Back to school time - What are your kids doing?

[Smallsteps]

Why would someone have 2 tests in the same day, or even the next day if they were already positive? That doesn't make sense.

There is a percentage of false negatives with this, or any, diagnostic test.

14 days is based on CDC guidelines for the incubation period.

You are absolutely right that the educational impact is huge and will just worsen as this school year kicks off and many people remain virtual or end up virtual due to COVID outbreaks.

As for what private employers are doing, I'm sure most are focused solely on the bottom line and aren't following healthcare guidelines. Public schools, however, being government entities are more likely to adhere to the guidelines. They don't have a profit motive.

Just read the governor of OHIO had 3 tests in one day last week .... first one positive then 2 negatives ..... also a professional golfer..... his daughter tested positive but to be sure they tested the next day and was negative...... I am assuming these are NOT the only cases testing more then once.

[disneysteve]

Just read the governor of OHIO had 3 tests in one day last week .... first one positive then 2 negatives ..... also a professional golfer..... his daughter tested positive but to be sure they tested the next day and was negative...... I am assuming these are NOT the only cases testing more then once.

Oh, I'm sure the bigwigs, politicians, athletes, and such are getting tested constantly while those of us in healthcare have to jump through hoops to get actual patients tested. Just another example of the pathetic priorities in this country.

[disneysteve]

"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill abruptly decided it will no longer hold in-person classes on campus after about 130 students tested positive for Covid-19 in the first week since classes began.

In the past week, the Covid-19 positivity rate among students rose to 13.6% of the 954 students tested, and five employees also tested positive, according to the university's Covid-19 dashboard. As of Monday morning, 177 students were in isolation and 349 were in quarantine, both on and off campus."

And so it begins. As I said, schools that do reopen will be closed again in no time.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Our schools will delay opening by about two weeks. Kids will have three choices, one of which seems to amount to virtual instruction with a low level of baby-sitting! The options are 1) Online instruction at home with the regular classroom teacher. 2) A canned curriculum that the student works through on their own with no academic help, with only tech help provided by the curriculum company. 3) Online instruction by the regular classroom teacher, but at the school in reduced class sizes. The teacher will not be in the classroom. I'm not sure who will be in classrooms with the students. Ipads are being given to k-8 and laptops to 9-12.

[Snydley]

I'm in the Northeast and we have very low cases right now. My daughter's middle school was supposed to offer a hybrid option but the teachers are pitching a fit and my guess it will be all remote. It's a tough one- because I don't think we have the case #s to be only remote, but the middle school admin are largely incompetent in my opinion and even if they weren't I wonder how they will keep masks on 100s of middle schoolers and manage social distancing, etc.

The University where I work has an amazing COVID testing system in place. All students will be tested twice a week and faculty/staff once a week with results emailed within 24 hours. I just scheduled my first test. Their plan is to bring the kids back and test them like CRAZY and quarantine the positive ones immediately. All testing performed in house. We are also doing a "learn from anywhere" plan so students can choose to attend a class in person or virtually- being able to ask questions and take part in the live discussion via zoom.

[kork13]

An update for my area -- Today was DS5's Kindergarten orientation, meeting with the teacher, getting the school's Chromebook setup, and so forth. I was surprised that DS's class will only have 7 students (of course, that's just in the AM session...presumably his teacher has another 7-8 in the PM session). I heard from another parent that at least one of the elementary schools in our district (the one on the military base, whose parents are almost certainly more careful about COVID mitigation than out here in town) has ~30% of normal in-person attendance -- some teachers have as few as 3-5 students in each of their AM/PM sessions. Apparently the remote-only option was widely accepted around here.

[riverwed070707]

I'm in the Northeast and we have very low cases right now. My daughter's middle school was supposed to offer a hybrid option but the teachers are pitching a fit and my guess it will be all remote. It's a tough one- because I don't think we have the case #s to be only remote, but the middle school admin are largely incompetent in my opinion and even if they weren't I wonder how they will keep masks on 100s of middle schoolers and manage social distancing, etc.

My middle school didn't have a hard time mandating things like what girls wear to class, enforcing no flip flop rules or making kids go home and change for offensive t-shirts. Not sure why everyone thinks a mask mandate is an insurmountable task.

The University where I work has an amazing COVID testing system in place. All students will be tested twice a week and faculty/staff once a week with results emailed within 24 hours. I just scheduled my first test. Their plan is to bring the kids back and test them like CRAZY and quarantine the positive ones immediately. All testing performed in house. We are also doing a "learn from anywhere" plan so students can choose to attend a class in person or virtually- being able to ask questions and take part in the live discussion via zoom.

Sounds like it would work great... except you can have COVID for several days/weeks before you test positive and therefore will have potentially infected dozens (hundreds?) of others on campus by the time you even know you have it. Also is the testing mandatory? That seems like it would be a bit of a gray area, legally speaking.

[disneysteve]

Apparently the remote-only option was widely accepted around here.

I'm reading 30-50% of families are choosing remote-only when it's offered. Another chunk is choosing hybrid where the kids are only in school for maybe 2 partial days/week to limit exposure.

The folks opting for 100% in-person are very often the ones who don't really have a choice. They are essential workers, folks who can't work from home, single working parents, etc. They may not want or feel comfortable with in-person school but they've got no choice. They've got nobody to watch the kids. Unfortunately, this is another illustration of why lower socioeconomic groups and minorities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID as they are more likely to fall into this latter group.

I saw a list yesterday that 48 districts here in NJ have announced fully remote learning for September. I guess the rest are at least hybrid (or haven't decided yet).

[bjl584]

My GF's niece just moved into the dorms yesterday at college.
They have to stay in their "pod" designated to them in the building. (something like 20 people)
Classes will all be online.
I questioned why she had to live in the dorm if everything was online.
I guess the college wants their money for room and board and meal plans.

Always follow the money.....

[disneysteve]

I questioned why she had to live in the dorm if everything was online.

I'm sure she didn't have to live in the dorm. That must have been their choice. You don't have to live on campus.

[disneysteve]

One of my coworkers (who happens to be a lower income minority) found out today that her kid's school is doing 100% virtual for 2 weeks longer than was originally announced. She is not able to line up child care last minute so she had to request a leave of absence from work for that time. She's hoping that the virtual period won't get extended again but she's going to use the next couple of weeks to try to set up something so that she has care in place if it does.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'm reading 30-50% of families are choosing remote-only when it's offered. Another chunk is choosing hybrid where the kids are only in school for maybe 2 partial days/week to limit exposure.

The folks opting for 100% in-person are very often the ones who don't really have a choice. They are essential workers, folks who can't work from home, single working parents, etc. They may not want or feel comfortable with in-person school but they've got no choice. They've got nobody to watch the kids. Unfortunately, this is another illustration of why lower socioeconomic groups and minorities are being disproportionately impacted by COVID as they are more likely to fall into this latter group.

I saw a list yesterday that 48 districts here in NJ have announced fully remote learning for September. I guess the rest are at least hybrid (or haven't decided yet).

this is 100% true. It's an equity thing. I think they should offer in person for people who need it and ask those who don't perhaps to stay at home.

[disneysteve]

"The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill abruptly decided it will no longer hold in-person classes on campus after about 130 students tested positive for Covid-19 in the first week since classes began."

Notre Dame announced the same yesterday. They reopened and just 8 days later said they're closing again after 146 students and one staff member tested positive. I feel bad for all of the families that spent all the time and money and effort to move their kids in only to have to turn around and take them home again. And it all could have been avoided by just doing the right thing in the first place.

Michigan State just announced that they are also going all virtual for the fall (they hadn't started back yet).

[~bs]

Notre Dame announced the same yesterday. They reopened and just 8 days later said they're closing again after 146 students and one staff member tested positive. I feel bad for all of the families that spent all the time and money and effort to move their kids in only to have to turn around and take them home again. And it all could have been avoided by just doing the right thing in the first place.

Michigan State just announced that they are also going all virtual for the fall (they hadn't started back yet).

glad im not in the situation.... but if i was a student or a parent, i'd probably want to take the semester off. Not worth dealing with the hassle and college tuition expense for a gimped experience. The schools will try any sort of solution to keep things going because they want the $$$$. But the question is- if online only is good enough for a regular education, why go back to the old model? And if online is good enough, then why do you need so many teachers teaching the same thing? Just record videos, upload them on youtube and have kids take tests online. How much does a real education cost and how much should it cost?

[disneysteve]

But the question is- if online only is good enough for a regular education, why go back to the old model? And if online is good enough, then why do you need so many teachers teaching the same thing? Just record videos, upload them on youtube and have kids take tests online.

I don't think online-only is good enough at all. I think it's a poor substitute for in-person learning and open interaction and discussion with professors and classmates. Live online classes are also a much better option than just watching prerecorded videos.

At this point in time, however, the risk of in-person classes is just way too high to continue the traditional model so online education is the next best option until conditions improve.