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

[quandrea]

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

You’ll have to ask. It’s interesting. I put dd in Hs to facilitate making her transcript, figuring it would aid in university application . With her younger siblings, I know more about the system and I’m just going to enrol them in the Independent Learning Centre right from the start. They’ll just homeschool right through. Being in the bricks and mortar school provided no benefit and we have been beholden to the school system’s schedule and red tape for two years now. Dd is taking three courses this summer to accelerate, and she will be done by the end of August 2021. A year ahead of schedule, but none too soon. She has hated high school.

 

[quandrea]

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.

No we have not.

 

[Silvermist999]

My friends and I have been having this discussion about our children, but until we know exactly what options our school boards are providing to us, we are trying not to jump to any conclusions or panic (too much).

My oldest is going into grade 11 with a science focussed course load (physics, chemistry and biology) so it concerns me whether she will be able to actually learn enough to succeed in grade 12 and then at the post secondary level if classes are held online, with a similar level of “teaching” in the spring, which was almost none at all, just posting work to do online and no daily or weekly meetings on google hangouts.

We will find out in a couple weeks what options our board has come up with and hopefully how they plan to execute them.

 

[FigmentSpark]

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

We are in HCDSB. I haven’t really followed the parent council in HS, but I do know someone who does. I don’t think there’s been any activity for parents though.

I don’t do Zuckbook, either. But I do follow our board and school on Twitter. Not much there other than pats on the back. Real info is supposed to be emailed to parents and there hasn’t been much lately. But, I get the impression there isnt much decided.

 

[Renarr]

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 seem to invariably teach this group, so I look forward to meeting your son! LOL

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.

I think this is what irritates me about what our district is doing with the parent community. They've put out a couple of surveys asking parents what they intend to do, but they don't have the details worked out such that they can make the decision. I'm convinced that some of the parents voting to put their kids back in school are doing so based on how remote instruction occurred this past spring, and if the district hasn't told them what will change, what else can they assume?

I understand it's hard for the district to do the planning without having an idea of what the parents will do, but it's hard for the parents to tell you what they want to do until they tell the parents what school is going to look like.

 

[quandrea]

My friends and I have been having this discussion about our children, but until we know exactly what options our school boards are providing to us, we are trying not to jump to any conclusions or panic (too much).

My oldest is going into grade 11 with a science focussed course load (physics, chemistry and biology) so it concerns me whether she will be able to actually learn enough to succeed in grade 12 and then at the post secondary level if classes are held online, with a similar level of “teaching” in the spring, which was almost none at all, just posting work to do online and no daily or weekly meetings on google hangouts.

We will find out in a couple weeks what options our board has come up with and hopefully how they plan to execute them.

My dd is doing online biology right now. The course is excellent. Hopefully you will have the same luck. I think if the course starts as online, with the intention to be an online course, things will be better than the slap dash effort of the spring, where they basically went digital midway through. Teachers were also limited in what they could ask of kids time wise and marks could not go down. I’m hopeful the fall will be more akin to the made for online classes that are widely deployed on a regular basis.

 

[bababear_50]

We are in . I haven’t really followed the parent council in HS, but I do know someone who does. I don’t think there’s been any activity for parents though.

I don’t do Zuckbook, either. But I do follow our board and school on Twitter. Not much there other than pats on the back. Real info is supposed to be emailed to parents and there hasn’t been much lately. But, I get the impression there isnt much decided.

Ha ,,love the Zuckbook......
I had to Google that one HCDSB
Halton Catholic District School Board
And so true not much has been decided by each board as we wait for Ford and the *Leech* to make an announcement.
Right now our staff email is undergoing a security change up so I can't even log in right now to see anything. Help Desk says it should be all finished by Monday,,,hmmmmm...yeah.
So I guess we wait..............................................and wait,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Hugs to you
Mel

 

[Madame]

For anyone not au courant, this is the newly amended risk chart. As we see, schools (my windows open maybe 4 inches and no AC) are comparable to outdoor patio risk . I think we can all guess where this is heading...

 

[bababear_50]

I am trying to figure out if it's safer to have the windows closed with a wall air conditioner on.
The air conditioner we have is a have to have due to a child with medical needs,,only 2 classes in our school have A/C.
I have put an email into our Association/Union asking if they are going to install any special filtres on the air conditioner (about a week ago) so far no response.
I know the millwork was redone in some of our classes because the health & Safety people have sent emails regarding the removal of Asbestos tiles.
I know one of my kids will not be coming back to in school learning (he doesn't know this yet) and he will be crushed but he is just way tooooo at risk. sad.
Communication from the powers that be during this time would be helpful.

Hugs
Mel

 

[Renarr]

For anyone not au courant, this is the newly amended risk chart. As we see, schools (my windows open maybe 4 inches and no AC) are comparable to outdoor patio risk . I think we can all guess where this is heading...
View attachment 513604

So here's one thing I never understood about charts like this one: does it take into account students eating in classrooms? Just wondering, because that seems to be the route that a lot of schools are considering for distancing their lunches.

 

[Madame]

So here's one thing I never understood about charts like this one: does it take into account students eating in classrooms? Just wondering, because that seems to be the route that a lot of schools are considering for distancing their lunches.

I don’t know, but this graph was only recently re-released by the fed gov. Outdoor fully ventilated adequately separated patrons are not kids in desks who need a pencil/to use the facilities etc. I have 3 separate classes of 30+ kids rotate through my room. I’m giving myself a panic attack just imagining it.

 

[bababear_50]

I don’t know, but this graph was only recently re-released by the fed gov. Outdoor fully ventilated adequately separated patrons are not kids in desks who need a pencil/to use the facilities etc. I have 3 separate classes of 30+ kids rotate through my room. I’m giving myself a panic attack just imagining it.

Deep breathe Hon,,you'll figure this out!

I know at my school the Core French teacher is going *Ala Carte* as in she will be moving herself and her new teaching cart from classroom to classroom (the kids will be staying in their home classrooms for the day). Her classroom is being repurposed. I know she is upset about not having a classroom but she said it will probably be safer doing this. How to pair down resources and materials will be hard.

Hugs to you
Mel
example


this is my favourite one



Have a look here

https://www.google.com/search?q=por...ECAUQIg&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=NuyU4AbqoIQFYM

 

[hdrolfe]

Deep breathe Hon,,you'll figure this out!

I know at my school the Core French teacher is going *Ala Carte* as in she will be moving herself and her new teaching cart from classroom to classroom (the kids will be staying in their home classrooms for the day). Her classroom is being repurposed. I know she is upset about not having a classroom but she said it will probably be safer doing this. How to pair down resources and materials will be hard.

Hugs to you
Mel

I believe this is what they are doing in my son's school as well. For Core and Immersion, if they do Immersion that is. It will be a big change since the kids are used to moving around and they have immersion and core kids in the same home rooms.

 

[bankr63]

DW (teaches grade 7 in OCDSB - Ottawa-Carleton) were discussing our contingencies this afternoon.

Although The *Leach* (tm - @bababear_50) hasn't announced anything, we are expecting that it will be full time school with no reduced cohorts for Grade 7 (approx 25-28 per class). After all, with $0.10 per day per student extra, how could they hire the teachers to reduce the sizes? With no AC and limited ventilation in her classroom, we expect that we will probably have an infection in our home by October sometime. We are visiting our aging parents now while we can. My mom is 92 and healthy; no way am I going to be the one to pass the COVID on to her. I will probably have to continue to travel the two hours to her home every couple of weeks for yard work, but I will not be entering the home.

My favorite meme on the Zuckerbook has to be the one "If they are virtual meeting to discuss return to school because it is not safe to meet, what makes them think that it could possibly be safe to return to school?"

 

[bababear_50]

DW (teaches grade 7 in OCDSB - Ottawa-Carleton) were discussing our contingencies this afternoon.

Although The *Leach* (tm - @bababear_50) hasn't announced anything, we are expecting that it will be full time school with no reduced cohorts for Grade 7 (approx 25-28 per class). After all, with $0.10 per day per student extra, how could they hire the teachers to reduce the sizes? With no AC and limited ventilation in her classroom, we expect that we will probably have an infection in our home by October sometime. We are visiting our aging parents now while we can. My mom is 92 and healthy; no way am I going to be the one to pass the COVID on to her. I will probably have to continue to travel the two hours to her home every couple of weeks for yard work, but I will not be entering the home.

My favorite meme on the Zuckerbook has to be the one "If they are virtual meeting to discuss return to school because it is not safe to meet, what makes them think that it could possibly be safe to return to school?"

So sorry Hon,,I hope things get planned very different for you and your wife.
When it comes to kids the government needs to put their wallet where their mouths are.
You want the economy open,, then do so safely.


Yeah here is what I think of him *Leech*
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/leech
Hugs to you
Mel

 

[bankr63]

When it comes to kids the government needs to put their wallet where their mouths are.
You want the economy open,, then do so safely.

Hugs to you
Mel

And that is the key. The Ottawa Citizen did an article looking at the various countries that have opened schools and how they have fared. Those countries (and there are a few) that have done so successfully had a solid plan and were well resourced (costs $$$). Those who did not did those two things are more than a bit of a disaster. Which bucket does it appear Ontario is selecting?

The *Leech*: I have a plan, I have a plan, I have a plan... Weeks later: my plan is to let someone else plan it! More weeks later: and I will have to approve those plans. More weeks later with only a couple of weeks left to actually do something: my plan is.... (wait for it, 'cause we don't know the answer yet). The suspense is killing me (dark pun intended).

 

[CanadianKrista]

I am so torn on this. A few weeks ago, when Ottawa daily cases were super low, I was all for sending my kids back. DH is going to grade 7, and is not AT ALL motivated with the online learning. It was a major struggle every day. He does game online with his friends, and mentally seems to be doing okay with the separation. Meanwhile, DD, going to grade 5, did pretty well with the online learning, but her mental health is greatly suffering from being separated from her peers. Anxiety, insomnia, general meltdowns over little things - she is a social creature, and this is harming her in ways we may not understand for years.

When they sent out a survey a couple of weeks ago if we were planning to keep the kids home if online was an option, I said no. But as cases rise again in the Ottawa area, I just don't know anymore.

There are no good options for our kids right now.

 

[Debbie]

The *Leech*: I have a plan, I have a plan, I have a plan... Weeks later: my plan is to let someone else plan it! More weeks later: and I will have to approve those plans. More weeks later with only a couple of weeks left to actually do something: my plan is.... (wait for it, 'cause we don't know the answer yet). The suspense is killing me (dark pun intended).

Seriously, it's like the government thinks we are stupid and don't realize that there has to be a second plan for the times if/when the numbers change and a change is warranted. Call it Plan A, B, C, but HAVE the plans instead of a plan to make the announcement to make a plan.

 

[pigletto]

And that is the key. The Ottawa Citizen did an article looking at the various countries that have opened schools and how they have fared. Those countries (and there are a few) that have done so successfully had a solid plan and were well resourced (costs $$$). Those who did not did those two things are more than a bit of a disaster. Which bucket does it appear Ontario is selecting?

The *Leech*: I have a plan, I have a plan, I have a plan... Weeks later: my plan is to let someone else plan it! More weeks later: and I will have to approve those plans. More weeks later with only a couple of weeks left to actually do something: my plan is.... (wait for it, 'cause we don't know the answer yet). The suspense is killing me (dark pun intended).

Haha, don’t forget .... school boards can pick from my three plans, except not really because we are leaning on them in private.

Also I dislike how they announce their announcements. Please stop with the press conferences just to tell us you will be telling us something some other time.

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

Tough decisions for everyone on this. One of my biggest concerns is that with things opening up again now we'll see a spike in Sept/Oct. I'm really hoping cases somehow stay low until a vaccine comes out.