Schools post C19

[Ken555]

How will schools enforce social distancing? Here’s one method:

Hangzhou kids wear social distancing hats upon return to school
Maybe we should all be wearing these?

To help remind kids of the importance of social distancing amid the coronavirus epidemic, one school in Hangzhou has its young students wearing some special headwear to class.

Hangzhou kids wear social distancing hats upon return to school

Maybe we should all be wearing these?

shanghaiist.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[SteelerGal]

My kids will be sent home Day 1.

 

[Steve Fatula]

There's always home schooling. I know 3 families doing that.

 

[Brett]

How will schools enforce social distancing? Here’s one method:

Hangzhou kids wear social distancing hats upon return to school

Maybe we should all be wearing these?

shanghaiist.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

wearing weird space hats

don't think that's going to happen here

 

[bbodb1]

Don't they need a couple more props (facing fore and aft)?

 

[bbodb1]

More along this line of thinking, what will school classrooms, hallways, and cafeterias look like? If we simply go back to what we were doing pre COVID 19, all those little petri dishes will continue to pass along viruses and germs of all types - just as they did pre COVID 19.

And then, consider buses. If social distancing minimums continue, schools are going to radically change their space utilization.

 

[TravelTime]

I have heard things like:
- Continue online school at home possibly through 2021
- Split the day so fewer kids are at school at the same time
- Smaller class sizes
- Desks 6' apart
- Kids and teachers wear masks
- Social distancing marks on floor for lines

Has anyone heard anything else?

 

[PigsDad]

My daughter's college came out with an update yesterday and stated that school / campus will be open for Fall semester. They will also be open for a late summer session, but with more restrictions.

Kurt

 

[Patri]

I have heard things like:
- Continue online school at home possibly through 2021
- Split the day so fewer kids are at school at the same time
- Smaller class sizes
- Desks 6' apart
- Kids and teachers wear masks
- Social distancing marks on floor for lines

These come at tremendous cost. More teachers or more space will be necessary. Or half the learning takes place. It is going to be a mess. Honestly, the Dept. of Ed better change some ironclad regulations on what must be taught, because there is not going to be enough money to adhere to the current mandates (federal and state) with the dollars available for the next couple years. Our school district has a crisis for next year's budget, and is considering some drastic cuts never done before. The tax revenue projections are dismal.

 

[bbodb1]

@Patri - with respect to this:

These come at tremendous cost. More teachers or more space will be necessary. Or half the learning takes place. It is going to be a mess. Honestly, the Dept. of Ed better change some ironclad regulations on what must be taught, because there is not going to be enough money to adhere to the current mandates (federal and state) with the dollars available for the next couple years. Our school district has a crisis for next year's budget, and is considering some drastic cuts never done before. The tax revenue projections are dismal.

...are you hearing any specific possibilities?

I am curious as to how this plays out (school district budgets for next year) given the upheaval that defined this year.

 

[MrockStar]

Many questions, few answers. Inquiring Teachers want to know so they can begin planning now while their is time.

 

[Patri]

@Patri - with respect to this:
...are you hearing any specific possibilities?
I am curious as to how this plays out (school district budgets for next year) given the upheaval that defined this year.

I am referring to our district. We have never laid off teachers before. It is legal only in extreme situations and this one qualifies. If the governor mandates 12 kids per classroom, for example, we have no where to put them and no teachers to teach them, unless we go half-day for each student. That doubles the transportation costs. If we go every other day, the poor parents have to find daycare. The public thinks we saved money these past six weeks since the schools are closed. However, payroll stayed the same. We were required to pay staff as if the schools never closed. And the teachers are teaching virtually. We are providing free meals to students three days a week (whoever shows up for a takeout bag).
Dropping extracurricular activities is on the table. That would be awful. The community is riled up and working together to figure this out in the least painful way.

 

[TravelTime]

I feel really bad for kids post-covid who may be losing years of learning. They will not be prepared to be competitive in the market. I was speaking to a teenager the other day and he said he is teaching himself. He never meets online with a class or teacher. He has assignments and turns them in every Friday. He is a high achiever in AP classes. But how can kids be teaching themselves? One of his stressors is that it is hard to get help from teachers when he is confused with concepts and assignments. He will need to take the AP tests soon and he might not be prepared to pass the tests.

 

[elaine]

He is a high achiever in AP classes. But how can kids be teaching themselves?

these kids will be fine. there are tons of online resources. But, they have to be disciplined and seek it out. Tell him to look on Khanacademy if he hasn't already for concept help.
It's the underachievers (low income, ADHD, non-motivated, etc.) kids that will greatly suffer.
Our school district just bought 1,500 tablets for online schooling. But, many teachers are not doing anything in person--just putting up work with a due date.

 

[TravelTime]

But, many teachers are not doing anything in person--just putting up work with a due date.

I have heard this from kids and families I work with. I had assumed the kids were meeting online in a classroom like Zoom and the teacher was still teaching. But apparently some teachers just give out assignments with a due date. They still need computers and tablets because they get the assignments online and turn in the assignments online, even if there is no class or teaching going on.