School Reopening

zoops

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Curious as to what your thoughts are on schools reopening this fall. Any changes from 'normal' school operations that should be made, precautions, etc. What to do when kids or staff test positive (i.e. do you quarantine the whole class)? Will you consider keeping your kids home even if school is in session?
 


MuskyManiac

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Kids need to be in school, in person. I have a 12 and 13 year old and there is no way they can get a proper education at home with two full-time working parents.
 

Up Y'oars

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X 2 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Protect the vulnerable. Everyone else, get on with life and be responsible with cleansing, crowding, etc. We'll all be fine in a year from now.
 

That guy

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I hear some good plans and not so good plans from different schools. I have a senior and 8th grader. My senior is a straight a student who would have no problem distance learning since he would have two shop classes in school, and I believe one lit. and one history class. All the rest are online or college courses. My 8th grader needs to be in school as he struggles without an actual teacher present and even then it is difficult as he has trouble comprehending what he reads. My wife and I both work jobs for 12hr. days. I would like to see schools open with both options which some schools appear to be looking at. Both are also in multiple sports also. Would also like to see that happen somehow. I don't see holding out and hoping it gets better as a viable option for entire state. Some might have to do more distance learning than others. Either way someday you will have to just do it and deal with whatever happens. More and more I hear just get on with it. It seems like more people feel this isn't going to end anytime soon. If I had to guess the slower you roll this the more years you will be dealing with the same issues. On the bright side no one has asked me to go to some stupid family reunion this year.
 


Skullet

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Get them back to school! For both the educational and social aspects. They're really missing out on both.
I'm not sure what the answer is, but I think they need to have a game plan in place for when (not if) someone tests positive, so it isn't full blown panic mode when it happens.
 

Migrator Man

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Open the dam schools! These kids need a quality education and parents don’t have time to stay home and teach them. More harm is done leaving them at home. If old teachers or parents are not comfortable then they can stay home, let the rest go!
 

Allen

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At least some schools are going with parent/kid choice between at-home, at-school, and a hybrid option of blending the two.
 

ndfinfan

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Kinda think if this goes on for another year or two the kids graduating who have not attended classes in person for a year or so will struggle on a college campus attending classes in person...taking notes/prioritizing/etc...
 


mrperch

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Kinda think if this goes on for another year or two the kids graduating who have not attended classes in person for a year or so will struggle on a college campus attending classes in person...taking notes/prioritizing/etc...
If this goes on for another year or two we are all fucked.
 

Davey Crockett

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No kids in school so I have no dogs in the fight . It's going to go with the territory and some hot spot areas will have harder decisions to make than others. Don't be quick to judge the School superintendents or board members and teachers before you try to put yourselves in their shoes. The last thing we need at this point is more pressure on them.
 
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Uncle Jimbo

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JayKay

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Does any of this have to do with the emails sent yesterday, outlining what is going to happen?

I have 13 yr old and 11 yr old daughters. Both will be in Middle School this year. Looks like they'll be going back to school. Lockers may not happen, as they may take everything with them to every class. Not as big of a deal now, as it was when I went. Most of the things they need now are on a laptop. they are issued a laptop, and take it home at night, and have it all year long.

Looks like extra curriculars are happening, so that's good.

Looks like final test exemptions for attendance are being eliminated. Bummer. That was a real incentive to not miss class.

Looks like masks will be required, if 6 ft social distancing is impossible. Also a bummer, since I'm not convinced they really work (especially with how lax many many people are, about wearing them properly).

Teachers may switch classrooms, rather than students, to student are exposed to a smaller body of people, than if the entire school is out roaming the hallways several times per day.

I agree with what someone said above. In a year, we'll look back on this and scratch our heads. What were we thinking?

One way or the other.
 

Duckslayer100

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I said it on another thread, but if my 6-year old doesn't get in-class first grade this fall, I'm going ballistic.

The statistical chance of a healthy kid under the age of 10 not only contracting COVID-19, but showing symptoms and having them severe enough where he/she were to die is statistically zero.

There's been enough parents for full-time virtual and teachers, they could segregate them out and the rest who want to attend, get to attend. That way essential employees, such as myself and my wife, don't have to agonize over childcare on a daily basis and juggle schedules for 9 damn months.

To top it off, the proposed plans by Fargo schools is to rotate M-W-F and T-TH in-person classes, with virtual class on the off days. Do you have ANY idea what a nightmare that is for families like ours whose nearest grandparents are three friggin hours away? "Hey mom, mind coming up here for an entire week to watch my kids every other day because Fargo decided to implement the least efficient, most lame-brained learning plan in existence? Thanks!"
 


8andcounting

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I’m not saying covid is not a serious virus , but , I truly believe that if this wasn’t an election year with trump going for re election , covid would be under the radar and there Would be little to no shut downs .

- - - Updated - - -

It’s being driven big time by people with agendas , the media and politicians
 

Traxion

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I'll be in school right with the kids as an educator. I believe kids need to be there for themselves and for us to work toward normalcy again. That said, there are several things that need to be addressed-

-Protections for vulnerable staff. There are lots of older teachers that are certainly more susceptible than others. And anyone with health conditions. They need options to either take a year off OR provide reasonable protections while in their classrooms. Yes, if a teacher with a health condition wants to try to teach the kids, I think they should be able to require masks in their classrooms. Keep in mind a HS teacher could be exposed to 100+ students, and their families, each and every day. If this is essential for the country to get back to normal, at least allow teachers to protect themselves as they see fit.

-Reasonable protocols on how to address a case within a classroom. It could be a teacher or a student. What happens next? How are contacts traced? I think most schools have figured out that a case is going to happen and instead of shutting down a whole school for a couple weeks, they may just shut down for a few days to trace things and then get back to it. Which is what should happen. But, the policies must be clear so the students, staff, and public KNOW what will happen.

-Most schools are offering virtual options and in-person class. While necessary, this places a huge workload on the teachers. If you have spent anytime in the classroom, you know time is short as it is. Maintaining two parallel options is difficult. When possible (if there are enough virtual students), a virtual teacher for that class needs to be assigned. And some classes simply won't be able to be taught via virtual means, just due to circumstance. Good example is a welding class, theory and books only go so far. But I teach a full day without a planning period, I won't be able to keep up with a parallel of 7 virtual classes. Virtual options are going to be limited because of that. I have a family and things to do at night just like everyone else. Quality needs to be maintained as well.

-Shortages in staff are going to be huge this year. Many of the older, retired folks that are substitutes, crosswalk guards, food service workers, etc. are not going to be as likely to help out anymore. This is going to have a huge effect at times in the schools.

The world schools are facing with this is incredibly challenging. Nobody is going to be 100% happy. Keep that in mind before complaining or making comments to your local school systems. If anything has come of this is a realization for most of how critical schools are to our society. I am not trying to make teachers look special, but we've realized how essential it is for our students to have the structure, education, and entertainment provided through the public education system. The teaching staff is critical to this and while I have genuine concern for the students, staff shouldn't be looked at a essential sacrificial lambs either. I think a lot of educators feel that way right now. But we need to get back to school as safely as we can!
 

Duckslayer100

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The teaching staff is critical to this and while I have genuine concern for the students, staff shouldn't be looked at a essential sacrificial lambs either. I think a lot of educators feel that way right now. But we need to get back to school as safely as we can!

I think the "sacrificial lambs" have been waiting in line since March. Namely, the nurses, doctors, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, auto mechanics, and everyone else deemed "essential" to keep this country somewhat rolling when the pandemic hit.

And from what I've seen, they haven't been dying off in massive waves. So unless the educators seriously go backwards in the parameters laid out to keep themselves safe, I think they'll be ok ;)
 

savage270

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This doesn't seem that difficult to solve. For the teachers that are members of the "vulnerable" population, they should be the ones to do the virtual learning for the families that don't feel safe sending their kids back to school. Everyone else can head to school take their chances with virus knowing they are infinitely more likely to die in a vehicle crash on the way to school.

As far as the older folks who drive buses and cook school lunches, get rid of those programs for a year. As a parent, I am more than happy to pack a daily lunch and drop the kids off at school since that is way less of a hassle than trying to manage online learning from home for multiple grades like we had to all spring.

Finally, make everyone get their temperature checked before entering the building each day. That will keep a fair amount of COVID, and all the other shit that shouldn't be passed around, out of the building.
 

dschaible

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Sounds like this will be a nightmare for teachers, teachers who will not be compensated for the nightmare. It will be interesting how many of them bolt after this year.
 


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