Sounds like a strategy built to purposely deter F2F learning...

planoaggie123 said:

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Sounds like a strategy built to purposely deter F2F learning...

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They are claiming it will do the opposite in isolating cases to protect the school from having to close. It's a completely backwards philosophy. They are going to end up quarantining the same kids over and over again who don't have the virus.

Yep, 99% sure the BOERNE 8 are all unrelated disconnected kids.

Campus Update:

In my classes 91 students out of 144 total will be on campus: 63%

Here are the total number of students I will have in my class per period: 21, 15, 17, 21, 17

We will live stream for the first 20 minutes of each class. We have been instructed to seat our students in rows and teach from the front of the class. We will use a Chromebook or a laptop for the live instruction via Google Meet for the remote learning students. All students and teachers will wear masks. This is the only information we have been given about mitigation plans. We will return to campus next Friday for "first day" protocols.

What's interesting today is that we had our first on-campus faculty meeting, and it was originally planned to be held in the cafeteria. Last night this was revised to an on-campus virtual meeting since public health ordinances prohibit gatherings of 10 or more. I guess 10 or more children in a space does not apply since they spread the virus less than adults. Still seems odd to me that we couldn't sit in the cafeteria for a meeting if we spaced out appropriately.

We also have high risk teachers (all teachers who requested to teach remotely were denied) who are hanging up shower curtains around their desks. It is clear that this will not be even close to business as usual. I'm going to be teaching like it is 1950 in the front of the room in a "gas mask." Students will have limited interaction with their peers outside of the classroom. I'm sure we will rise to the occasion regardless of how intrusive mitigation strategies are to the learning environment.

Thanks for the post.

That is what bothers me a bit. Not towards teachers but in general. The fact that in-school learning will be the exact same experience as remote. Maybe that is the most efficient and fair way but I was hoping my kid would receive a semi-typical education this year but maybe just impossible. The only positive then of F2F is economic for families with dual income.

Thanks for all you do as a teacher.

All of my junior's tests are open book. So way more essay short answer, no multiple choice in his AP classes. Because of the remote learners. Too easy to cheat.

Our kids HS normally is about 3000.
They offered choice of a hybrid model (2 days/ week) or completely virtual. I'm guessing about 1800 chose hybrid.

After 2 weeks we received notice that the hybrid is transitioning to 2 weeks at home online as there are 5 students that reportedly tested positive.
That represents been 0.5% to 0.2% of students was all that was needed to stop school now.

For reference though the middle school closed last January when 325 of over 1300 were absent for the flu. It took about 25% of that school sick to close.

From Georgia...

Boerne down to 6 Active Cases, 145 quarantined.

New US study: KIDS

That study doesn't seem to correlate with Georgia data.

District has announced an emergency school board meeting to discuss a phased-in approach to reopening. The initial plan is for all of us to return on 9/8 for the parents of children who have chosen the F2F option.

If the district follows the model of other districts in the area: K, 1, 6, and 9 would return to campus on 9/8. After 2 weeks another four grade levels will return.

Parent Facebook page is exploding.

This is the same as Leander. I think everyone will be officially back on October 5 after that phased in approach.

I've had students for roughly 2 weeks now (not counting hurricane interruption) and all is well. We phase the rest in starting Monday then everyone f2f on the 8th except for those who chose online for first 9 weeks.

74OA said:

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New US study: KIDS

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New US study.....,.,of 91 South Korean kids. This is that old data.

Due to changing desire from parents to allow more f2f schooling, Richardson ISD allowed paretns to switch their f2f/virtual preference made earlier in the month. IN doing so RISD is also changing mask policies such that all students will be required to wear them even when socially distancing. Also they have provided guidance as to what masks will be "acceptable." From their Blueprint (https://web.risd.org/backtoschool/wp-content/uploads/Blueprint.pdf):

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It is important to note cloth face coverings do NOT preclude social distancing. Cloth face coverings should be worn, and social distancing followed when possible.
Acceptable masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks or cloth face coverings worn over the nose and mouth.
Face shields, neck gaiters, or fleeces are not recommended.
Students in Pre-K through second grade will wear cloth face coverings in hallways, common areas and during arrival and dismissal. Students will be encouraged to wear them in the classroom.
Students in third grade through 12th grade will wear cloth face coverings the entire time while at school, except when eating or drinking

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Internet rumors suggest certain masks and neck gaiters will not be permitted and will have to be replaced or students will be asked to leave. The logic being that neck gaiters and certain single-layer thick cloth masks are of little use to slowing transmission.

Prosper ISD just updated their numbers. They have jumped from 3 cases to 5 cases in students and 1 employee case.

2 at Windsong Elementary
2 at Prosper HS
1 at Cockrell MS

That is out of 11,922 students and 2,344 teachers. We have friends that kept their kid home and decided to send him back in person Tuesday. The integration of kids going from online to in person will be interesting because they will have to kept teachers in an online role while in person students increase.


**After I typed this we received an email about a confirmed case at my kids elementary. Everyone needing to be quarantined has been notified and classes go on

Wylie wanted everyone to stick to their choice for 9 weeks but they have already had about 10% of the kids choosing remote come back to school. Wylie and Prosper are mostly in Collin county which has had low cases to begin with.

TWhere did you get that information? I haven't seen it.

Talking to the parents. Most classes started at 15 kids and have added about 2

I don't know that you can extend that across the schools. I spoke to an elementary principal today who said they've added six students to in person since the beginning of the year.

My sister teaches at a junior high and I'm fairly certain she hasn't added anyone to her classes, certainly not two per class.

Editing to add more information: Wylie has 17,242 students, not 26,000. The initial survey was in the range you stated, but that was at the end of July. On the first day, it was almost 50-50, which has really helped with social distancing. It's still imperfect, but it's much better than it would be at full capacity.

8,995 students returned to campus on day one. 8,250 opted for remote learning.

I'm not saying that the opening hasn't gone fairly smoothly, but I think it's important to clarify data when we're looking at measures for making decisions.

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All of my wife's remote learners are coming back to school after the six weeks except for one. The remote learners are expected to do everything the in person kids are doing. The three week status reports went out last week and almost every single remote learner is failing miserably. Kids just won't do the work without someone at home to make them. District wide 75% of the remote learners are coming back.

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I think we are going to see the same thing in our district. And we started off at 80/20 at most.

It's amazing, you make it just as hard as regular school, you don't let them do extracurriculars if you don't come to school (which we are not) and suddenly the "concern" starts to drop. I think we had a lot of parents who thought it would be like the spring...pick up your packet and bring it back in a week.

The parents who honestly think their kid is going to die from rona...and are willing to have them sitting at the computer 6 hours a day and not get to be in the band or whatever...are a pretty small percentage.

Boerne still chugging along...

We've been in school since the 12th, 80% or so choosing in school. Masks for all PK-12 except when eating. Not able to distance much, at least in HS because of numbers.

Synchronous e-learning, which leads to seamless transition in and out of school for those moving in and out of quarantine.

Quarantine is for those within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes. My HS junior says it is obvious who has been affected - a section of the class is suddenly missing.

Extracurriculars are approved for e-learners. They an come in for band/athletics both during and after school. This has led to some choosing to e-learn who would otherwise be wholly supportive of in-person learning, as this reduces their exposure so that they aren't benched for 2 weeks at random intervals.

16 positive tests district wide. Unknown officially if those are students or staff, unofficially grapevine says most or all students.

The militant e-learning group spends their days looking for something to be pissed about - complaining that the ISD dashboard isn't updated daily, campuses not notified immediately of positives, etc, etc. District notifies each family via phone of exposure, which to those not prone to a conspiracy mindset explains the lag in updating public covid counts.

Prosper ISD

EMSISD in Fort Worth is going back in person finally on September 9th. Problem is, we are being told it's basically a "remote learning" system in the classroom where the students must all bring their own laptops and will do all their classes and work through Canvas program. Exactly like remote learning.

Supposedly they are doing this to seamlessly switch between in person and remote, if the need arises due to school closings during the semester.

I say that's a garbage environment and I'm irritated that even in class my daughter will have to stare at her computer screen all day. Not sure what the classroom teacher will be doing as the E-learning is asynchronous.

Anyone else in the same boat?

My kids elementary in Prosper had a confirmed case Thursday so that chart will change next week. The affected students aren't allowed to return until September 16. That is the first confirmed case at their school.

Lol! I know who that lady Kristin is on the tweet you posted and I don't even live in Prosper. She's a real nutjob.