Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[katie01]

Not sure if the US has state paid online learning. We have something called the Independent Learning Centre. I register my daughter as a homeschooler and her student file resides with them. The funding attached to her goes to the ILC. There is no cost to us and she completes her credits online, through them. I’d call your local school board and see what they have. The online courses, as you say, are well established and they are run very well. Dd has done fifty percent of her learning online and she finds the experience superior to in class.

Thank you, I know there is a free program in the US that is online called K-12. I have heard mixed reviews on it, but I will keep checking and consider all the options. My kids actually preferred the remote learning this spring to in person classes also. They like not having to waste time waiting for half the class to pay attention or behave, and also like being able to replay something again if they didn’t understand the first time

 

[TJA]

My kids will go back to school in a heartbeat if we open. We are in a cold-spot of New York State and a smaller school district. Our district has a plan, but everything is on hold until our Governor says we can open. Even our athletic fields have to remain closed . I will say our County has recently seen more cases lately than we have this whole time. We had 16 positives one day last week, and that is a lot for us. most people in their 20's. I think it's because of our lake and summer communities opening, boat parties, etc. We've had 8 deaths in our County this whole time, all "older" people with underlying conditions. We know one of the families and they said their parent had a heart condition and was on hospice but was noted as dying of Covid. Not sure if that will eventually get changed or just stay that way. In any event, our high school sports were just "delayed" and instead of starting on August 24, they are starting on Sept 21. Our first day of school is scheduled to be Sept 8.

 

[dvcgirl67]

So our local schools are offering two options: virtual full time or in-person full time. You have to commit for the semester. (The in-person option can be moved online should schools have to close, whatever line that is they would have to cross.) It sounds like the vast majority of teachers would have to teach at least one class in-person. Virtual teachers still have to go into the physical school building.

They’re offering teachers a half-year of unpaid leave.

A quarter of the teachers at my husband’s school have already indicated they are filling out the forms for admin leave if they will be required to teach any class in person. Others (including my husband) are still thinking about it. A few are taking offers at a nearby school that is starting fully online.

Imagine this across the spectrum. Our district employs nearly 4000 teachers. Suddenly 1000 take leave? Good luck filling that. It’s not like they have scores of teachers lined up. The district was originally predicting hiring 107 teachers to help space out kids, and they are having problems to fill those, let alone replace a quarter of their force.

And then there are the subs. They had problems last year filling sub positions and had to cancel a few days because so many teachers were out sick. A nearby district said they have less than half the number of subs for this year they had last year. When the teachers start getting sick, who would step in?

I believe that's what is going to happen, a lot of teachers will take a leave of absence if they can. Or we may see massive teacher strikes...etc. My sister just heard from my nephew's school today. They sent out a survey to see what the parents preferred. This is K-8 Charter School. Honestly I don't even know what to make of the choices. One choice was 8am to 12pm, five days a week, sending kids home at noon with a bagged lunch. All kids must wear masks as they can't space them out. Another was 8am to 2pm two days a week. Another was 8-2 four days a week. There would need to be some online learning because they normally go from 8-4, 5 days a week and also offer aftercare until 6pm. The school has a population of 45% Hispanic children, 45% white children, and 10% African American children.

This schedule will greatly impact the parents who can not work from home. My sister works from home anyway, so she's opting for the 2 day schedule, but she said that she thinks the school will end up going for 8-2pm four days a week because there are a lot of parents who can't work from home. She said, she's considering just sending my nephew 2 days a week, but doesn't know if that would even be an option.

No word yet for my niece who entering 10th grade. The high school doesn't have their plan together yet. And no word from either school about the plan for the inevitable outbreaks of virus.

The local catholic schools are all doing 100% in person learning, because....tuition....shocker. I would expect that a lot of teachers will retire, or try to take a year off. At least in this part of NJ, it sure isn't going to be a normal school year for these kids.

My sister in N.C. is keeping my other nephew home.....she didn't even want to know the plan, she's not sending him.

 

[EveDallas]

You will never get it.

Nope, I never will get why certain people or professions are deemed more important than others. Call me crazy.

 

[HeatherC]

Nope, I never will get why certain people or professions are deemed more important than others. Call me crazy.

NO ONE ever said teachers are “more” important. The discussion has been based around the fact that it is extremely complicated to get schools up and running SAFELY and that there are many many important questions that need to be answered and issues handled before that can happen. For some reason you seem to think these concerns are not valid or warrant discussion.

 

[EveDallas]

NO ONE ever said teachers are “more” important. The discussion has been based around the fact that it is extremely complicated to get schools up and running SAFELY and that there are many many important questions that need to be answered and issues handled before that can happen. For some reason you seem to think these concerns are not valid or warrant discussion.

Here's a suggestion. If my posts bother you that much, either scroll past them or put me on ignore. Super easy.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Thank you, I know there is a free program in the US that is online called K-12. I have heard mixed reviews on it, but I will keep checking and consider all the options. My kids actually preferred the remote learning this spring to in person classes also. They like not having to waste time waiting for half the class to pay attention or behave, and also like being able to replay something again if they didn’t understand the first time

There’s another one called Connections Academy that I’ve heard advertised as well. I don’t have personal experience with either, though.

And yes, being able to pause and replay lectures was definitely the “silver lining” for my college DS last spring.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Well that's a wrap. Gov. Newsom just made it official - private schools can't go back to in-person teaching either. Not to worry though, he's mandated that distance learning needs to be "rigorous" and "include live daily interactions". Well that will fix it.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Well that's a wrap. Gov. Newsom just made it official - private schools can't go back to in-person teaching either. Not to worry though, he's mandated that distance learning needs to be "rigorous" and "include live daily interactions". Well that will fix it.

For your kids sake, I really hope you're able to find a positive attitude going into this.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Our elementary district just sent a message that they are recommending staying on distance learning through at least Oct. 30th, which is the end of the first trimester. It will go for board approval next week. Actually happy for the stability and ability to plan for at least a few months.

 

[Lumpy1106]

For your kids sake, I really hope you're able to find a positive attitude going into this.

What do you mean, "going into this"?!? We already did this in the Spring plus, no matter how good the instruction is, there is no substitute for the rest of the experience. We've failed our kids miserably - I expect better. If you have kids and you aren't angry you really aren't paying attention.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

What do you mean, "going into this"?!? We already did this in the Spring plus, no matter how good the instruction is, there is no substitute for the rest of the experience. We've failed our kids miserably - I expect better. If you have kids and you aren't angry you really aren't paying attention.

Going into the Fall. If you think schools aren't going to step up their game, you aren't paying attention. And there is no "rest of the experience" with in person right now. It's just not possible. And do yourself a favor and stop harping on the Spring. Nobody is arguing it was an overall flop. My own districts have acknowledged it and owned it and have shown us the plans on how it will be better. But have a little forgiveness in that we had never gone through a pandemic before.

And I haven't failed my kids at all. Was I disappointed in how the Spring went? Of course. But 3 months didn't break my kids. 3 months didn't even put them behind. And even another semester or year of this won't break them. You know what could though - me choosing to send them back into in person school before it was safe.

Look, it's apparent we don't agree on this. And as we're both in CA in counties on the state's watch list, it doesn't even really matter because the decision has been made for us. Parent to parent, I urge you to look into an actual established online school if you're convinced your district will fail again. Or tell your district what you expect going forward and then encourage your kids to make the best of it. They will pick up on our attitudes and if yours is that it's going to fail, it likely will.

I am choosing to make the best of a situation beyond my control. And doing it with a positive attitude.

 

[choirfarm]

Here's a suggestion. If my posts bother you that much, either scroll past them or put me on ignore. Super easy.

Done

 

[gwynne]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1284067860361478145

 

[HeatherC]

Here's a suggestion. If my posts bother you that much, either scroll past them or put me on ignore. Super easy.

They don’t bother me at all!. I am simply responding to them. It is ok to to disagree.

 

[penn19]

What do you mean, "going into this"?!? We already did this in the Spring plus, no matter how good the instruction is, there is no substitute for the rest of the experience. We've failed our kids miserably - I expect better. If you have kids and you aren't angry you really aren't paying attention.

I worry about a generation of kids that aren’t getting the instruction they need. In person. It’s going to (IMHO) further the divide we already have in this country between the haves and the have nots. If you have the money, you can afford tutoring etc. If not then I guess you’re SOL.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I worry about a generation of kids that aren’t getting the instruction they need. In person. It’s going to (IMHO) further the divide we already have in this country between the haves and the have nots. If you have the money, you can afford tutoring etc. If not then I guess you’re SOL.

We’re likely talking a year out of the classroom. This isn’t a lifetime. It’s not their entire school career. It’s not ideal and yes, there will be kids who fall between the cracks (like there always are, even in person).

Also, there are kids who actually flourish in 100% online school. It’s not my cup of tea and mine will be going back into traditional school when it’s safe, but this isn’t the end of the world.

 

[EveDallas]

I worry about a generation of kids that aren’t getting the instruction they need. In person. It’s going to (IMHO) further the divide we already have in this country between the haves and the have nots. If you have the money, you can afford tutoring etc. If not then I guess you’re SOL.

Not only that, but all the special needs kids that can't learn from a screen. They're just screwed, I guess.

 

[EveDallas]

I'm thankful everyday that my special needs DS is out of school. Because I know that despite my best efforts, his education would have fallen by the wayside. He NEEDED in person teaching. And I know he can't be the only one.

 

[gwynne]

Not only that, but all the special needs kids that can't learn from a screen. They're just screwed, I guess.

Thankfully I've never known a Special Ed teacher that was big on snark. They are great advocates for "their" kids.
Opening faster than data said states should has had explosive consequences.
The disease numbers have to come down in order to open safely. Kids lives matter. Teachers lives matter.