Are you sending your kids to school next month?

[Frwinkley]

3rd grade teacher from SW PA. Just finished our first week of in person learning (we offer remote as well to families, but only hybrid to high school students).

It was so great to be back! We have taken every precaution....moved classrooms, rearranged buildings, stored furniture, etc. to make classrooms with desks 6 ft. apart. Kids eat lunch in the classroom, masks are required (we give frequent mask breaks) and kids have been awesome. There's lot of hand washing, sanitizing, one way traffic in the hallways. Kids are equally as thrilled to be back. They each love having their desks separated from each other and eating in the classroom!

We've had some bumps....folks sending sick kids to school (never would want to be a school nurse), some technology problems with our remote learners, but all in all, I think it went very well. It's exhausting as we try to keep kids socially distanced from each other (not really possible), but we're doing our best.

I'm proud of how hard our administrators have worked to get all of us back safely; these poor people haven't slept much since March 13th.

I'm sure it's not going to be smooth sailing all school year, but we're all really prepared if we have to go fully remote. The district's emphasis has been two fold (besides safely): get the kids up and running on Canvas (our remote learning platform that the entire district is using) and alleviate any stress and anxiety the kids may be having.

I do feel badly for the 5 and 6 year olds (and my friends who teach them); it's a real struggle to get them to understand the ideal of social distancing and their first school experience looks nothing like a normal school year.

 

[mom2rtk]

I do feel badly for the 5 and 6 year olds (and my friends who teach them); it's a real struggle to get them to understand the ideal of social distancing and their first school experience looks nothing like a normal school year.

I do too. I would have been very tempted to hold an incoming kindergartner back.

 

[NYCgrrl]

DGD began remote learning again on Monday, August 24th; she just finished her summer homework on the 22nd ( ).

Her extracurricular French class will be remote and restart the second week of September although she had the choice of learning in person as well. Still waiting for the city to reopen organized sports so she can resume in person fencing lessons.

Her group gymnastic classes will restart once stage 4 restrictions end but this summer she did social distancing practice with a fellow student in a local park.

 

[C&Jx2]

We had the option of remote, or hybrid (1/2 day in person, 1/2 online when they get home). The twins will be staring their 8th grade year remotely. The schedule the district put forth is kind of nuts and just doesn’t work for us. I was concerned because more than 1/2 their classes are HS classes and I really felt like they wouldn’t be able to keep up without in person instruction, but luckily the remote plan is synchronous. We’ll give this a try. At the very least we can opt in to the hybrid at the beginning of the next quarter.

 

[JM23457]

I'm a Texas public elementary school teacher and learned yesterday that I'll be teaching an in-person class beginning September 15th. We're all currently teaching virtual, so all of the classes will get mixed up as kids are moved from teacher to teacher once some kids go back and others stay virtual. So it will be almost like restarting school from scratch: getting to know each other again, establishing classroom norms again, etc.

I think it was incredibly stupid to do this transfer 3 weeks into the school year & cause such disruption to learning & the students' equilibrium, rather than just start the year off this way, as families had already submitted their preferences in early August, before school began. It's not like 3 weeks was ever going to significantly change our community Covid status. But that's fear of liability for you...

Families had the choice about whether to go back or not, but teachers did not. School admin chose who would teach in-person and who would continue to be virtual without regard to any teacher input. On my team, all of the teachers in their 20's were chosen for virtual, and we middle-aged teachers were chosen for in-person classes. That shows admin's assumptions about how a teacher's age relates to skill with technology and classroom management.

I think the kids in in-person classes will get a better education at my school this year, as they'll be in 12-15 person classes. The virtual classes are going to be 30-35 students each, and there are only 2 hours per day of direct lessons, due to not all students having computer access all day. Plus, the district is going to make the virtual teachers act as substitutes for in-person teachers who are out, so they won't have to pay real substitutes. So the virtual kids will either not get direct lessons that day or will join a combined class with another virtual teacher, who will have about 65 children in the virtual classroom at that point.

I'm fine with going back, except that I wish the reopening rules were more logical. I wish there were routine temperature checks, and that kids 9 & under would also have to wear masks. I also wish we teachers only had to wear masks. They're going to make us wear both masks and face shields while teaching all day. Not looking forward to that.

 

[MomOfDisneyPrincess]

Due to 30% going fully virtual, the rest being split in half for hybrid, and my sons relatively small grade level, there are 6 other kids in his class on his in-person days.

6!

That’s not exactly socialization, and since they do not leave their room at all even for lunch, (teachers are rotating instead), I hope he gets along with those kids or it’s going to be a long year.
The desks are super spread out but masks still required as per our state government.

I went to a rural, three room school, with two grades per classroom/teacher. Most grades had 10 to 12 students, but my class had only 5 until 4th grade when we grew to 6. We were all friends. You HAD to be, or you had no one to play with. I think these small class sizes will produce unexpected, positive outcomes as other have shared. My daughter's smallest class in grade school was 2nd grade with 22 students and one teacher, no aids. Her largest was 28. I don't believe you can effectively teach that many students and have all of the students learning their best. A friend with kids in a neighboring district had similar class sizes, but they had two teachers and an aid.

I often have conversations with friends and coworkers, wondering what positive trends may emerge from our covid experience that we actually want to keep. I'd say that smaller class sizes in schools would definitely be on my list.

FWIW I enrolled DD14 for online only this year, so I guess you could say she has a class of one this year, sort of?

 

[LuvOrlando]

My 21 & 22 YO's are remote BUT we live in a college town and this county has been an issue from the start. Even though my kids are remote the local schools aren't and Philly colleges are open so our local students move frequently and then they are mixing at home get togethers with people they trust, who are mixing with people they trust like that old Faberge commercial

Wondering what the "School Opening Multiplier" will be for colleges and then what the multiplier will be for younger kids... just sort of holding my breath as our School Districts start Monday.

 

[Patience]

My daughter in the 8th grade started school remotely on July 27. Starting September 14, we have the option to continue with remote learning or return to the classroom every other week from 8-noon. Those 4 hours will be for core classes only. Specials (art, foreign language, music, etc.) are all remote all the time. The kids will rotate weeks with Group A having one week of instruction and Group B coming to school the following week while Group A is doing remote learning.

We are going to try the in person learning. I'm not sure 20 hours of instruction every other week is worth the hassle but we can always switch back to all remote if we want. If we chose all remote, we could not later choose to do in person instruction, we would have had to stay remote.

 

[barkley]

My 21 & 22 YO's are remote BUT we live in a college town and this county has been an issue from the start. Even though my kids are remote the local schools aren't and Philly colleges are open so our local students move frequently and then they are mixing at home get togethers with people they trust, who are mixing with people they trust like that old Faberge commercial

Wondering what the "School Opening Multiplier" will be for colleges and then what the multiplier will be for younger kids... just sort of holding my breath as our School Districts start Monday.

i'm wondering about this concept as well. one of the counties in our state has had very low numbers but is now seeing a huge spike. you look at the data and it times out with the return of the college students who despite that college doing remote learning for the fall have opted to move back to the college town apartments and dorms. i don't know that the younger kids will see an uptick b/c the public schools had already decided when they start next week to do remote BUT there's another university 6 miles away from the uptick university town -and they and all their public schools are opting for in person. that town will be interesting to look to for case trends.

 

[mjkacmom]

i'm wondering about this concept as well. one of the counties in our state has had very low numbers but is now seeing a huge spike. you look at the data and it times out with the return of the college students who despite that college doing remote learning for the fall have opted to move back to the college town apartments and dorms. i don't know that the younger kids will see an uptick b/c the public schools had already decided when they start next week to do remote BUT there's another university 6 miles away from the uptick university town -and they and all their public schools are opting for in person. that town will be interesting to look to for case trends.

My daughter and her 5 roommates are in their off campus apartment doing online classes, they signed a lease in October for June, $10,000 each for the year.

 

[LuvOrlando]

We nearly got hooked by that too. UMASS was early to punch out but PSU waited until the last possible moment to drop the news, in fact they never really said anything. One day in July all the classes just got switched to remote with no formal statement so lots of students were burned with housing contracts and now there are just there with too much time on their hands. Honestly, the only reason we avoided being burned was that there were way too many places popping up as newly open when I was looking, so instead of supply getting tighter it was loosening up, which made me think some people knew something I didn't. Usually it's nearly impossible to find housing so I kept looking but stalled with my kid & am grateful I followed my gut. In Amherst I was alarmed back in February at how aggressive the place was being, how early they were trying to get me to sign a contract and give a deposit - I was uneasy so I refused. I feel bad for all the families being drained by these tactics, it's not right.

 

[mjkacmom]

We nearly got hooked by that too. UMASS was early to punch out but PSU waited until the last possible moment to drop the news, in fact they never really said anything. One day in July all the classes just got switched to remote with no formal statement so lots of students were burned with housing contracts and now there are just there with too much time on their hands. Honestly, the only reason we avoided being burned was that there were way too many places popping up as newly open when I was looking, so instead of supply getting tighter it was loosening up, which made me think some people knew something I didn't. Usually it's nearly impossible to find housing so I kept looking but stalled with my kid & am grateful I followed my gut. In Amherst I was alarmed back in February at how aggressive the place was being, how early they were trying to get me to sign a contract and give a deposit - I was uneasy so I refused. I feel bad for all the families being drained by these tactics, it's not right.

At UD off campus housing is so popular that if you don’t have a lease signed by December you are out of luck. This year, it appeared there were just as many trying to get an off campus apartment due to not being able to stay in the dorms as there were students trying to get out of their leases. I promised my daughter in March that she could stay in her apartment if school was online, I think I probably could’ve transferred the lease to another student wanting to stay.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My daughter and her 5 roommates are in their off campus apartment doing online classes, they signed a lease in October for June, $10,000 each for the year.

Some students at my son's university are doing that as well. Their leases were already signed before the university announced the options for fall. Students could choose remote or in person learning. Only those who chose in person learning were eligible to move into campus housing. That's not to say that everyone who lives on campus gets in person classes. Most classes are remote or hybrid. Some chose in person, only to find out that they would be attending all of their classes remotely from their dorm rooms. They had the option to switch and stay home, but most chose to move in and at least be on campus. Others who chose remote moved into their off-campus apartments because they were locked into leases.

My son is in an on-campus apartment. Many of his theater classes are in-person, but very spread out. They're using the campus theater for some of the acting classes and there are only 12 students in his class. He has one in-person dance class, and another where the instructor is remote. He has the option to take the class in a large studio with 3 other students, or take the class from his apartment if he doesn't want to go to campus. It's working out well so far, and he and his 3 roommates are being very careful. They wear their masks in the living room and kitchen of their apartment unless they're eating. They have their own bedrooms and bathrooms. The university just started random, voluntary testing for students and staff. My son was one of the first to be selected and he tested negative. I was very glad to hear that!

 

[1GoldenSun]

My daughter and her 5 roommates are in their off campus apartment doing online classes, they signed a lease in October for June, $10,000 each for the year.

Wow, that seems high. Is this a typical cost for off-campus housing? Does she have her own bedroom/bath or does she share?

 

[mjkacmom]

Wow, that seems high. Is this a typical cost for off-campus housing? Does she have her own bedroom/bath or does she share?

It’s $700 a month plus $50 a month in utilities. Rents seem to range from around $525 pp in a complete dump, to over $1000 a month with a pool and gym. It’s a 6 bedroom 5 bathroom house, she shares a bathroom with another girl. There is always new construction going on so that keeps rent higher (it’s actually lower than where we live, a small one bedroom starts at $1200 in an older building).

 

[Kestryl]

The college rental market is such BS. Back where my grad school was, leases were signed in October for the following August. If you lived somewhere and didn’t sign a release by October, the landlord would just sign someone else, so you had to go look elsewhere. (Usually far from campus- fine for me as a grad student, as I was allowed to buy a parking pass, but not so great for undergrads.) Landlords often don’t include lease breakage options- you could get a sub leaser, maybe (good luck with that this year...). A few required you to pay 3-4 months at a time. Many never gave back security deposits. And then there are the obvious things like shoddy maintenance and shady behavior. (At my first place, I moved in two weeks after the lease started. That same day, someone was moving out of my room... aka I was paying while someone else was staying there? You gotta be kidding me.)

And cities and universities allowed that for years. Now they have the gall to wring their hands and complain about the college students coming back to the town, even if classes are virtual. Well they’re already stuck paying hundreds of dollars every month for a room, might as well enjoy it, right? You want the kids to stay home? Let them break their dang leases.

 

[mjkacmom]

The college rental market is such BS. Back where my grad school was, leases were signed in October for the following August. If you lived somewhere and didn’t sign a release by October, the landlord would just sign someone else, so you had to go look elsewhere. (Usually far from campus- fine for me as a grad student, as I was allowed to buy a parking pass, but not so great for undergrads.) Landlords often don’t include lease breakage options- you could get a sub leaser, maybe (good luck with that this year...). A few required you to pay 3-4 months at a time. Many never gave back security deposits. And then there are the obvious things like shoddy maintenance and shady behavior. (At my first place, I moved in two weeks after the lease started. That same day, someone was moving out of my room... aka I was paying while someone else was staying there? You gotta be kidding me.)

And cities and universities allowed that for years. Now they have the gall to wring their hands and complain about the college students coming back to the town, even if classes are virtual. Well they’re already stuck paying hundreds of dollars every month for a room, might as well enjoy it, right? You want the kids to stay home? Let them break their dang leases.

Yep, no breaking of the year lease, some landlords want leases for next year signed in september, mold in the fridge water and ice dispense still there since June, weeds overgrown, rent is paid through November. They took tons of photos because they know they will have to fight for their security already. The lease started June 1 but they couldn’t move in until June 13th.

 

[CarolAnn856]

Wow, that seems high. Is this a typical cost for off-campus housing? Does she have her own bedroom/bath or does she share?

That sounds about right to me, especially depending on what area she's in. Our son's lease in his college town is $500 a month (plus utilities) per person, but they're not in a metro area, and there were definitely more expensive places he looked at.

 

[EACarlson]

And cities and universities allowed that for years. Now they have the gall to wring their hands and complain about the college students coming back to the town, even if classes are virtual. Well they’re already stuck paying hundreds of dollars every month for a room, might as well enjoy it, right? You want the kids to stay home? Let them break their dang leases.

The problem with letting the kids break their leases is that without the income from the leases, how are the landlords going to pay their property taxes?

 

[LuvOrlando]

Why is the landlords income more relevant than the who knows how many thousands of family's paying for unnecessary leases and being robbed of wealth? The landlords can write off the losses but there is nothing to help families absorb the hit but thats supposed to be ok?

Honestly, right now the ONLY people I care about are regular everyday people and whoever helps them most I am behind 100% and that's all there is to it.