[Farm93]

In the end football, bars, casinos and everything else should be stopped in an attempt to keep schools open. 

If only my 3 HS kids' school was "open."  BTW, if you ever want a model to flustercuck a school re-opening plan, just look at the disaster that was PAUSD's attempt at hybrid learning.  I still don't know why they made something that in theory should have an easy plan (i.e., have half the school in-person half the time, and stream all in-person classes so the half at home can watch real time) to the most convoluted, worthless alternative that's too complicated to even relay here.  But I did learn that the teachers objected to streaming in-person classes, apparently based on inability to control those not in the classroom.  Um . . . how is that complaint any different than what is going on now?

Exceptionally disappointed in PA secondary schools.  The powers-that-be (teachers, administrators, school board) have failed these kids, imo.  
But again, I have a strong bias for in-person learning.

Sounds like SMUSHD and BSD.  Ultimately, I think that a few teachers were resistant to coming back (some because of legitimate health complaints, others because they didn't like the commute, others just to stick it to the district) and the union supported them.  Once the initial plan was set forth, for some in-person instruction to resume at an arbitrary date, it became a race against the clock and the new wave.  Ultimately, the best time to start school in person would have been in September, so when we went into Purple a week ago, all plans to offer some semblence of in person instruction were gone.

I was told that the reason your plan couldn't be put into place (I was hoping for the same thing) is some prohibition against broadcasting live classes, meant for a different era and something that if people stopped and thought for a bit, could have overcome in these extenuating circumstances.  But instead, a lot of time and effort was expended to get around that restriction.

But yeah, it would have been logical to basically have half the students in the classroom and the other half participating remotely via zoom, with teachers participating in person if they could (or from home if they had health concerns).

BC

Every school district is different, different financial resources, different local conditions, regulations and unions.   Most districts are trying and none were built to deal with something like this, so I can only imagine how hard it is to do this right.   Just one student or faculty death will create so many problems for a district, so I understand it is tough to navigate this stuff.

Here in my OC based SD the schools are operating on two different tracks.

There is a virtual school (zoom, Google document sharing, etc.) which is open for all grades, and then the school district seems to have the most vulnerable teachers leading those classes.  My children, for example, have each had a teacher leave in the first 3 months for maternity leave.  That can't be a coincidence IMHO.   The kids in virtual can participate in varsity sports at their home school.

My HS aged kids are in that basic plan.   Virtual at home, and then involved in non-contact outdoor varsity sports that provide some element of socialization and exercise.   

Alternatively kids can by in a hybrid model where they attend school 2 days a week, and watch via zoom the other days.  

It all seems to work.   A number of hybrid families didn't really read the closure policies carefully.   So as cases first started to emerge on dashboards in schools some families wanted the schools to notify every parent, or for the school to close for a number of days. 

Parents can opt to go virtual almost at any time, but a capacity clause is in there just in case there is a run on going virtual.   Those in virtual can only go to Hybrid at the end of a term, and that is also subject to space availability.

Been a healthy balance IMHO.   And some number of families in the district understand that the schools are linked to COVID cases in the community and CA based rules which are largely driven by COVID cases in county, state, and/or the new regions.

My understanding from the few faculty members I know in the district has been that teachers are scared that the information distribution is not sufficient to stop in classroom COVID spread.   6 feet AND 15 minutes just seems to be too lenient to them, and me.   More than possible for COVID to skip from soon-to-be positive student to others in the same classroom over the span of a period or school day, but that is what CDC was referencing back in July and August.  

Until the last ~14 days the privacy first approach seemed sufficient, but in the last 7 days cases have started to explode on the district dashboard.

As the schools were open, they get to stay open in the new CA plan.    I have yet to talk with my faculty friends since the new plan and new cases emerged, but I suspect some faculty are a bit more worried right now.

[Farm93]

In the end football, bars, casinos and everything else should be stopped in an attempt to keep schools open. 

If only my 3 HS kids' school was "open."  BTW, if you ever want a model to flustercuck a school re-opening plan, just look at the disaster that was PAUSD's attempt at hybrid learning.  I still don't know why they made something that in theory should have an easy plan (i.e., have half the school in-person half the time, and stream all in-person classes so the half at home can watch real time) to the most convoluted, worthless alternative that's too complicated to even relay here.  But I did learn that the teachers objected to streaming in-person classes, apparently based on inability to control those not in the classroom.  Um . . . how is that complaint any different than what is going on now?

Exceptionally disappointed in PA secondary schools.  The powers-that-be (teachers, administrators, school board) have failed these kids, imo.  
But again, I have a strong bias for in-person learning.

Sounds like SMUSHD and BSD.  Ultimately, I think that a few teachers were resistant to coming back (some because of legitimate health complaints, others because they didn't like the commute, others just to stick it to the district) and the union supported them.  Once the initial plan was set forth, for some in-person instruction to resume at an arbitrary date, it became a race against the clock and the new wave.  Ultimately, the best time to start school in person would have been in September, so when we went into Purple a week ago, all plans to offer some semblence of in person instruction were gone.

I was told that the reason your plan couldn't be put into place (I was hoping for the same thing) is some prohibition against broadcasting live classes, meant for a different era and something that if people stopped and thought for a bit, could have overcome in these extenuating circumstances.  But instead, a lot of time and effort was expended to get around that restriction.

But yeah, it would have been logical to basically have half the students in the classroom and the other half participating remotely via zoom, with teachers participating in person if they could (or from home if they had health concerns).

BC

Every school district is different, different financial resources, different local conditions, regulations and unions.   Most districts are trying and none were built to deal with something like this, so I can only imagine how hard it is to do this right.   Just one student or faculty death will create so many problems for a district, so I understand it is tough to navigate this stuff.

Here in my OC based SD the schools are operating on two different tracks.

There is a virtual school (zoom, Google document sharing, etc.) which is open for all grades, and then the school district seems to have the most vulnerable teachers leading those classes.  My children, for example, have each had a teacher leave in the first 3 months for maternity leave.  That can't be a coincidence IMHO.   The kids in virtual can participate in varsity sports at their home school.

My HS aged kids are in that basic plan.   Virtual at home, and then involved in non-contact outdoor varsity sports that provide some element of socialization and exercise.   

Alternatively kids can by in a hybrid model where they attend school 2 days a week, and watch via zoom the other days.  

It all seems to work.   A number of hybrid families didn't really read the closure policies carefully.   So as cases first started to emerge on dashboards in schools some families wanted the schools to notify every parent, or for the school to close for a number of days. 

Parents can opt to go virtual almost at any time, but a capacity clause is in there just in case there is a run on going virtual.   Those in virtual can only go to Hybrid at the end of a term, and that is also subject to space availability.

Been a healthy balance IMHO.   And some number of families in the district understand that the schools are linked to COVID cases in the community and CA based rules which are largely driven by COVID cases in county, state, and/or the new regions.

My understanding from the few faculty members I know in the district has been that teachers are scared that the information distribution is not sufficient to stop in classroom COVID spread.   6 feet AND 15 minutes just seems to be too lenient to them, and me.   More than possible for COVID to skip from soon-to-be positive student to others in the same classroom over the span of a period or school day, but that is what CDC was referencing back in July and August.  

Until the last ~14 days the privacy first approach seemed sufficient, but in the last 7 days cases have started to explode on the district dashboard.

As the schools were open, they get to stay open in the new CA plan.    I have yet to talk with my faculty friends since the new plan and new cases emerged, but I suspect some faculty are a bit more worried right now.