Our school district just announced it would be 100% online in the fall.

[harllee]

How is that different than being in the school building? Seems they should just be at school. They are still riding the bus and still together in a room.

The room where the 30 students will be is very large--probably 5 times the size of a regular classroom so much easier to social distance. Each student will be at a large table by themselves and no closer than 6 feet to other students. There will be a YMCA counselor for every 4 students so much more supervision than a regular classroom. I understand the YMCA has a fleet of busses so that no more than 10 students per bus and in addition to the bus driver two or three counselors will be on each bus to make sure the children wear masks and social distance. So much much safer than regular school. This will only be for those children in need--those who don't have fast internet at home. The vast majority of students will have online classes at their own homes. The decision to go to online learning was made by the school district. Out Church and the YMCA are trying to help out students who otherwise would be left behind.

 

[rodi]

Today was the first day of my son's senior year... He had one generic 'busy work' assignment (that lasts the first week and is district wide). He had zoom sessions for the two classes. He did the school day in bed, on his phone, in his pajamas.

But - he has to use a computer and webcam for tomorrow's classes... So he might have to get out of bed. LOL.

 

[GravitySucks]

Last week Tell us what the testing finds in another week.


Cheers!

As of yesterday only 12 active cases and a total of less than 40.
Looks like there's a good handle on it for now, but I'm still betting on in person classes canceled and dorm closed by the end of the month.

 

[explanade]

TCU was going to play SMU on Sept. 11. They canceled or postponed the game because several players and staff had a positive test.

TCU football team is now targeting Sept. 26 game vs. Iowa State as their first game.

 

[harllee]

Next Saturday (9/12) UNC is supposed to play Syracuse in football, fingers crossed. No fans in the stands. I was on a Zoom with one of the UNC ADs yesterday who said the UNC football players had a big outbreak in July ( from off campus "gatherings") but "learned their lesson" and have been virus free since then. We will see.

The UNC dorms have been pretty much emptied out but plenty of students still in Chapel Hill. All undergrad classes online. The virus cases have slowed down but there is still a pretty high positivity rate. From what I hear student parties have slowed down (or are hidden) after police issued 4 citations for illegal parties.

 

[Ronstar]

Our local K-12 school district is going in school half days. 3 Covid positives in the first 2 weeks. 1 each in 3 of the 4 schools. Superintendent says that they have it under control.

 

[pacergal]

harlee--
that is so wonderful your church is doing that, what a nice collaboration.

 

[rodi]

Mistaken priorities?

San Diego State opened with the vast majority of classes online, and very limited classes in person (labs, nursing practicals, and that type of thing.) They are pausing in person classes because of a rise in covid19 cases.

At the same time - San Diego is reopening in person dining (and drinking if the place serves food.).

Local editor of an online news service - Scott Lewis of Voice of San Diego - is FURIOUS... he has school age kids that are doing distance learning - but the leadership is prioritizing reopening dining/drinking /movies/hair salons over getting the numbers down to reopen schools.

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, I think that’s true in many areas. You can’t reasonably expect to reopen schools and bars at the same time. If you are unable to reopen schools because of difficulties with spread, why do you think reopening bars within the same community is OK?

 

[explanade]

IIRC, San Diego was one of the worst for new infections in CA in July and August.

Then they got off the top tier of counties.

So now after a little respite, they're trying to open things up again just in time for summer?

One thing I may have underestimated is how much clout restaurants and bars seem to have.

You wouldn't think any single establishment would have much of an economic impact to a city. But I guess several hundred or thousands of them have a big enough economic and political impact?

Because there seemed to be a priority in trying to save these businesses at the local and state level, to ease restrictions sooner than later.

I remember when WI lifted some restrictions on bars in like April, apparently there's a "league" of bars in that state and they had some email or SMS list which broadcast the message and they were open that evening, after the decision came in the afternoon. Then you saw pictures of packed bar right away on social media.

But it's not just in the US. Europe is seeing big spikes in cases right now and a lot of it is attributed to bars, restaurants, night clubs and the average or median age of the infected in like 29 now.

Also during the debate in July about reopening schools in the US, people were citing how Europe was reopening schools with those opposed to reopening citing how they much lower number of new cases than the US so the situation is different.

France just had children return to school this past week but are closing 22 of them for now as their new case level has come close to the peaks in March.

Twenty-two schools have been shut down in France and the French Indian Ocean island of La Reunion due to coronavirus as cases soar in the country.

More than 12 million pupils returned to classrooms in France on Tuesday but some parents and teachers' unions have expressed concern over the reopening of schools as the spread of COVID-19 accelerates.

There have been more than 7,000 new infections in France over a 24-hour period for the second time in two days following the summer holidays - the highest daily rate in Europe.

This is close to the country's record of 7,578 set on 31 March.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavi...europes-highest-daily-infection-rate-12063287

 

[retire-early]

Yes, I think that’s true in many areas. You can’t reasonably expect to reopen schools and bars at the same time. If you are unable to reopen schools because of difficulties with spread, why do you think reopening bars within the same community is OK?

I think some of the people are thinking that well at least with schools the children can do distance learning. I am not saying I agree with that, but I would not doubt that is an unvoiced justification.

I really feel for the parents who don't have the luxury of being able to work from home.

 

[regenaeb]

8 days until we start in person school for my 12 year old twins. Fingers crossed it still happens. Our positivity rate has continued to be less than 2% in MA. In our town and the surrounding towns the rate is less than .5%, which is great to see. So far it looks like the colleges/universities in the Boston and surrounding area are keeping their positive numbers under control. We have 20 colleges and universities in this area, so this has been a big community concern with all the college kids returning. They required them to quarantine 14 days before on campus classes started, then test on the first day and test again 7 days later and it appears they are catching the cases and tracing them to keep it controlled.

The bars are still closed and will remain closed. The Governor just said the other day in a press briefing that it really sucks that some old time bars are closing for good and he is sad to see them go, but he has no choice but to keep them closed to protect public health. He stated he has to get kids back in schools and daycares open and that means keeping bars closed to stop the spread. The state is also requiring any child 6 months and older that attends a daycare or public school to get a flu shot before December 31. Even all college kids must also get a flu shot unless they are completely remote learning and living off campus. If they don't get it by the December 31 deadline they cannot return to campus in the new year.

We did just have 11 students from North Eastern University get kicked out and sent home for partying in their hotel rooms. The university is using a nearby hotel to house students so they can keep only 1 kid per dorm room. On top of them being kicked out their tuition was not refunded. Their parents are going to be pissed! But I guess they all signed an agreement when coming into the school that they would follow all the rules and regulations which included no gatherings/parties and they broke that rule, so the school isn't refunding the money.

 

[rodi]

Here in California the CSU system just announced that spring 2021 will be virtual.

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09...ll-continue-virtual-learning-for-spring-2021/

 

[harllee]

Just read a NY Times article about the virus outbreaks at University of Illinois. The University had done a lot of planning and there was a lot of testing, etc but the article said that the one thing no one had taken into consideration was that quite a few students who tested positive refused to stay in isolation. Many students who tested positive did not feel sick so they left their isolation rooms and went out partying. I know these are young people but it is mind boggling to me that even a teenager would be so irresponsible to sneak out of isolation and go partying after testing positive for Covid-19. There needs to be some serious consequences for this.

 

[candrew]

Mr. Miller's Back to School Song

Awesome!

 

[explanade]

Some Texas HS football teams have started playing, with fans in stands.

When the floodlights snapped on for the season opener at the new $25 million stadium in Celina, Texas, 66-year-old Kim Merchant was in the stands, pandemic be damned.

The infection risk was worth it to see his grandson representing Celina on the field on a recent Friday night, and his granddaughter leading cheers on the sidelines.

“You’ve got to find a way to move forward,” said Merchant, who was among a few thousand spectators streaming into the stadium rising out of North Texas cow pastures in the hinterlands of Dallas. Few in this town question why playing football is more important to them than locking down to keep Covid-19 at bay, just as few question why a town of about 18,000 people would need a stadium big enough to seat a third of its population. “Football in Texas is huge,’’ Merchant said.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...paign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

Some of the bigger schools near big cities aren't starting for a couple more weeks. And some HS districts near hot zones have suspended their seasons.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

I complained up-thread about teachers “phoning it in” this spring. I’m happy to report that a few weeks into the new virtual school year, things seem to be much, much better. It’s clear that the school district and teachers put in a lot of work over to the summer to try to make virtual learning work.

 

[Ronstar]

I complained up-thread about teachers “phoning it in” this spring. I’m happy to report that a few weeks into the new virtual school year, things seem to be much, much better. It’s clear that the school district and teachers put in a lot of work over to the summer to try to make virtual learning work.

People in the know in my school district are saying the same thing - the teachers are doing a great job. Our school district teachers are handling both in class and remote students. During the summer, they put together a comprehensive plan. And it seems to be working.

Students get temp checks daily when entering school. If a student coughs or sneezes in class to the point where mucus is seen, the school contacts the parents and the student is sent home. The student can come back to school with a negative Covid test report, or after a two week home quarantine if symptoms no longer exist.

This explains why our district has only had 3 positive Covid test results. The parents are not having their kids tested. Tests cost $ and results take about a week. So the kids stay home for 2 weeks in remote learning and then come back to school.

I've talked to a few mothers doing remote learning, and its a challenge for them.

 

[harllee]

People in the know in my school district are saying the same thing - the teachers are doing a great job. Our school district teachers are handling both in class and remote students. During the summer, they put together a comprehensive plan. And it seems to be working.

Students get temp checks daily when entering school. If a student coughs or sneezes in class to the point where mucus is seen, the school contacts the parents and the student is sent home. The student can come back to school with a negative Covid test report, or after a two week home quarantine if symptoms no longer exist.

This explains why our district has only had 3 positive Covid test results. The parents are not having their kids tested. Tests cost $ and results take about a week. So the kids stay home for 2 weeks in remote learning and then come back to school.

I've talked to a few mothers doing remote learning, and its a challenge for them.

Wow a kid sneezes and is sent home? I have terrible allergies and this time of year sneeze constantly--I would have been sent home everyday!

 

[Ronstar]

Wow a kid sneezes and is sent home? I have terrible allergies and this time of year sneeze constantly--I would have been sent home everyday!

Yep - The lady who cuts my hair knows a little girl with allergies who got sent home. And she cried to her mom that she didn't know what she had done wrong to get sent home. Poor kid.

 

[gerntz]

Some Texas HS football teams have started playing, with fans in stands.

OH & IN HS's going into 3rd week with reduced, but some fans. What's the big deal?

 

[rodi]

My IRL bff's husband is a high school science teacher. He's been videoing experiments ahead of time, channeling his inner Bill Nye. He had some random people stop and tell him their son is **loving** his class. So it can be done well in a virtual format.

My younger son's classes are going well. He's fully engaged. Much better than spring

 

[Sue J]

We found out late Wed Sept 23rd that our schools will be starting in person classes on Mon Sept 28th, using a hybrid plan. This was the initial plan back in August, but it was postponed in favor of all remote learning until now.

The hybrid plan allows for the option of 100% online learning or half the students in school 2 days a week and 3 days at home. The parents had to make a commitment in early August if they wanted 100% online.

This is all relevant to me because my pleasant little part time job is as a School Crossing Guard. The last time I worked was March 20th and since I really enjoy it I have been missing it!

We usually work 5 days M-F except for all those holiday/teacher day/election day/whatever day off that happens frequently. So for now we will be M-Th, one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon. Sounds great to me!

I know a lot of folks here felt differently about their jobs when they worked. I'm lucky that I found something that I truly enjoy. After being off for 6 weeks last fall with a hip replacement and now being off for 6.5 months with the pandemic I know I'm not ready to retire. I don't need the money, it all goes to an IRA. Sometimes I forget that I get paid until I see it in the bank account.

I hope this goes well for the kids and their families and that no one gets sick. I know it's been very hard for working parents. Fingers are crossed that everyone stays safe.

 

[Ronstar]

Our local high school shut down in-school classes for 2 weeks. Several students came down with Covid. Rumor has it that the infected asymptotic students (and others) bounced around to and from several parties. Hopefully everything clears up within a couple of weeks.

 

[Katsmeow]

I am a FB group for moms in my area (my kids are grown but I'm still a mom). Anyway, some people sent kids back to school a few weeks ago when it opened. Some kept them home to do virtual online learning from the school. Some switched to homeschooling.

Anyway, a number of the moms reported that at the high school level about half of the students had switched from in person to virtual since the semester started. Why?

First, for those involved in sports, the coaches recommended it. If they stayed in school in person the possibility was that some other non-athlete student would get Covid and the athlete student would have to quarantine for a couple of weeks. They could easily miss virtually the whole semester due to quarantines. So the coaches strongly suggested that athletes do virtual school only attending the practices and games in person.

Second, most of the other switches were student drive. Many kids wanted to go back to school to see friends and have social contact. But, it doesn't exist at school. They can't socialize at all and must distance at lunch. They have a thing that is scanned at the table to show where the student was sitting in case some comes down with Covid and they have to determine who there at the time. But, they can't sit next to friends, etc.

And, from a parent standpoint, there is no academic advantage to attending in person. The educational experience is supposed to be the same for in person and online students. So the kids in school in person do they same online virtual lessons as the kids who at home. Sometimes it is with the same teacher. Other times there is a live teacher in the room but the lesson is an online lessons done by a different teacher. (I live in an area with very competitive academics so ensuring equality of instruction might not be as important in other less academic areas).

So basically a lot of students and parents see no benefit in going to school in person. Not academically and not socially. And many students enjoy the greater freedom at home to do things like get a snack or go to the bathroom, etc.

Many of the students working at home do go to the school for extracurriculars or athletic and that is often what most of them wanted anyway.

Of course, bringing kids home to virtually learn is not as easy for younger kids. With the high schoolers they can usually manage to do their work online even if mom and dad are both at work whether in an office or a home office. With younger kids that is tougher. But, honestly, for many parents the only advantage they see to the in person classes is the day care aspect of it. There is no academic or social advantage.