issue, but other people's decisions to send their kids back to school a couple days a week is too risky. We shouldn't judge you for taking unnecessary trips, but you can judge others for sending their children to school. I'm not picking on you personally, but I hear a LOT of "my vacation travel is necessary for my mental health and we're really careful so don't judge me," combined with a total disregard for how sending children to school might also be necessary for their mental/emotional health, or that of their family. (Or even for their physical health, since school is often a place where abused/neglected children get necessary attention or respite from their home situations, or where abuse is spotted and reported.) DL may be going well for you and your kids, but it is not going well for many. And even those who are managing it reasonably well may be at a breaking point, or be finding it unsustainable the longer it goes on. Motivated reasoning that justifies the things you want to do, but condemns the things you don't want to do, isn't helpful.

Ward 3 elementary school and we turned down a spot. We're able to support our kids at home. They're getting into a reasonable groove and learning, I think. I don't trust DCPS or enough of the other families at the school, so I'm not going to risk disruption by sending them back.

Anonymous wrote:We were offered a spot and we're taking it. My kid is really good about keeping her mask on, and I think our school will be able to enforce masking and distancing rules -- if our kid reports that they are not, we can pull her back out. I accept that it's some risk, but we don't do anything else risky. I'm sure some people are turning down spots, which is fine. If we end up with less than 11 kids in the classroom, that's even better.

We nervously accepted a spot and are very glad we did. Kid is clearly much better off back at school, family is much better off with kid back at school, and safety protocols in place have proven acceptable to us.

With only 9 or 10 kids in the classroom, this works for us.

Not getting an offer. They might offerCDH to stay home couple of more years, if any.

We reluctantly turned down a first-grade spot. We were shocked to get the offer, honestly. The school's protocols seem really good -- we were impressed -- and that made us give it more serious thought than we might otherwise.

However, with rates where they are and this new variant about to kick us all in the teeth, we decided against it, even though it means our kid will lose her much-beloved teacher. If this offer had come in two months from now, we might have made a different decision.

in our Ward 4 school, demand was almost nil. Like 10 students for a 500-student elementary school.

We turned down a PK3 spot. Would love to have DC in-person, but with the terrible numbers it's too risky. Going to wait another term and hope vaccinations roll out widely.

We said no for PK3, mostly because since school hasn’t been open until this point and we needed childcare, DC is now in a daycare so don’t want to rock the boat at this point in the year.

We said no to in person

We are at a charter that will remain virtual for the foreseeable future, but said we wanted all virtual in the survey.

I would accept a spot and I know several people who are desperately awaiting a call. Of course our schools seems to be super disorganized and is constantly putting out conflicting information about how it is going to work.

We weren’t offered a spot, but 100 percent we were going to turn it down if offered.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are all these people who wanted their kids back because of the learning loss and kid's don't get covid?

I'm going further - there will be a few kids my DC won't play with after things are back to normal. Too many social media post of people play risk roulette traveling to hot spots without masks. Didn't like those families anyway so I win twice.

Our school is reporting 50% of spots accepted during the initial phone call, 20% declined and 30% outstanding. I think that, at least in wards 3 & 6, uptake of spots will be high and demand for in person will far outstrip supply.

I am in Ward 4 and demand was way beyond the supply at our school as well