Anonymous wrote:Having been at SSMA for a year (and having left), this sounds like them. They are bad at communication, have admin that seems to give no thought to parent input, and generally seems....not intelligent.

Notably, the teachers were lovely, as was the aftercare staff. It just seems like a badly managed school, and has had those issues for a while.

I couldn't agree with this statement more (except we were there for three years before changing schools). Great classroom experience. Great aftercare experience. Could not stand admin. When I heard about this today it all sounded very on the nose for SSMA.

A few years ago I was part of a cohort of parents that worked really hard to affect positive change at SSMA. We met with “Dr” R, had meetings with the board, circulated petition letters among parents, worked with OSSE and the charter school board. It was all for nothing. The SSMA BOD rubber stamps any decision made by Regina. She makes decisions randomly and vindictively and has absolutely no one to hold her accountable. She’s driven away many excellent teachers and staff. I say this all to demonstrate that the ridiculousness of this situation wrt secondary exposure is just the latest example of how things are done at SSMA. It won’t get better. I’m very sorry.

Having been at SSMA for a year (and having left), this sounds like them. They are bad at communication, have admin that seems to give no thought to parent input, and generally seems....not intelligent.

Notably, the teachers were lovely, as was the aftercare staff. It just seems like a badly managed school, and has had those issues for a while.

Anonymous wrote:This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

No. This kind of decision making is going to prevent a large scale outbreak, which is what is getting schools closed down all over the country, and in overly-cautious DC, will get us switched to virtual for the rest of the semester. This is the right call by SSMA.

I posted this in the wrong forum and just realized this was already a thread. I said:

My son had a great first 2 days in pre-k3 at SS. He is almost 4 with a late birthday so this is his first "school" experience and he is so ready for school. Some tears yesterday and Monday at drop-off but BEAMING in the afternoons, saying he is sad to leave, talking about his teacher, singing the little songs, telling me "we can't be late! I don't want to miss story time!" I have been so thrilled with his reaction to in-person learning and the way he has taken to the school in just 2 days.

Late last night we got an email that a parent had a POSSIBLE exposure with a POSSIBLE positive person, and so the classroom of that specific family would be closed for two days. The email stated that school would remain in session as usual for all other classrooms. I understand the school wanting to be extra cautious, but also want to point out that the school's policy and the OSSE policy for dismissal only discuss a positive case at the school. This was neither a positive case for the parent, the parent's friend, nor the child at SS. But okay, they closed that class, said it would resume on Friday. My son's class was not affected so we went to school.

When we arrived we were turned away at the door by an administrator saying the entire school was closed. Mass confusion and panic, as parents in the drop-off line struggled to understand. I re-checked my email and the last comm I had was from the night before. They would only say "we just found out this morning" and no other clarification, just that school was closed. My son was shell-shocked, started crying, I am scrambling for alternative care, contacting work, etc. Huge cluster.

Finally at 11am they send a follow-up email saying there was a sibling at another school that might have had contact with a positive individual and so they were closing for the rest of the week, reopening on Tuesday, after labor day. No virtual learning during, just closed.

My thoughts are, I get that they are wanting to be cautious, but at what cost? 2 days in-person followed by 7 days off does not make for a smooth, stable, continuous routine. Finding out AT THE DOOR does not decrease the drop-off and separation anxiety these covid kids struggle with. Deviating from their own published policy and the OSSE guidance and operating in an ad-hoc case-by-case basis does not lead to transparency about WTF is going on with schools and COVID risk. And not communicating on top of it?! I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

I have contacted OSSE with my concerns and emailed Jenkins, Taylor, and Rodriguez-Garcia and would encourage anyone else who feels like a closure for secondary possible exposure is bonkers to do the same!

This kind of absurd, nonsensical decision making from the school leadership is par for the course. As a former SSMA parent, I’d recommend leaving the school. This kind of ridiculousness is only going to continue. I’m sorry.

Are they doing remote lessons? Or just closed? This is so weird to me.

Anonymous wrote:Just received a call from SSMA stating that a student had a sibling at another school who was in close contact with a child who tested positive. So two cases of possible exposure. School is closed until next Tuesday.

Until TUESDAY?!

This is totally crazy Good reminder for me to fill out my opt out of testing form.

Anonymous wrote:I'd say maybe they didn't want to deal with the early dismissal all the other schools are pulling together now... but then closed until Tuesday? That doesn't fit into any of the DOH time periods of quarantine guidelines.

I thought the shortened quarantine period was 7 days with a test on day 5? Maybe they meant through Tuesday, not until Tuesday.

I'd say maybe they didn't want to deal with the early dismissal all the other schools are pulling together now... but then closed until Tuesday? That doesn't fit into any of the DOH time periods of quarantine guidelines.

Hey maybe the people who wanted a virtual option but couldn't find one can now enroll at SSMA!

I'd unenroll and just go IB.

Anonymous wrote:Good! Taking this seriously is the only way we are going to prevent Covid from ripping through schools.

It’s crazies like this who have kept kids out of school for a year and a half; don’t let them continue to run the show. Glad we are in DCPS with a mayor who now understands the costs of closing schools.

Good! Taking this seriously is the only way we are going to prevent Covid from ripping through schools.