Back to School during the pandemic ...a discussion thread

[wdwmom3]

Woooow slow down and re read,,,try not to judge posts too much..let others say what they feel.
Engage in positive conversation.

Hugs
Mel

Woooow slow down and re read,,,try not to judge posts too much..let others say what they feel.
Engage in positive conversation.

Hugs
Mel

I don’t think someone making comments like it will hurt a child’s mental health more, if they give covid to someone because of going to school, then staying home, is very positive.

If a parent says their child needs to be in school it’s not up for debate. We don’t know the child. We don’t know the reasons why.

 

[Madame]

This is on everyone’s minds. I just had a FB conversation with a Mom of one of my boy’s best friends. She is conflicted too. She wants to keep her kids home but they both work & their kids are in a French-language school where my daughter attends & neither parent is fluent. I am a 20 year French Immersion vet.

We are going to pool together with another friend of my other boy and I’ll be “tutoring” them along with my 3 after school & on weekends. Win-win. I get an enclosed social bubble for my kids & they are less stressed about their kids’ education.

Put out some feelers with your teacher friends if you’d prefer to keep your kids online, but are worried about them keeping up due to lack of f2f instruction.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

See this is the type of post we could do without. It’s not your child, you don’t know why they need school. And you are basically trying to make people feel for guilty for sending their kids to school.

To steal a line from early 90’s SNL, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt”.

Pretending that some percentage of kids (and a much higher percentage of the people they live with) aren’t going to get very, very sick and may die if kids are sent back to school, doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.

All we’ve heard since this started is public health officials and epidemiologists screaming at us that the best way to lower the risk of catching Covid is to stay home, and if you can’t stay home, you need to social distance supplemented by masking.

Now we have governments who are worried about decreased tax revenue from those not working, saying that it’s perfectly ok to throw 30-40 kids into an enclosed classroom - where social distancing is 18” and not 6’ - and without mandated masks.

I can’t wrap my head around how anyone thinks that’s going to turn out to be anything less than a disaster when kids, who ‘may’ not suffer the effects of Covid as severely, bring the virus home to their parents/grandparents/other caregivers.

 

[bababear_50]

My steps (baby).

1 patiently wait for gov announcements.

2 wait for school board to announce their plan.

3. Make a go to bag/box of supplies as depending on Gov,unions,others has in the past not been a good idea. (Wipes, gloves, paper towels, hand sanitizer, special hand soap, fresh supply of extra masks, baggies, paper bags etc),

4. Go back with the knowledge that things will not be the same but try to make it as safe as possible.

5 Go back with the knowledge that 16 cohorts is actually = 160 people x 3 because of before and after school care ,,,,,,,
which brings my daily exposure up to 480 contact tracings. (God I hope everyone practises safe precautions ).

6. Start planning my resource materials to meet the kids needs taking into consideration no shared objects ,,disposable materials,,etc.

7. Put a garment bag in the garage and dispose of clothing in there before coming into the house--grab a shower. (My son has Asthma so he is at risk but works from home).

8. Remember that sick days are available and maybe in the past you went to work because it was just a cold,,,this year you are using those sick days.

9. Hope that school has a quick turnaround plan for Covid testing or my kids are going to end up with no in class support.(the past 5 years we have been using lunchroom helpers as no supply staff available).

10. Stop eating junk or the kids are going to say Ms. M you look fat!

I'll be editing and adding to this list
Hugs
Mel

 

[bababear_50]

This is on everyone’s minds. I just had a FB conversation with a Mom of one of my boy’s best friends. She is conflicted too. She wants to keep her kids home but they both work & their kids are in a French-language school where my daughter attends & neither parent is fluent. I am a 20 year French Immersion vet.

We are going to pool together with another friend of my other boy and I’ll be “tutoring” them along with my 3 after school & on weekends. Win-win. I get an enclosed social bubble for my kids & they are less stressed about their kids’ education.

Put out some feelers with your teacher friends if you’d prefer to keep your kids online, but are worried about them keeping up due to lack of f2f instruction.

What a great idea!
Hugs
Mel

 

[Madame]

My steps (baby).

1 patiently wait for gov announcements.

2 wait for school board to announce their plan.

3. Make a go to bag/box of supplies as depending on Gov,unions,others has in the past not been a good idea. (Wipes,gloves,paper towels,hand sanitizer,special hand soap,,etc),

4. Go back with the knowledge that things will not be the same but try to make it as safe as possible.

5 Go back with the knowledge that 16 cohorts is actually = 160 people x 3 because of before and after school care ,,,,,,,
which brings my daily exposure up to 480 contract tracings. (God I hope everyone practises safe precautions ).

6. Start planning my resource materials to meet the kids needs taking into consideration no shared objects ,,disposable materials,,etc.

7. Put a garment bag in the garage and dispose of clothing in there before coming into the house--grab a shower.

8. Remember that sick days are available and maybe in the past you went to work because it was just a cold,,,this year you are using those sick days.

9. Hope that school has a quick turnaround plan for Covid testing or my kids are going to end up with no in class support.(the past 5 years we have been using lunchroom helpers as no supply staff available).

10. Stop eating junk or the kids are going to say Ms. M you look fat!

I'll be editing and adding to this list
Hugs
Mel

#6 is just brutal . All my beautiful vocab games and interactive activities

#10. Me too. And I have a recent thyroid diagnosis that makes impossible to shift

 

[wdwmom3]

To steal a line from early 90’s SNL, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt”.

Pretending that some percentage of kids (and a much higher percentage of the people they live with) aren’t going to get very, very sick and may die if kids are sent back to school, doesn’t mean it’s not going to happen.

All we’ve heard since this started is public health officials and epidemiologists screaming at us that the best way to lower the risk of catching Covid is to stay home, and if you can’t stay home, you need to social distance supplemented by masking.

Now we have governments who are worried about decreased tax revenue from those not working, saying that it’s perfectly ok to throw 30-40 kids into an enclosed classroom - where social distancing is 18” and not 6’ - and without mandated masks.

I can’t wrap my head around how anyone thinks that’s going to turn out to be anything less than a disaster when kids, who ‘may’ not suffer the effects of Covid as severely, bring the virus home to their parents/grandparents/other caregivers.

I find your post incredibly ignorant. There will not be 30-40 kids in a small classroom. And there are many non economic reasons to have kids back in school, safely.

I’m out. I’m tired of people making parents feel guilty for their choices. For those keeping their kids home, great!!! For those sending their kids to school, great!!!!

 

[Maddysdaddy]

I find your post incredibly ignorant. There will not be 30-40 kids in a small classroom. And there are many non economic reasons to have kids back in school, safely.

I’m out. I’m tired of people making parents feel guilty for their choices. For those keeping their kids home, great!!! For those sending their kids to school, great!!!!

Every class my daughter had last year averaged around 35 students, and the Government of Alberta plan is school goes back to the way it was before - no reduced class size, no half days or 3/2 scheduling, and no mandatory masks - so don’t you dare tell me I’m ‘ignorant’.

I’m a post-secondary professor and we’re completely online for at least the rest of 2020, so why is it unsafe for those 18+ who are likely to be living in their own to be in class, but it’s ok for those under 18 who live with their families, to go back to school?

 

[bababear_50]

#6 is just brutal . All my beautiful vocab games and interactive activities

#10. Me too. And I have a recent thyroid diagnosis that makes impossible to shift

Ah hugs to you hon
Yeah I use a ton of sensory materials that are going to just be out this year,,Kinder teachers have had their water/sand/sensory table removed from our classrooms.

I went through Thyroid issues a few years ago,,,Hyper--Hypo
I had Radioactive Iodine to kill the thyroid and now replacement thyroid pills,,which we just changed the dosage again.
Hugs Hon
Mel

 

[bababear_50]

Every class my daughter had last year averaged around 35 students, and the Government of Alberta plan is school goes back to the way it was before - no reduced class size, no half days or 3/2 scheduling, and no mandatory masks - so don’t you dare tell me I’m ‘ignorant’.

I’m a post-secondary professor and we’re completely online for at least the rest of 2020, so why is it unsafe for those 18+ who are likely to be living in their own to be in class, but it’s ok for those under 18 who live with their families, to go back to school?

To be honest I think many parents are being given inaccurate information depending upon their province and city/town. It is important as you suggest that parents contact their own school to see what preparations and precautions are in the works.
Yeah our Kinder class size was the same as you mention.
Our grade 7 and grade 8 are sitting at 29 for next year.
Ontario GTA area.
You are not ignorant and we all appreciate you contributing to the discussion.

Hugs
Mel

 

[Madame]

Ah hugs to you hon
Yeah I use a ton of sensory materials that are going to just be out this year,,Kinder teachers have had their water/sand/sensory table removed from our classrooms.

I went through Thyroid issues a few years ago,,,Hyper--Hypo
I had Radioactive Iodine to kill the thyroid and now replacement thyroid pills,,which we just changed the dosage again.
Hugs Hon
Mel

Yup. I had a tumour several years ago and had 1/2 of my thyroid removed. Just this past year my levels started going haywire. It’s the gift that keeps on giving . I hope I can still use my small white boards. I bought a class set and the kids love them & I use them all the time for vocab/grammar review competitions. I doubt it though. Once we get a set plan of can/cannot I’ll feel a lot less stressed. I think it’s the not knowing as a parent then again a teacher. Nothing feels stable right now.

 

[bababear_50]

Love mini whiteboards!!!
Gheesh I hope we can use them as I've already bought some for my traveling sensory cart.
So true the not knowing is very stressful BUT we will make it through this.

Hugs
Mel

 

[FigmentSpark]

My steps (baby).

1 patiently wait for gov announcements.

2 wait for school board to announce their plan.

3. Make a go to bag/box of supplies as depending on Gov,unions,others has in the past not been a good idea. (Wipes,gloves,paper towels,hand sanitizer,special hand soap,Fresh supply of extra masks,etc),

4. Go back with the knowledge that things will not be the same but try to make it as safe as possible.

5 Go back with the knowledge that 16 cohorts is actually = 160 people x 3 because of before and after school care ,,,,,,,
which brings my daily exposure up to 480 contact tracings. (God I hope everyone practises safe precautions ).

6. Start planning my resource materials to meet the kids needs taking into consideration no shared objects ,,disposable materials,,etc.

7. Put a garment bag in the garage and dispose of clothing in there before coming into the house--grab a shower. (My son has Asthma so he is at risk but works from home).

8. Remember that sick days are available and maybe in the past you went to work because it was just a cold,,,this year you are using those sick days.

9. Hope that school has a quick turnaround plan for Covid testing or my kids are going to end up with no in class support.(the past 5 years we have been using lunchroom helpers as no supply staff available).

10. Stop eating junk or the kids are going to say Ms. M you look fat!

I'll be editing and adding to this list
Hugs
Mel

Me, as a parent trying to do your #1 and #2




We have had no information that they are even doing anything, other than they asked us to do the standard survey of which of the 3 choices we prefer. I know they are working on it, at least I hope they are, but having no information is hard.

My grade 11 son wants to go back. He knows he learns better in class, but there's also the hope of a little social normalcy. Well, if he's put in a cohort of 15, that's likely not going to happen. And depending on the teachers he has (because not all are great), he may not do better in class than at home. There are just so many factors in play right now and I think it's got us all on edge.

 

[pigletto]

Me, as a parent trying to do your #1 and #2

View attachment 513563


We have had no information that they are even doing anything, other than they asked us to do the standard survey of which of the 3 choices we prefer. I know they are working on it, at least I hope they are, but having no information is hard.

My grade 11 son wants to go back. He knows he learns better in class, but there's also the hope of a little social normalcy. Well, if he's put in a cohort of 15, that's likely not going to happen. And depending on the teachers he has (because not all are great), he may not do better in class than at home. There are just so many factors in play right now and I think it's got us all on edge.

My son is in grade 11 too . We were laughing yesterday as we imagined the worst possible scenario for the 15 person cohort. You know .. the ex girlfriend that he doesn‘t talk to anymore , and the group of 8 jerks that move in a pack and disrespect the teachers and don’t listen or stay quiet in class and make everyone miserable.. he said he will end up in that cohort if he knows his luck.

I‘m still completely on the fence on this one. I will see what they come up with and go from there . I honestly think I’m leaning more heavily toward not sending him. He is leaning more toward going back for the in class instruction. He’s worried that the online option will be as bad as it was in the spring and worried about keeping his grades up. My husband is about as on the fence as I am.

 

[quandrea]

My only concern for my family is that whatever Ontario’s plan is, that school remains voluntary. That was the pivotal piece for me in the original announcement. I don’t want to send my dd nor does she want to go. So long as that option is available, we will be fine. If they remove that voluntary piece, I’ll have to initiate homeschool paperwork so she can register with the ILC. That worries me a bit, as the school/school board is notoriously slow at generating paperwork. I homeschool my elementary aged twins, so that’s sorted.

It seems to me that moving high school, save perhaps for special education to an online platform would simplify taming this beast of a job.My brother in law is a building supervisor with a school board. He noted today that most of the classrooms will not accommodate the distance required for the fifteen cohort suggestion. Just another wrinkle. Put Hs online and just handle the elementary.

 

[quandrea]

My son is in grade 11 too . We were laughing yesterday as we imagined the worst possible scenario for the 15 person cohort. You know .. the ex girlfriend that he doesn‘t talk to anymore , and the group of 8 jerks that move in a pack and disrespect the teachers and don’t listen or stay quiet in class and make everyone miserable.. he said he will end up in that cohort if he knows his luck.

I‘m still completely on the fence on this one. I will see what they come up with and go from there . I honestly think I’m leaning more heavily toward not sending him. He is leaning more toward going back for the in class instruction. He’s worried that the online option will be as bad as it was in the Spring.

Ha ha. My daughter is actually thrilled that she need not return to Hs. She has always loved her online classes (has always done partially online to accommodate high performance athletics). High school is not the wonderful experience it’s necessarily cracked up to be. My daughter was homeschooled for elementary and thus started high school ahead of her peers. So she was in class with kids older than her sometimes. Those classes were fine. The ones with her peers drove her nuts—poor behaviour, slow moving, etc. 100% online is best case, dream scenario for her. Hopefully the online classes will be better in the fall. My daughter has always used the e-learning consortium courses and they are rigorous and well executed.

 

[bababear_50]

Me, as a parent trying to do your #1 and #2

View attachment 513563


We have had no information that they are even doing anything, other than they asked us to do the standard survey of which of the 3 choices we prefer. I know they are working on it, at least I hope they are, but having no information is hard.




My grade 11 son wants to go back. He knows he learns better in class, but there's also the hope of a little social normalcy. Well, if he's put in a cohort of 15, that's likely not going to happen. And depending on the teachers he has (because not all are great), he may not do better in class than at home. There are just so many factors in play right now and I think it's got us all on edge.

Hi Hon
I am not sure where you are but I would definitely look for your school's Parent Council info and see if they have gone online with information.

I know sometimes when kids hit grade 6 parents feel like it's hard to be part of their kids school but in the case of Covid 19 now is the time to jump on the bandwagon.
You will get through this Hon!

I do NOT *Twit* nor *Tweet* nor * Pacebook * as I have found these forms of communication to be unwise,,however I do know most schools do have some form of communication.


Ahh teachers....Hmmmm......................
Not all Teachers & Parents are alike, but by the time they are finished they will all be great!
This from a 23 year vet as a children's special needs Teaching Assistant.


Hugs to you
Mel

 

[Madame]

My only concern for my family is that whatever Ontario’s plan is, that school remains voluntary. That was the pivotal piece for me in the original announcement. I don’t want to send my dd nor does she want to go. So long as that option is available, we will be fine. If they remove that voluntary piece, I’ll have to initiate homeschool paperwork so she can register with the ILC. That worries me a bit, as the school/school board is notoriously slow at generating paperwork. I homeschool my elementary aged twins, so that’s sorted.

It seems to me that moving high school, save perhaps for special education to an online platform would simplify taming this beast of a job.My brother in law is a building supervisor with a school board. He noted today that most of the classrooms will not accommodate the distance required for the fifteen cohort suggestion. Just another wrinkle. Put Hs online and just handle the elementary.

Have you not received info from your board reassuring you that you will have online option? I have from both my kids’ boards. One was in email, the other I just stumbled across in a FB post by a friend. Contact them & I’m certain they’ll tell you that you have that option.

 

[hdrolfe]

I think each province, and within the provinces each school board, has different plans and ideas. Even in Ottawa, there are 4 school boards. My son's has provided a very detailed plan with the explanations as to why they chose the options they include. I don't know about other boards or provinces but I do feel confident in what they are proposing. I guess others are not so lucky. My son has been lucky that his classes have been up to 22 kids in the class so far, that's in all grades in the school, so I feel confident they could manage with smaller classes should even 1/4 of the kids choose to stay home. Again, his school has empty classrooms and small classes already. If it was a different school, perhaps I would feel differently.

I certainly feel for the teachers who have to make the decision whether they will work or not, I get it. A lot of people are having to make that decision, and have been since this started. I recognize how lucky I am, my son is old enough that I don't have to spend my entire day watching him, and I am able to work while we are at home together. But I am not a teacher, and there was no teaching happening in the spring. They gave us videos to watch to explain how to do long division... That is not teaching! If they move to all online there had better be more teaching involved. Interaction with the students, not just all chatting and showing off their rooms or pets. The plans I've seen, where the online kids would work with the in class kids on their work and be able to communicate throughout the day, makes it seem like perhaps something would actually get done. I am expecting if that is the option that I will have to adjust my work day to accommodate things. And then spend not only my 8 hours a day working but also how many hours a day teaching? That's provided I'm still allowed to stay working from home.

If it was me, if I was the student? I'd love to be online! I hated having to deal with other kids, slow learners, all of it, but my son is not me. He learns better in person, he is not self motivated to do the online work, and there are some fights I'm not prepared to take on. I am sure some of his classmates were thriving with the at home learning.

My school board sent a detailed plan and then a survey with a "will you send your child to in class learning?" question. I assume they will use those to determine the number of staff etc. We are promised more information in the beginning of August, which I believe is also when the province will make their announcements.

 

[bababear_50]

Ha ha. My daughter is actually thrilled that she need not return to Hs. She has always loved her online classes (has always done partially online to accommodate high performance athletics). High school is not the wonderful experience it’s necessarily cracked up to be. My daughter was homeschooled for elementary and thus started high school ahead of her peers. So she was in class with kids older than her sometimes. Those classes were fine. The ones with her peers drove her nuts—poor behaviour, slow moving, etc. 100% online is best case, dream scenario for her. Hopefully the online classes will be better in the fall. My daughter has always used the e-learning consortium courses and they are rigorous and well executed.

Ah Ha you have given me something to discuss with my granddaughter--she is going into grade 11 next year..I wonder what her feelings on this are?

Thanks Hon
Hugs
Mel