I work in higher and although no decision has been made yet, I think it's likely we will be online again in the fall. Not sure about high schools though.
Reopening Schools
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Last: 3 yr ago by AustinAg2K
I think that is a very heartfelt response. I pray for a better outcome.88planoAg said:FIFY.rojo_ag said:Granted, but with the absence of any true dialogue on the topic just critique, an apology felt necessary for wasting people's TexAgs time.Charpie said:
Don't let the haters keep you from posting. Emotions are super high onthis board. Almost every board on Texags. There are a ton of internet tough guys on TexAgs.
I have to admit that based on the responses, I checked if I had erroneously posted on Forum 16.
My apologies if my posts came off as abrasive. This, thankfully, isn't forum 16 but everywhere has their dander up right now.
I have a hard time focusing on August because it causes me anxiety. NOT anxiety about the virus itself, risk to self, risk to family...nope, but of the potential continued losses and sadness the potential continued closed, stopped, banned, curtailed etc. will happen. And I really do think looking that far forward won't work because there is no predicting where we will be. I say that in a conversational tone, not in a 'what are you thinking' tone. Right?
My HS kid is in band. He is an extrovert and is hurting hard. I can't cope right now with the thought of no band, no Disney trip next spring....so I'm looking short term. Next month. And hoping hard for normal or near normal in August. My college kid is in CS, in his apartment with 3 roommates and seems to be coping quite well. But I can't imagine what fall will be like for him as a Jr. Aggie without what I think of as the Aggie fall experience.
So I just can't project details of how August will look right now. I don't know if that gives you the dialogue you were seeking, probably not, but it gives you more of the why I guess.
Why would it be online?
The facts statistically just do not warrant it. I feel bad for the 700 that will die in Texas by Covid however that is a blip on the annual death radar. Again not to say it is the flu but, flu kills 6-11K annually in Texas. We do not close University during flu season, and for under 65 it is pretty close to flu in deaths %.
We need to continue to protect the highest risk sector, monitor any outbreaks, and go on with our lives.
The facts statistically just do not warrant it. I feel bad for the 700 that will die in Texas by Covid however that is a blip on the annual death radar. Again not to say it is the flu but, flu kills 6-11K annually in Texas. We do not close University during flu season, and for under 65 it is pretty close to flu in deaths %.
We need to continue to protect the highest risk sector, monitor any outbreaks, and go on with our lives.
I was hoping he was talking about East Coast schools, like Boston college, who have publicly speculated about fall online. Hopefully not here.mccjames said:
Why would it be online?
The facts statistically just do not warrant it. I feel bad for the 700 that will die in Texas by Covid however that is a blip on the annual death radar. Again not to say it is the flu but, flu kills 6-11K annually in Texas. We do not close University during flu season, and for under 65 it is pretty close to flu in deaths %.
We need to continue to protect the highest risk sector, monitor any outbreaks, and go on with our lives.
If A&M is online in fall I think we can start to say goodbye to a lot of amazing businesses, restaurants, and bars in the B/CS area. College towns around the country would be decimated.
rojo_ag said:I am being serious. Schools in Denmark opened with one student at a table. Like you, I want this to be much ado about nothing, but I'm concerned that many parents and politicians will not feel safe unless schools take precautions until there is a vaccine. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to teach in this environment. I am healthy and am not afraid of getting sick. My ideas are based on the general population's perceptions. I really hope this perception changes, and we are in Phase III within a month or two. Phase II allows schools to open. Let's hope these precautions will not be necessary.Seven said:
You can't possibly be serious. This isn't going to completely reshape society forever. We are nearing the end of this mess
" My ideas are based on the general population's perceptions. "
No offense, but this is the same mentality of a politician, that's not leadership. Lead based on logic, not fear.
That's insane.
There aren't enough teachers as it is.
I think the true problem is that these kids will catch it and take it home to their parents.
There aren't enough teachers as it is.
I think the true problem is that these kids will catch it and take it home to their parents.
Charpie said:
That's insane.
There aren't enough teachers as it is.
I think the true problem is that these kids will catch it and take it home to their parents.
1. Looking up average age of parents with kids in school
2. Resuming argument that because they are under 60 we are fine
3. Let kids who are high risk or live with high risk people work from home, some might even call it being home schooled
Still trying to figure how A&M online only looks for my Freshman next year. Yuck. "Welcome to Texas A&M, now login!"Swagag8 said:
If A&M is online in fall I think we can start to say goodbye to a lot of amazing businesses, restaurants, and bars in the B/CS area. College towns around the country would be decimated.
Rojo if you haven't realized that this forum has been bombarded with the forum 16 crowd so you are going to get plenty of "experts" responding. I find it best to just look at a users profile and if they post a lot on forum 16 you have a better idea of where their response is coming from. Actually I just started ignoring a lot of those and it makes these threads much more tolerable.
Basically no one knows right now, so there is no answer to that type of question. Hopefully something changes over the next month or two to give a clearer picture to the entire world of how this is going to go, and hopefully that change is for the better.
Basically no one knows right now, so there is no answer to that type of question. Hopefully something changes over the next month or two to give a clearer picture to the entire world of how this is going to go, and hopefully that change is for the better.
I just can't see online in the Fall, unless there's a bad 2nd wave. The amount of time our kids would have spent in '20 sitting in front of a screen, March-Dec, will be staggering. 2 of my 3 kids are already wearing blue-blockers because of the headaches they'r getting from basically sitting around in their rooms, in front of a screen most of the waking day. And these are out-going kids, cheerleader and football player.Dr.HeadCase said:
I work in higher and although no decision has been made yet, I think it's likely we will be online again in the fall. Not sure about high schools though.
Aust Ag said:Still trying to figure how A&M online only looks for my Freshman next year. Yuck. "Welcome to Texas A&M, now login!"Swagag8 said:
If A&M is online in fall I think we can start to say goodbye to a lot of amazing businesses, restaurants, and bars in the B/CS area. College towns around the country would be decimated.
I feel bad for your fish! I'm class of '22 and all of this has been a terrible "experiment" of online classes. Hopefully we will be back on campus, otherwise myself and others are contemplating gap semesters.
You will be on campus this fall. Hang in there. Take this from someone who lives in BCS and works for A&M (for 20+ years so far).
dr_boogs said:
You will be on campus this fall. Hang in there. Take this from someone who lives in BCS and works for A&M (for 20+ years so far).
Love this hope! Please. The students are begging!
Most respected epidemiologists I've listened to feel confident that by the fall we will have better testing in place and a therapeutic.
That would mean to me we will have school this fall, maybe not live sports but I think we will have school.
That would mean to me we will have school this fall, maybe not live sports but I think we will have school.
I am going to guess by July 4 this is all a thing of the past.
From what I have heard from a few people that work at Houston ISD, they are anticipating disruptions in the Fall...everything from starting a little later to having to shut things down here and there.
They are actively working on contingency plans like school during the breaks and making the school days longer in order to get the educational minutes in. They currently have 4 or 5 different working versions of the 20-21 calendar right now.
No decisions have been made yet about sports that start in the summer...they are expecting that some of the decisions will be made by UIL in June.
They are actively working on contingency plans like school during the breaks and making the school days longer in order to get the educational minutes in. They currently have 4 or 5 different working versions of the 20-21 calendar right now.
No decisions have been made yet about sports that start in the summer...they are expecting that some of the decisions will be made by UIL in June.
My biggest question is will we as a country be able to mitigate the fear by August?
In our great state, I feel confident that we can. Countrywide, I'm not so sure.
In our great state, I feel confident that we can. Countrywide, I'm not so sure.
rojo_ag said:
My biggest question is will we as a country be able to mitigate the fear by August?
In our great state, I feel confident that we can. Countrywide, I'm not so sure.
Ask the MSM and the Facebookers....they are the ones that generate the 'over the top fear' with their 24/7 'shoe-selling' and minute by minute death counters.
It reshapes society, because the average person is forever skeptical of scientists and their prediction models.Seven said:
You can't possibly be serious. This isn't going to completely reshape society forever. We are nearing the end of this mess
Ragoo said:
I am going to guess by July 4 this is all a thing of the past.
Which part? We won't be back to life as it was pre-March by July.
88planoAg said:agsalaska said:
Hang in there OP. The best thing to do with the Texags tough guys is to ignore them.
The part I am still struggling with is why are we avoiding the kids all getting it? Seems to me that is a step that is going to absolutely have to happen for us to develop any immunity to it.
I get closing the schools after spring break. I get not opening them in May, though I am not sure I entirely agree with it.
But these kids need to get their lives back to normal as fast as possible. That in my mind is every bit as important as getting the economy 'going' again.
Is it the kids or is it that kids are vectors to teachers, admins and parents?
Of course. That's the problem. But at some point we are going to have to deal with it. We cant keep the kids out until there is a vaccine. Thays not feasible.
The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you never know if they are genuine. -- Abraham Lincoln.
Dr.HeadCase said:
I work in higher and although no decision has been made yet, I think it's likely we will be online again in the fall. Not sure about high schools though.
It just makes no sense to sideline college age kids for this illness. Faculty and staff can be distanced, isolated, and use PPE. You don't even have the concern of college kids bringing the infection home to their parents, so it's a much easier decision with less fallout to deal with than preK-12.
if colleges decide to go online again this fall, then they need to be prepared for the short and longterm implications of that action. There will be a lot less jobs available for administrators, faculty and staff in the future if we accelerate the move to online education.
The economic impact of that decision to a college town like B/CS would be devastating in the short and long term.
rojo_ag said:
I am a teacher in the Austin area. I'm trying to wrap my head around how we will reopen schools by August. Opening schools is essential to fully reopening our state and country. Is opening in August realistic? Will districts push start dates? I can't imagine that we will return without strict social distancing measures in place. I really want to be in the classroom with my students since distance learning has so many limitations.
What will our new normal in schools look like once we return?
Here is a few thoughts that I have regarding guidelines we may follow.
All students, faculty, and staff must wear masks. (What about elementary students? What do we do with students who do not have masks? Will we have enough to distribute? Will bandannas or other face coverings suffice?)
All students, faculty, and staff will have their temperatures checked before entering. (Where do students with temperatures go? How much of a bottleneck will this create at the beginning of each day?)
Lunches held in classrooms.
Passing periods are staggered to reduce the amount of students in hallways.
Teachers provide hand sanitizer as students enter the classroom. (Is this too excessive? Will campuses have enough?)
Visitors to campus are limited and screened.
No extracurricular activities.
No dressing out for P.E. or athletics
Students have their temperatures checked as they enter the bus in the morning. (Will every bus need a parent or community volunteer to check temperatures?)
More restrictive steps:
- 65+ or people with underlying health conditions not allowed on campus. (Many administrators, teachers, and staff will not be able to work)
- Students come to school every other day based on their last name. (This will required parents to find or provide child care half of the week).
Issues that must also be considered: Buses, emergency drills, dismissal, car rider pick up, class sizes (I average 28 in each of my classes)
So, I'm interested in your thoughts and opinions. Maybe many of these steps will not be necessary. Thanks for taking the time to consider this!
Edit: I forgot to add: Will a campus have to shut down if someone on campus tests positive?
If lunches are held in classrooms, almost every teacher would *****. I am curious what education Austin would have to say about that.
If states like Texas open up more and more and we don't see any type of crazy spike then the pressure will be on everyone else to do the same.rojo_ag said:
My biggest question is will we as a country be able to mitigate the fear by August?
In our great state, I feel confident that we can. Countrywide, I'm not so sure.
People are getting antsy across the country. And will get even more so. This can't go on another 3-4 months, much less into the next school year. When all is said and done we'l find out the deathrate is probably south of 0.5%.
Forcing kids to wear masks in pointless. Throughout the day, those things will be off a dozen times per student. I'm trying to imagine that being enforced in the middle school I work at, and don't see it happening. Kids can't see past their own "invincible" bubble.
Well for starters, that would violate Texas Education Code. Every teacher is entitled to a 30 minute duty free lunch.brs4688 said:rojo_ag said:
I am a teacher in the Austin area. I'm trying to wrap my head around how we will reopen schools by August. Opening schools is essential to fully reopening our state and country. Is opening in August realistic? Will districts push start dates? I can't imagine that we will return without strict social distancing measures in place. I really want to be in the classroom with my students since distance learning has so many limitations.
What will our new normal in schools look like once we return?
Here is a few thoughts that I have regarding guidelines we may follow.
All students, faculty, and staff must wear masks. (What about elementary students? What do we do with students who do not have masks? Will we have enough to distribute? Will bandannas or other face coverings suffice?)
All students, faculty, and staff will have their temperatures checked before entering. (Where do students with temperatures go? How much of a bottleneck will this create at the beginning of each day?)
Lunches held in classrooms.
Passing periods are staggered to reduce the amount of students in hallways.
Teachers provide hand sanitizer as students enter the classroom. (Is this too excessive? Will campuses have enough?)
Visitors to campus are limited and screened.
No extracurricular activities.
No dressing out for P.E. or athletics
Students have their temperatures checked as they enter the bus in the morning. (Will every bus need a parent or community volunteer to check temperatures?)
More restrictive steps:
- 65+ or people with underlying health conditions not allowed on campus. (Many administrators, teachers, and staff will not be able to work)
- S Tearents to find or provide child care half of the week).
Issues that must also be considered: Buses, emergency drills, dismissal, car rider pick up, class sizes (I average 28 in each of my classes)
So, I'm interested in your thoughts and opinions. Maybe many of these steps will not be necessary. Thanks for taking the time to consider this!
Edit: I forgot to add: Will a campus have to shut down if someone on campus tests positive?
If lunches are held in classrooms, almost every teacher would *****. I am curious what education Austin would have to say about that.
You are absolutely right. Texas teachers are provided by law 30 minutes of duty free lunch. Under the circumstances, how will the state address this issue if the state deems it necessary to avoid gathering large groups of students together? Will the state change the code, determine it is absurd to have students eat in classrooms, or ask teachers to recognize the levity of the situation and to just accept it as the new normal for a while?
I have to mention that during whole campus mock STAAR testing and the during the actual STAAR test, many students (especially students during first lunches), eat in their testing classrooms. There is a precedent.
I have to mention that during whole campus mock STAAR testing and the during the actual STAAR test, many students (especially students during first lunches), eat in their testing classrooms. There is a precedent.
Kids wear photo IDs at the JHs in our district and maybe the HS. Hoodies worn up are not allowed at the JH my kid will be attending next year. The rules and IDs were put in place for security purposes and to allow staff to visually verify if that person is supposed to be in the building. I cant imagine masks would be fit into the security protocols.Quote:
All students, faculty, and staff must wear masks. (What about elementary students? What do we do with students who do not have masks? Will we have enough to distribute? Will bandannas or other face coverings suffice?)
I absolutely agree with you. I cannot imagine many of my middle school students wearing masks throughout the day. They will not wear them appropriately, and teachers and administrators will have an additional headache to enforce. We have a difficult time enforcing dress code as it is. What happens when a student refuses to wear a mask? I recall a time where I taught on one campus where many students sagged their pants. One year the APs decided to truly enforce the no sagging policy. Everyday they were "fighting" children, often yelling at them to pick up their pants. Students would comply for the moment and then drop their pants often below their backsides as soon as the APs moved on to their next target. Soon, the APs gave up, and the teachers again became the primary enforcers.Bruce Almighty said:
Forcing kids to wear masks in pointless. Throughout the day, those things will be off a dozen times per student. I'm trying to imagine that being enforced in the middle school I work at, and don't see it happening. Kids can't see past their own "invincible" bubble.
I feel it is borderline absurd to expect students to wear masks at school; however, i have little say as to the direction my district may take regarding this. I'm fairly certain that in the end central administration will take guidance from the state and area districts, but I have my doubts that upper admin will discuss the practicalities of student mask wearing with classroom teachers. In Austin, any person under 10 must wear a mask in public until May 4. I envision this being extended. How long?
people will still be getting sick hopefully the % requiring hospitizalation % the % who die will be even smaller than it is now. The virus is going to march through population I doubt the process will be completed by July.Ragoo said:
I am going to guess by July 4 this is all a thing of the past.
That's what I want to hear.dr_boogs said:
You will be on campus this fall. Hang in there. Take this from someone who lives in BCS and works for A&M (for 20+ years so far).
May still be too early to know for sure. . .but
My district (mind you it is in Travis County) is already preparing teachers for remote learning and major social distancing procedures for the fall, including A and B days, staggered passing periods, and lunches in classrooms. Teachers have been tasked with starting to plan distance learning lessons. We will see.
I'm afraid that if Gov. Abbott doesn't make an EO regarding schools and restrictions we are in for another round. Superintendents across the state are going to take a very cautious approach even if the economy depends on schools being opened. I hate it and will post when I have more concrete information.
My district (mind you it is in Travis County) is already preparing teachers for remote learning and major social distancing procedures for the fall, including A and B days, staggered passing periods, and lunches in classrooms. Teachers have been tasked with starting to plan distance learning lessons. We will see.
I'm afraid that if Gov. Abbott doesn't make an EO regarding schools and restrictions we are in for another round. Superintendents across the state are going to take a very cautious approach even if the economy depends on schools being opened. I hate it and will post when I have more concrete information.
Who cares that school age children have a 99.88% chance of not needing hospital care if infected, and a 99.998% chance of survival if infected. Let's keep schools shut down and keep wrecking the economy by making parents stay home. Or even better, let's split up the school days so it will be chaos, still spread the virus, AND wreck the economy by making parents stay home.
Best of all, those stats from Spain don't take into account the health or existing conditions of the children, just age.
Best of all, those stats from Spain don't take into account the health or existing conditions of the children, just age.
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