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

[pixie_mtl]

Just out of curiosity, how many people have gone to restaurants and especially Walmart since the epidemic?

I've been to Walmart once at opening hours. And a few times ate at restaurants; lunch on a patio and breakfast inside.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

I just wanted to weigh in on the nasal swab thing. When I got tested, they scraped the heck out of my throat and only rimmed my nostrils, no nasal cavity action. My nurse friend said that she got the full nasal cavity swab though. Her thoughts are that most people won't get tested due to how uncomfortable it is, so they have two tests.

On the school front, DD is starting grade 7 (Junior High here in NS) and I really hope they get at least until December in before the second wave. DD is in French Immersion, but we don't speak French at home. I know French from my school days in grades 2-12. After this past year, my French comprehension has really come back, that's for sure! LOL

The school is emailing the supply lists out this week. Sucks that the kids won't be able to use lockers though. That should be interesting considering they will have to lug around their winter jackets, wet boots, tons of books, etc.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I just wanted to weigh in on the nasal swab thing. When I got tested, they scraped the heck out of my throat and only rimmed my nostrils, no nasal cavity action. My nurse friend said that she got the full nasal cavity swab though. Her thoughts are that most people won't get tested due to how uncomfortable it is, so they have two tests.

On the school front, DD is starting grade 7 (Junior High here in NS) and I really hope they get at least until December in before the second wave. DD is in French Immersion, but we don't speak French at home. I know French from my school days in grades 2-12. After this past year, my French comprehension has really come back, that's for sure! LOL

The school is emailing the supply lists out this week. Sucks that the kids won't be able to use lockers though. That should be interesting considering they will have to lug around their winter jackets, wet boots, tons of books, etc.

Boots will probably go in the hallway and coats on the back of their chairs.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Boots will probably go in the hallway and coats on the back of their chairs.

If my mind serves to remind me, her school's hallways (if it's still like it was when I went there) doesn't have spaces for coats and boots in the hallways anymore. Those were removed when the lockers came in (my grade 9 year LOL). They also change classrooms for each course, but stay as a single class. Unlike high school where you would be with varying students in different classrooms.

 

[hdrolfe]

If my mind serves to remind me, her school's hallways (if it's still like it was when I went there) doesn't have spaces for coats and boots in the hallways anymore. Those were removed when the lockers came in (my grade 9 year LOL). They also change classrooms for each course, but stay as a single class. Unlike high school where you would be with varying students in different classrooms.

Has your school or board released any details yet? I'd wait until they do, but I suspect the teachers will move, not the students.

My son's board said their "stuff" would stay with them but they will review when the weather gets colder. I guess that will also depend on if we have a second/third/whatever wave happening and have to stay home (I'd rather stay home during the winter since I'm kind of bear like and want to hibernate, if I can't be travelling some place warmer). And also on how many kids end up getting sent to school.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Has your school or board released any details yet? I'd wait until they do, but I suspect the teachers will move, not the students.

My son's board said their "stuff" would stay with them but they will review when the weather gets colder. I guess that will also depend on if we have a second/third/whatever wave happening and have to stay home (I'd rather stay home during the winter since I'm kind of bear like and want to hibernate, if I can't be travelling some place warmer). And also on how many kids end up getting sent to school.

So far the plan for September is everyone is back in class 100%. If there is an outbreak then the sister/family of schools would be targeted for closure, not the entire school system, which makes sense. High school students need to wear masks in the hallways, etc but not in class. This made me think of the Junior Highs that also change classes. But I would agree with you @hdrolfe that the teachers could move to the class instead. Each teacher would have to wipe down the desk, whiteboard and accessories, etc.

I had DD out shopping for some fall clothes and man, I forgot how expensive everything is now!

 

[Cdn Gal]

As far as I know, I will still have 25 kids in my class, and there is absolutely no way that with the class size, students will be able to stay 1m or 3ft apart. There just isn't the room in the class, even if we are all spread out. I would have liked to see smaller class sizes so kids are not on top of each other. My class could potentially go up to 30, like the kindergarten classes, and there is nothing to stop it.

 

[hdrolfe]

So far the plan for September is everyone is back in class 100%. If there is an outbreak then the sister/family of schools would be targeted for closure, not the entire school system, which makes sense. High school students need to wear masks in the hallways, etc but not in class. This made me think of the Junior Highs that also change classes. But I would agree with you @hdrolfe that the teachers could move to the class instead. Each teacher would have to wipe down the desk, whiteboard and accessories, etc.

I had DD out shopping for some fall clothes and man, I forgot how expensive everything is now!

The province (Ontario) gave it's recommendations but the school boards still provide their details on how they will implement the plan. At least mine is. I have really only been watching closely for details on my son't grade though. I am hoping the school will provide even more details than the school board does. I am sure they will but I was hoping to get that before school is due to start.

It feels like September is going to be here really soon.

And thanks for the reminder that he'll need new pants for winter and boots, and shoes... ugh!

 

[Madame]

As far as I know, I will still have 25 kids in my class, and there is absolutely no way that with the class size, students will be able to stay 1m or 3ft apart. There just isn't the room in the class, even if we are all spread out. I would have liked to see smaller class sizes so kids are not on top of each other. My class could potentially go up to 30, like the kindergarten classes, and there is nothing to stop it.

Teachers have choices too, even if it plays into the government’s privatization. At this point, having a say & not just being forced into an unsafe situation is important for our own mental & physical health. My boys had 33 kids in their gr 5 class last year. Completely the norm here. Here are 2 that I am looking at & both pay well......

https://www.niteo.ca/teaching-a-pod

 

[mshanson3121]

Teachers have choices too, even if it plays into the government’s privatization. At this point, having a say & not just being forced into an unsafe situation is important for our own mental & physical health. My boys had 33 kids in their gr 5 class last year. Completely the norm here. Here are 2 that I am looking at & both pay well......

https://www.niteo.ca/teaching-a-pod
View attachment 515649

I wonder how Covid may play out re: more private schools coming about, the return of smaller, one room schools (whether run as a private school for pay, or a free community school run by parents) etc...

 

[Cdn Gal]

I don't want to lose seniority of 21 years and teach privately for a year. Losing my job and taking another is not really an option for my family. There are options for teachers to teach remotely, but I don't want to take the place of somebody like a colleague of mine who just finished cancer treatments. People like that should get first crack at doing an online teaching job before me. Unless parents get upset and call their politicians then classes in the elementary level will be high. There will be 30 kids in kindergarten, in grades 4+ there will be 24-30+ students in a class. The last 10 years I have had class between 28-32 students a year. That's just the norm. I just hope that something will change in the upcoming weeks and they will reduce the sizes to 15 per class.

 

[Madame]

I don't want to lose seniority of 21 years and teach privately for a year. Losing my job and taking another is not really an option for my family. There are options for teachers to teach remotely, but I don't want to take the place of somebody like a colleague of mine who just finished cancer treatments. People like that should get first crack at doing an online teaching job before me. Unless parents get upset and call their politicians then classes in the elementary level will be high. There will be 30 kids in kindergarten, in grades 4+ there will be 24-30+ students in a class. The last 10 years I have had class between 28-32 students a year. That's just the norm. I just hope that something will change in the upcoming weeks and they will reduce the sizes to 15 per class.

I have similar seniority. You can request a non paid leave & work with a private group. Parents hoping others keeping their kids home will result in lower class numbers are going to get a shock when the classes are folded in order to save money. No one will advocate for you but you. I view it like a mat leave, but instead of collecting EI, I’ll be teaching online.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

My nephew and DD are very close, like, brother-sister vs cousins close. My sister and I are going to ask the principal if they can be placed in the same class so that IF there is an outbreak they can still bubble together outside of school.
DD goes to their house for lunch and after school, so it only makes sense. Hopefully the principal thinks so too.

 

[Madame]

@FigmentSpark was it your son at the UoW this year? Just wanted to update. We are still phase 2 (political pressure from dying businesses pushed us out of phase 1, not declining numbers). Elementary schools will operate as normal (even though we aren’t in phase 3 I guess).

There has been another outbreak at a greenhouse operation (these are not really farms but massive greenhouse “factories” that sit within walking/biking distance from the centre of our towns for the workers).

We had an outbreak in one LTC facility in my town earlier in the pandemic & just yesterday DH got the call that his uncle (his main father figure) has “pneumonia” in the LTC facility literally 4 minutes by foot from our house. He’s not expected to survive the week - he has diabetes and severe dementia. We had noticed a weird excess of cars in the last 2 weeks there. I feel like I’m living in Florida - I guess they think we’re naïve enough to believe pneumonia in Aug is a totally normal thing. None of this seems to be common knowledge (i.e. it doesn’t seem to be in the news that I’ve seen). Just a heads up.

 

[mort1331]

So both my girls are in french immer, No chance at home schooling there. Neither my wife or I speak a lick of it. And I would say that is the same for 80% of the school. Plus close to 80% are bused in from all over. That is the bigger concern for me the busing. They have asked us to commit to the busing or not. Now we will probably say yes, but for 3 out of 5 days we will drive them since our work schedules allow us. The school has said if we say no to busing then we can not opt in again till Jan. Well I hate taking a space away from kids on half the days, we have no choice.

 

[bababear_50]

So both my girls are in french immer, No chance at home schooling there. Neither my wife or I speak a lick of it. And I would say that is the same for 80% of the school. Plus close to 80% are bused in from all over. That is the bigger concern for me the busing. They have asked us to commit to the busing or not. Now we will probably say yes, but for 3 out of 5 days we will drive them since our work schedules allow us. The school has said if we say no to busing then we can not opt in again till Jan. Well I hate taking a space away from kids on half the days, we have no choice.

Hi Hon
Yes driving them in when you can is a much better idea than busing at this point.
Just make sure they sit together on that bus.

Hugs
Mel

 

[FigmentSpark]

@FigmentSpark was it your son at the UoW this year? Just wanted to update. We are still phase 2 (political pressure from dying businesses pushed us out of phase 1, not declining numbers). Elementary schools will operate as normal (even though we aren’t in phase 3 I guess).

There has been another outbreak at a greenhouse operation (these are not really farms but massive greenhouse “factories” that sit within walking/biking distance from the centre of our towns for the workers).

We had an outbreak in one LTC facility in my town earlier in the pandemic & just yesterday DH got the call that his uncle (his main father figure) has “pneumonia” in the LTC facility literally 4 minutes by foot from our house. He’s not expected to survive the week - he has diabetes and severe dementia. We had noticed a weird excess of cars in the last 2 weeks there. I feel like I’m living in Florida - I guess they think we’re naïve enough to believe pneumonia in Aug is a totally normal thing. None of this seems to be common knowledge (i.e. it doesn’t seem to be in the news that I’ve seen). Just a heads up.

It has me worried, for sure. Thanks for the heads up. DS is hoping to be on campus in the fall. We decided to get him a room so he’d have one for the winter session, but I was hoping he’d just take the room and stay at home in the fall session.

i hope your DH’s uncle will be okay.

 

[bababear_50]

@FigmentSpark was it your son at the UoW this year? Just wanted to update. We are still phase 2 (political pressure from dying businesses pushed us out of phase 1, not declining numbers). Elementary schools will operate as normal (even though we aren’t in phase 3 I guess).

There has been another outbreak at a greenhouse operation (these are not really farms but massive greenhouse “factories” that sit within walking/biking distance from the centre of our towns for the workers).

We had an outbreak in one LTC facility in my town earlier in the pandemic & just yesterday DH got the call that his uncle (his main father figure) has “pneumonia” in the LTC facility literally 4 minutes by foot from our house. He’s not expected to survive the week - he has diabetes and severe dementia. We had noticed a weird excess of cars in the last 2 weeks there. I feel like I’m living in Florida - I guess they think we’re naïve enough to believe pneumonia in Aug is a totally normal thing. None of this seems to be common knowledge (i.e. it doesn’t seem to be in the news that I’ve seen). Just a heads up.

So so so sorry Hon,,
My thoughts and prayers are with you,DH and family.

In my opinion no school should be opening if not in Phase #3.
I'm not even sure about Phase #1 or Phase #2.
Is reality that this is ..........................................
*Back To School* ?
OR
*Back To Work* ?

Hugs
Mel

 

[Madame]

So so so sorry Hon,,
My thoughts and prayers are with you,DH and family.

In my opinion no school should be opening if not in Phase #3.
I'm not even sure about Phase #1 or Phase #2.
Is reality that this is ..........................................
*Back To School* ?
OR
*Back To Work* ?

Hugs
Mel

Thank-you. I feel so bad right now. DH’s uncle and his aunt were teachers. His aunt has made the decision not to go see him (no one has been allowed in in months) - they would have to mask him up and get him outside somehow and she’s a super sweet lady and doesn’t want the staff there to be at any more risk than necessary.

He’s probably going to die without family there, but he wouldn’t recognize any of us anyway. Jesus I wish we could just go back to normal.

 

[vegs1]

Thank-you. I feel so bad right now. DH’s uncle and his aunt were teachers. His aunt has made the decision not to go see him (no one has been allowed in in months) - they would have to mask him up and get him outside somehow and she’s a super sweet lady and doesn’t want the staff there to be at any more risk than necessary.

He’s probably going to die without family there, but he wouldn’t recognize any of us anyway. Jesus I wish we could just go back to normal.

So sorry about your uncle. It’s so hard on families in long term care.

Why are visits not allowed? In June, outdoor visits in Ontario long term care homes started back up and in July, you could visit indoors as long as you had tested negative for the virus within the prior two weeks. This was put out by the Ford government. Just curious if it’s the home saying that.