Covid and your kids

[doebedoe]

Man do I feel for all you parents. This is a massive ongoing trauma for kids and parents alike. And there are just no good answers right now.

I work in the state agency that licenses child care in Colorado. Most camps both day and overnight (unless they have very particular exemptions) also fall under our purview. How the hell we support families and the child care industry this summer and fall is a massive unknown. We're struggling to walk the tight rope between supporting parents who need to work and keeping kids/families/poorly paid child care professionals safe.

The two outbreaks that have occurred are both being monitored by local public health departments and overseen by CDPHE. When such an outbreak is detected, the facility must follow all guidance from the public health department including temporary shut down, cleansing, family notification and reopening procedures that depend on each particular situation. Failure to do so will earn a facility an immediate suspension of their license. Some of us are advocating to roll out attendance tracking to all licensed facilities so that we could provide contact tracing when outbreaks occur. But you can imagine the political shit show that tracking young kids in private pay providers brings on in our highly polarized state.

I'm not going to comment too much on it publicly cause our comms person would kill me -- but if anyone has particular questions or concerns about child care/camps in CO -- feel free to drop me a PM.

[RShea]

I mentioned this to someone who’s republican and a smart person...she just goes “FAKE NEWS!”

There are plenty of Democrats who think this whole thing is bullshit.

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Yea, really not the thread as far as I'm concerned to take on any political discussions- there is a whole other forum on here for the Red and Blue and finger pointing of whom believes that this is all fake, there never was any moon landing or men doing moon walks, and the earth is flat...

Just as with anything else in this new Pandemic life even Doctors and medical professionals are seeing new and pretty scary stuff related to Covid 19.

[Skidog]

Yea, really not the thread as far as I'm concerned to take on any political discussions- there is a whole other forum on here for the Red and Blue and finger pointing of whom believes that this is all fake, there never was any moon landing or men doing moon walks, and the earth is flat...

Just as with anything else in this new Pandemic life even Doctors and medical professionals are seeing new and pretty scary stuff related to Covid 19.

After all they are just "practicing" medicine


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[The SnowShow]

Our school had a town hall zoom meeting today to discuss what the fall may look like. They will be meeting during the summer and watching things obviously but it looks like there’s a very good chance of a hybrid online and in-person learning model. Each classroom divided into 2 and alternating days. Social distancing and masks in school. Lunch in the classroom. No sports.

[bizarrefaith]

We got an email yesterday that summer camp was a go. Starting two weeks late, reduced capacity, and no early drop off or late pick up. Kid was so happy to hear.


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[Core Shot]

Keep an eye on your kids. You never know when shit can go bad real quick.
They seem ok. Until they aren’t.

Sorry it’s a Fox News segment but the message is real

12 years old. Damn. I thought most angst was years later.

[Skidog]

Well we started letting the kids branch out a bit more. We have had my daughter best friend over for a few sleepovers. Over the weekend we let the kids go 3 houses down to a friends to play for a few hours. Yesterday my son had a friend over for a few hours. We are in "Phase I" in my area, and moving towards Phase II slowly but surely. Just just need an outlet.

For the record when playing outside, they tend to keep a decent distance, but we are not enforcing masks. Also met the father of the kid down the street and actually shook hands. It was kind of like just a normal reaction when we met for first time. He didnt shy away, so guess we are both ok with that?? Plus he works for VW and I just got a new VW so....gotta make nice.

Call my an idiot, call me crazy, whatever.

[The SnowShow]

What are you parents hearing about school in the fall at this point? Hybrid in-person/at-home options mainly?

[doebedoe]

What are you parents hearing about school in the fall at this point? Hybrid in-person/at-home options mainly?

All of the above seems to be on the table at least in CO. Busing is going to be a cluster. As is how care is provided for kids when they aren't in school due to hybrid schedules. I'm on a few zoom meetings a week with superintendents around the state and it's pretty clear that tons is still up in the air. I expect we will see a ton of variety in approaches across the state: from biz as usual to hybrid in-person with tons of restrictions.

One thing I'm fascinated by right now is that we've only had 4 outbreaks (2+ cases) at child care centers since March when we probably had at least 7-800 consistently operating. How much of that is a lack of testing vs something weird about young kids and this disease -- I can't tease apart.

[BC.]

Plan is school/sports in fall.....lots of restrictions/obvious masks/social distancing....no specifics yet because that could change at any time seeing what’s going on in Aug/news reporting. This all just really sucks...praying things go back to normal ASAP.

Wife and I get both sides of suckiness...2 kids just starting college and not being able to have a normal college experience.....and both of us at work trying to teach in a Covid classroom for the next god knows how long. Terrible times for everyone.

[The SnowShow]

I haven’t been following school reopenings around the world but has it worked?

[AK47bp]

Class broken into 2 groups. First group goes to school Monday and Tuesday, school is closed and deep cleaned Wednesday. Thursday and Friday second group in school.

So 2 days in school 3 days remote learning.

Just what I heard.


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[Doremite]

Research Québécois


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5621512

[Danno]

All of the above seems to be on the table at least in CO. Busing is going to be a cluster. As is how care is provided for kids when they aren't in school due to hybrid schedules. I'm on a few zoom meetings a week with superintendents around the state and it's pretty clear that tons is still up in the air. I expect we will see a ton of variety in approaches across the state: from biz as usual to hybrid in-person with tons of restrictions.

One thing I'm fascinated by right now is that we've only had 4 outbreaks (2+ cases) at child care centers since March when we probably had at least 7-800 consistently operating. How much of that is a lack of testing vs something weird about young kids and this disease -- I can't tease apart.

Our district has stated their clear hope that we can go back full time with some modifications. But they've also been clear that the final call won't be made until next month, and even then that it could change.

There was an article on NPR this week about child care and covid, it reflected just what you said.

Class broken into 2 groups. First group goes to school Monday and Tuesday, school is closed and deep cleaned Wednesday. Thursday and Friday second group in school.

So 2 days in school 3 days remote learning.

Just what I heard.


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That's the other option on the table that's the likely alternative. I'm just glad I have an employer that will accommodate me on that if it happens!

[mattig]

We can opt in to full time online curriculum or choose the 2day plan that seems to be the fashionable trend.

[::: :::]

If our local HS goes split or part time, we are home schooling or signing up with a full time remote learning school.
The local school system has demonstrated that they can’t do remote learning properly. There are remote learning entities already out there that are doing it correctly.

[Skidog]

No real word yet here for schools in Orange county aside from they plan to open with restrictions of some sort.

As for my kids, they are interacting with friends regularly, having sleepovers, etc. Not a big group, but at least moving towards semi normal for kids in summer.

[Danno]

If our local HS goes split or part time, we are home schooling or signing up with a full time remote learning school.
The local school system has demonstrated that they can’t do remote learning properly. There are remote learning entities already out there that are doing it correctly.

I don't know your situation, but I for one am not judging harshly when it comes to how our school did with online learning. With no warning, they were tossed into it, having never done it before. Now that they have had time to prepare, I expect their online instruction to be better.

But I'm sure the people that have been doing it for a long time are more practiced at it.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Class broken into 2 groups. First group goes to school Monday and Tuesday, school is closed and deep cleaned Wednesday. Thursday and Friday second group in school.

So 2 days in school 3 days remote learning.

Just what I heard.


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Some version of this seems most likely from the teachers I know up here and a few down in Denver. Unfortunately ever teacher I've talked to has said this is their least favorite scenario from a teaching standpoint because it will mean juggling twice as many lesson plans and adapting lessons for both in person and online learning. Most of the teachers I know would rather do all online or all in person, but that doesn't seem that likely, at least not up here.

[::: :::]

I don't know your situation, but I for one am not judging harshly when it comes to how our school did with online learning. With no warning, they were tossed into it, having never done it before. Now that they have had time to prepare, I expect their online instruction to be better.

But I'm sure the people that have been doing it for a long time are more practiced at it.

I wish I could say I have the same hope. My kid had maybe two hours a week of work to do. That's just not even close.

My sister's kids in DC seemed to have a realistic remote learning experience at their schools (private, tho). They had about 3hrs/day. And a few local schools (again private) here seemed to provide an actual learning experience during the shutdown.

So, it is possible. And our public system wasn't motivated to do that, or didn't know what to do, or is too big to adjust...I dunno. This is my N=1 for a freshman in HS.

The other schools ref'ed above had the same prep time to figure stuff out. It's not what they wanted to do, but somehow they validated their tuition by providing a learning experience remotely.

Maybe the publics have too many divergent issues to make it work (spec ed; school lunches; indifferent attendees; absentee parents; variety/extent of digital divide)...but i can't say they don't have funding. They scrambled and got chromebooks out to everyone who wanted/needed one.

[Danno]

I wish I could say I have the same hope. My kid had maybe two hours a week of work to do. That's just not even close.

My sister's kids in DC seemed to have a realistic remote learning experience at their schools (private, tho). They had about 3hrs/day. And a few local schools (again private) here seemed to provide an actual learning experience during the shutdown.

So, it is possible. And our public system wasn't motivated to do that, or didn't know what to do, or is too big to adjust...I dunno. This is my N=1 for a freshman in HS.

The other schools ref'ed above had the same prep time to figure stuff out. It's not what they wanted to do, but somehow they validated their tuition by providing a learning experience remotely.

Maybe the publics have too many divergent issues to make it work (spec ed; school lunches; indifferent attendees; absentee parents; variety/extent of digital divide)...but i can't say they don't have funding. They scrambled and got chromebooks out to everyone who wanted/needed one.

Caveat: my kid was in 3rd grade so obviously very different than high school.

I have a niece in denver the same age as my kid, but she is in private school there. And the amount of schooling she had was insane compared to my kiddo. Now, I think mine could have used a bit more online instruction, but it was obvious that the private school went overboard, I am sure because they had to justify their crazy tuition. So I don't know if it is fair to compare the two. Plus, I am not sure that my niece actually benefited more from all that work.

It is certainly true that public schools have a more expansive mandate and have to provide different things than private schools, but I think schools with tuition all over the country (including colleges) are trying to figure out how to appear to provide value for the expensive tuition. Yes, "appear" to provide value. Because I think it's a very valid question to ask whether they are providing more value than the free (or cheap in the example of, say, community college) schools.

[bodywhomper]

the June 10 podcast of In the bubble with Andy Slavitt includes an interview with Arne Duncan, former Secretary of Education, where they discuss the uncertainty of public education for this coming school year and discuss the larger rolls of public schools. I thought it was informative.

I'm not sure if other's saw it, but in the larger Covid thread, "alias_rice" described recently how his 3 yo picked up covid19 from his day care. multiple workers tested positive. he got his 3 yo tested (no symptoms at that time), and the test came back positive. i haven't seen posts from him since then providing any more details. he has an 8 yo, too, who i believe was also going to the same day care.

the school where my 10 year olds go have not made any decisions. there's a sub-pop of kids at the school that are JW's, which is a subpopulation of concern in terms of the parents ignoring any mitigation efforts and doing whatever they want, <sigh>.

my high school kid's typical campus is at a community college. The community college has already announced that it'll be closed next fall, so his campus is temporarily moving to some existing portable at the "alternative" high school. In our area, this alternative HS often has a rotating student body as the kids come and go from suspensions, juvenile hall, and expulsions. it's unclear if he'll even had classes at that campus. all is unclear. The internet connection at my home is too poor for any of the kids to participate in streaming online stuff.

The big HS in our area has already started a modified version of fall sports training. the football team has been doing outdoor distanced-type training, like sprints. it'll be 97* today.

[::: :::]

i think there's a huge willfulness or inertia to open schools, but it isn't comforting that there aren't clear plans yet

we certainly would like school to be back in for social access, clarity of schedule & a host of other reasons, but, the current pandemic status in our state is not confidence inspiring, nor is the publicized school planning detailed to date (still figuring out options, one of which will be triggered in late August depending on conditions). I don't mind the delaying pulling the trigger on the right plan (that makes sense). I just don't see a consensus on how to safely open yet.

[funkendrenchman]

If our local HS goes split or part time, we are home schooling or signing up with a full time remote learning school.
The local school system has demonstrated that they can’t do remote learning properly. There are remote learning entities already out there that are doing it correctly.

It's an incredibly challenging thing for classroom teachers to switch over to. Especially, when many have kids of their own at home. Just wait until you see the turnover after a year of remote learning.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I'm doing a couple pilot studies on remote learning this summer with middle and then high school students. The fact is we know very little about how to do this well, and the younger the children involved, the less we know. There is no "body of literature." Nearly all previous remote learning efforts have been focused on providing cheaper (not better) higher education. There are online high schools out there but their true purpose is almost always to serve as a dumping ground for kids other schools don't want. They support a new era of school segregation. This is no model to borrow from.

There are several reasons this switch has been easier for private schools:

1) Private school students are academically and culturally more homogenous. All teachers moving their curriculum to an online platform will find that resources that work in person won't work well or at all remotely. But designing a new curriculum with new texts for a homogenous group, especially one than can be expected to have a command of standard english and academic literacies is just easier.

Good public schools- I'm not talking about schools with high text scores, I'm talking about schools that actually take an interest in serving it's entire population- develop complex systems of meeting broad sets of student needs. Teachers learn and develop their own corresponding systems on the classroom level. But these systems just can't be easily transferred to a remote learning environment. A big part of this is building community and relationships that rely on human contact. Replicating this without face-to-face contact is a massive endeavor.

At private schools, or many wealthy, homogenous, suburban schools, the way you present material to most students matters much, much less. Now, it certainly maters to the kids, but the consequences of less than ideal pedagogy are much less severe. Kids and parents are already indoctrinated into the culture and expectations of school, or more stated more accurately, because the culture of schools is white middle class culture, teachers can take for granted that kids will know how to do certain things and behave in certain ways. We all-too-often conflate adherence to these cultural and linguistic norms with academic ability. This is further complicated by the fact that the vast majority of texts (including video, podcasts, etc.) designed for children were, in fact, designed for white, middle class children, not out of some insidious plot, but because they were designed by white, middle class adults.

In summary, the shift from in-person to remote learning is a much simpler job for private schools.

2) Private school students are more likely to have support from adults. Whether it's a nanny or parents working from home, or the fact that parents are likely to have more education themselves, private school parents will generally do more work for the teachers than public school teachers. In many pubic schools, expecting parents to heavily assist kids in certain ways (especially now) will lead to inequitable outcomes. Assigning students "independent work" generally needs to be done much more thoughtfully by public school teachers.

3) Private schools are less likely to be beholden to poorly guided directives from above. In a time like this, teachers need not only support, but autonomy and flexibility. The larger the school system, and the more a school is under pressure from accountability measures (which almost always lead to inequitable outcomes) the more likely teachers are to be constrained and delayed by bureaucratic/ political b.s.


What I'm working on now is testing part of an AI ethics curriculum. Our pilot studies were going to take place in robotics camps where students would read short stories that revolve around ethical dilemmas related to artificial intelligence, and building and programming robots also related to those dilemmas. Of course, now the robots part can't be done. Our time is more limited. The number of tools and the way we can support students in using those tools is constrained. The way students can collaborate is limited. Students just won't get to now each other the same way. And we know we can't really count on a stable internet connections. We have a team of teachers, computer scientists, literacy researchers, and informal science educators who are very good at what they do, yet coming up with a plan we are confident in has been extremely time consuming. IN the end, I suspect we will learn as much or more about running an online class in general than we will about the efficacy of this specific bit of curriculum.

Damn, that was long. Sorry.