Anonymous wrote:Yes for the time being, the parents, teachers and students are all very supportative of each other. They are able to pivot on a dime! I am so greatfull!

Isn’t that approach a bit out of touch? Most schools found hybrid inadequate last year. They lacked technology and skills to engage both sets of learners at the same time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Schools going back next week without testing are showing poor leadership. Leadership involves making hard and sometimes unpopular decisions. Schools prefer to not be viewed as making decisions or imposing “requirements” that some people may dislike. The same goes for schools not strongly encouraging student vaccines for those kids who are eligible.

Instead, they will bring everyone back and when they don’t have enough staff to teach, or when too many children are sick, they’ll shut it down and go virtual. It’ll be a chaotic couple weeks at these schools.

“Our priority is in person learning” (already stated in this thread) seems admirable on its face. But, if the priority truly was in person learning they would be doing everything possible to stay open. They’d be testing, they’d be implementing stronger mitigations, they’d be encouraging every family to vaccinate. That’s how they can actually stay open and fulfill their missions.

^This is spot on!

Exactly. Schools implementing sound mitigation strategies and taking measured approaches now will be rewarded in a few weeks by containing things better on the front end and improving their chances at staying open.

It’s the old turtle vs. hare lesson for pandemic times.

Anonymous wrote:Schools going back next week without testing are showing poor leadership. Leadership involves making hard and sometimes unpopular decisions. Schools prefer to not be viewed as making decisions or imposing “requirements” that some people may dislike. The same goes for schools not strongly encouraging student vaccines for those kids who are eligible.

Instead, they will bring everyone back and when they don’t have enough staff to teach, or when too many children are sick, they’ll shut it down and go virtual. It’ll be a chaotic couple weeks at these schools.

“Our priority is in person learning” (already stated in this thread) seems admirable on its face. But, if the priority truly was in person learning they would be doing everything possible to stay open. They’d be testing, they’d be implementing stronger mitigations, they’d be encouraging every family to vaccinate. That’s how they can actually stay open and fulfill their missions.

^This is spot on!

Schools going back next week without testing are showing poor leadership. Leadership involves making hard and sometimes unpopular decisions. Schools prefer to not be viewed as making decisions or imposing “requirements” that some people may dislike. The same goes for schools not strongly encouraging student vaccines for those kids who are eligible.

Instead, they will bring everyone back and when they don’t have enough staff to teach, or when too many children are sick, they’ll shut it down and go virtual. It’ll be a chaotic couple weeks at these schools.

“Our priority is in person learning” (already stated in this thread) seems admirable on its face. But, if the priority truly was in person learning they would be doing everything possible to stay open. They’d be testing, they’d be implementing stronger mitigations, they’d be encouraging every family to vaccinate. That’s how they can actually stay open and fulfill their missions.

Anonymous wrote:Our Alexandria-based K-8 has been encouraging vaccines all year. They have also recommended testing prior to our return on Monday. Nothing mandatory, but encouragement. If your child is vaccinated a copy is submitted to the nurse, so in essence they are tracking those metrics. The students wear masks indoors, but remove them when they go outside. It seems like things are going well at school in regards to Covid and my kids are not complaining about mask wearing.

Respectable approach. Better than the lukewarm or middle of the road approaches other schools described here are taking.

Which school?

Yes for the time being, the parents, teachers and students are all very supportative of each other. They are able to pivot on a dime! I am so greatfull!

Anonymous wrote:Our Arlington Dioceses school is giving the parents a choice either btick and morter or virtual for next week.

So your school is offering hybrid? For all grades?

I think the statewide K-12 mask mandate continues under Youngkin is inaugurated, so mask optional would be Jan. 18 at the earliest.

Anonymous wrote:any schools going mask optional on January 3?

That would be an insane decision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our Arlington Dioceses school is giving the parents a choice either btick and morter or virtual for next week.

I’m curious - just next week or is there a plan for what happens after next week?

Not at our school so far. Decisions will probably be made on the fly. If teacher is out, then that class goes home? Middle school is another story. Math teacher is home. Do other teachers cover? Are there enough subs? Is Math teacher well enough to provide sub-plans (which can take a lot of time and effort btw)? Can teacher teach remotely? Will there adult supervision in classroom if class is taught remotely? There are so many variables.

Who can make an an effective plan in so few days? Whatever “plan” is made, will be imperfect. Plus, how much learning will actually happen with this much disruption? What is certain, lessons plans created by teachers for this week, will mostly be thrown out the window. Teachers hard work, once again dismissed. We will have to pivot, adjust, be flexible, understanding, work many hours beyond our contract times. Please be forgiving if your child’s teacher happens to forget something, drops the ball, is not perky! We have a lot on our shoulders. And please, please, please, get your kids vaxxed! All K-8 students are elible for the vaccine!

Our Alexandria-based K-8 has been encouraging vaccines all year. They have also recommended testing prior to our return on Monday. Nothing mandatory, but encouragement. If your child is vaccinated a copy is submitted to the nurse, so in essence they are tracking those metrics. The students wear masks indoors, but remove them when they go outside. It seems like things are going well at school in regards to Covid and my kids are not complaining about mask wearing.

any schools going mask optional on January 3?

Anonymous wrote:Our Arlington Dioceses school is giving the parents a choice either btick and morter or virtual for next week.

I’m curious - just next week or is there a plan for what happens after next week?

Our Arlington Dioceses school is giving the parents a choice either btick and morter or virtual for next week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are any schools recommending vaccines? Our school has a hands off approach. I wish they would at least encourage them. So frustrating!

I’m really frustrated with our school, St. Luke in McLean, about this as well. The school does not mention vaccines at all, or testing. It’s odd and every e-mail feels like they try to thread a needle of concerned but not pissing anyone off. Candidly the middle of the road approach misses the mark. We received an email today that school is planned as scheduled next week (good), the priority is in person school (great), and they are following the CDC guidelines (good). But, there is not a single mention of vaccinations, either requiring or recommending them (odd and disappointing), no testing required to come back to school next week (cringey), and not a mention of what the plan will be if a sizable number of children or staff are out with positive cases (shortsighted).

I hope the “please do not send your kid to school if they are sick” ask will work, but I am skeptical without a firmer approach, and concerned that we don’t know what the plan is if that falls apart.

People won’t accept a mandate for a EUA vaccine for their small kids. Of course the school is not requiring them.

Then just strongly recommend and encourage it until fully approved. Shouldn’t be anything wrong with that, and only upsides for the school’s ability to operate in-person, which they articulated as their main priority.

Until it can be required, I believe weekly testing is a reasonable compromise. At a minimum there should be required testing to return to school next week. No testing at this point is the equivalent of covering your ears, shutting your eyes and shouting “LA LA LA, I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” to the current situation.