I think that’s a piece that needs to change if anyone expects school to ever work again. Because there won’t be a vaccine anytime soon. And, once we do have one, even if it works, there will still be cases.
Iowa City School District
- Thread starter Hawk_82
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That’s pretty easy to say when they also don’t work with kids who have special needs, IEPs, and a non-diverse student population built around middle to upper class white families, but yeah, for the love of the community
You mean the same teenagers that should be doing their classwork at the same time? Good plan
That’s good. The information sent from the school district yesterday indicated they may be able to do a hybrid version later in the fall that would limit the amount of kids in each room.
Even if there is a vaccine, who’s gonna take it? Our pediatrician from UW Madison said there’s no way in hell he’s giving that to a healthy child or adult.
do you think things will magically be better by October 1?
What is the end game for iccsd? There is no way they go to school at all if they are not willing to take any risk. At least Regina is trying to find something that works. You say Regina is on a roller coaster,. Well iccsd has just given up.
Totally agree. They have given no base number that they are working off of and no thresholds to be met for reopening. So basically, ICCSD is just arbitrarily deciding things for their entire district with zero information given. What is their go back number - 0?
When giving up means taking the health of your students, teachers, and staff as the number 1 priority for opening schools, I’m cool with that. Giving up is also opening everything back up too soon because we were tired of it and bored. Giving up is starting baseball/softball because the kids wanted to play. Giving up is not mandating masks in public because they are uncomfortable.
This. What's the end game? Better yet, what is the criteria for return? If it's a decline in cases we're screwed. Adding 10-15k UI students to the population is only going to add to the number of overall cases. The problem w/ closing businesses and schools in March is the criteria for reopening was never redefined. The ICCSD has backed themselves into a corner on this. Better to have returned in a limited capacity now and adjust as needed. I don't see how ICCSD can return to school in the next 6 months - at that point the academic year is a wash *again*
Also, the state has given districts the option to open early this year. Why isn't ICCSD doing that? If everyone's in this for the kids, shouldn't we be starting online learning earlier? No one wants to talk about that either....
With virtual schooling they need basically zero administrators and admin staff, they need about 1/3rd of the current teacher staff in the District. Not to mention savings for no busing. This could be a huge dollar savings to the school district if they do things correctly.
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Probably because the state is providing zero funding to open early. The ICCSD also follows the university calendar as closely as possible and opening early throws that off even more.
Well, opening schools isn’t going to change anything for the foreseeable future, that’s for sure.
Well, except for students being educated in the manner they're used to. And, parents with young children being able to work this fall.
But, guess who will really be watching these kids this fall in many cases? Their siblings, or other kids. Which will undo much of the social distancing that ICCSD thinks they are creating.
My high school aged kids were already asked to 'babysit' kids this fall during the day. Lot of kids are going to be put in a position where they are supposed to be remote learning...while also being the caretaker/teacher for younger children.
Not a good situation.
But, guess who will really be watching these kids this fall in many cases? Their siblings, or other kids. Which will undo much of the social distancing that ICCSD thinks they are creating.
My high school aged kids were already asked to 'babysit' kids this fall during the day. Lot of kids are going to be put in a position where they are supposed to be remote learning...while also being the caretaker/teacher for younger children.
Not a good situation.
Take a drive by the cattle yard some night this week and see how the Regina families are social distancing and wearing face masks. Good luck to the teachers and staff at Regina. They are gonna need it.
Take a drive through the cruddy areas this fall and see all those kids with crap parents educating themselves via the internet.
No different than any ball field across Iowa right now. And, yet...no problems with any kids that I've heard.
How about the programs getting shut down because coaches getting it? How about the numbers increasing across the state? Nope. None of that due to baseball/softball and lack of common sense. Jeez, dude.
Programs are mostly being shut down due to the quarantine of individuals who were in 'close contact' with a case.
Not because they themselves were positive.
And, numbers in Johnson County have come down and have been pretty consistent for two weeks.
When do you think it will be safe for ICCSD to return to school? What is your acceptable return criteria?
When the board determines it safe to return based on information from the public health department, parents, and teachers. You know, the recommendation by your buddy Art’s pediatric group. If our local numbers continue to go down, then I could see a hybrid version sometime later this fall. That IF is going to rely on the community doing what it needs to do to slow the spread. I’m not real confident when the students return to campus next month. That could create a total community shit show. We’ll know by late September one way or another.
Absolutely they are giving up. I don't see an end in sight. realistically the numbers are only going to get worse as fall and winter come. So I do not anticipate a return anytime soon the way ICCSD has laid things out.
If they were trying they could have done a partial return. Here are some things they could have done.
- 50% or less return to in school learning.
- Have no more than 250 people in one building at a time.
- No more than 15 people in 1 classroom
- students need to have a letter from a pediatrician stating they do not have any underlying conditions and they are low risk for getting seriously ill from covid.
- Parents must sign a waiver saying they understand there are risks associated with returning to school and despite all efforts it is possible the child could get covid. (realistically this is implied by doing anything other than complete isolation).
- Only offer return to school for families that have 2 parents working, or 1 working parent if the other parent is not involved with the child
- Child has to be willing to wear a mask or face shield at times outside of eating or drinking
- Child has to demonstrate that they know how to put on a face mask and wear it correctly
- Child has to have their own way to get to school (busing will not be available at this time)
- Teacher has to be low risk for getting seriously ill from covid (Letter from PCP that they are ok to work).
- Temp will be checked every day upon entering school (preferably with a temporal scanner so it does not touch anyone) These are expensive to buy, but are really a drop in the bucket when compared to everything else that is being done.
- Hire additional cleaning staff to disinfect before and after school
- Students need to bring their own school supplies and have a designated spot that they are stored
- Students will stay in one classroom throughout the day, teachers may move to different class rooms if needed
- Every student and teacher must wash their hands upon entering school, and before and after activities, eating, etc.
- Students will move about the school following one direction lines so they will be on opposite sides of the hall from other students.
- Teacher will teach either behind a full body shield or a face shield
- Any student who develops a cough or runny nose or any other covid symptoms will be sent to the nurse for evaluation. If they have a fever they will be sent home.
- students and people living in the household promise to take appropriate precautions when out in public. Facemask or shields when in public, social distancing, avoiding large groups especially of unrelated people. (this is kind of a pointless bullet point, but I think it helps bring awareness and peer pressure will help make some wear masks who otherwise might not).
Here is the most important thing to prevent all spread of covid in schools.
In order to return to in school learning, you must be willing to share all covid test results for everyone living in your household or those are are having significant close contact with the student.
If a member of the household is tested because they are having symptoms then the student must remain home from school until test results are back (at UIHC this is only 8ish hours).
If a member of the household is tested but does not have symptoms the student may continue at school unless the test would come back positive. (eg. tested for a procedure being done at the hospital).
If any member of a household has a positive covid test, then the student must stay home from school until cleared by a medical provider or the public health department.
If anyone tests positive for covid then the school will notify parents of this. If anyone was a high risk for transmission they would have to stay home (being sneezed on, or coughed on), otherwise all students and teachers could continue to go to school as long as masks and shields were used up to that point. If covid is found to be spreading within a class room or the school building then they will shut down that classroom or school depending on how things are spreading.
I honestly don't see how anything could spread if these guidelines are followed. There would be minimal additional costs, one time fee for a temp scanner, and 1-3 additional janitors to help with cleaning.
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The majority of parents and teachers are comfortable going back to work. The board ignored them. The board made this political. Blaming everyone else but their incompetent selves.
So, no idea. It will be safe when a bunch of different people agree, which will never happen, and is not based on any threshold or science.
Local case numbers will go up, and go down. Over and over.
The only thing that will change is the resolve of the school board when they realize there is no end in sight.
And, at that point, they will have wasted all this time and have gained nothing.
Here is a list of people who have let us down in terms of in person school and fall sports:
1. Trump (I have never seen so much incompetence at such a high level)
2. Trump Supporters (they followed his stupid lead and decided "living with the virus" just meant everything goes back to the way it was before without taking any steps that is required to "live with the virus")
3. 20 somethings who decided none of these precautions pertained to them and have helped fill up our positive numbers (they don't seem to care if they get it AND they don't seem to care if they spread it to others)
These are the people I will rightfully blame with CFB gets the rug pulled out from it and all of these people deserve one punch in the face and a swift kick in the nuts, line up dip shits and come get your medicine.
Lol. Ok, pine. Hope those Regina parents pray extra hard this all works out for them. JHC. Didn’t they have a longtime coach/teacher die right at the beginning of all of this? Teas and Peas from the rest of us.
Not that I’m aware of. It was ironic to have the board meet on Tuesday night via zoom, but high school baseball and softball are still rocking and football workouts have begun.
58% and it’s been clearly established, parents want their daycare back. Kudos to the board for listening to everyone and not just the parents who don’t want their kids around the house any longer.
Therein lies the problem - when numbers continue to go down. Do we really expect numbers to go done w/ the U opening up dorms and dining halls to students this fall? What about the crowd at the downtown bars every weekend? If the school board isn't comfortable opening now, I don't see circumstances changing between now and October that will make them more comfortable. Of course, they won't tell us what the criteria for reopening is - other than those 7 people feeling "comfortable" about reopening - Nevermind what parents and teachers have asked for.....
As long as we're singling out the Cattleyard - how about CYSP in Coralville? It's busy (packed) 7 days a week w/ USSSA baseball and softball tournaments, leagues etc - Full open w/ concessions, bleachers, the whole 9 yards......Those are kids and families from all over eastern iowa and the QC area.
I agree with some, not all of your post. As for the school board’s criteria reopening..we’ll see, but the pressure will be for some guidelines. That said, we can’t even have guidelines on football right now, so don’t hold your breath.
Navigating life with a singular priority is a recipe for disaster...
I don't even know why some people have kids. Selfish and dumb.
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anon_89hvcc2uyzmki
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Actually I would argue that opening schools will dramatically improve the academic and social learning opportunities for the youth of our society. So in effect yeah. It would change something.
As an administrator, you are not correct. I worked longer days during remote learning. The day-to-day responsibilities changed and I was generally busier during the day than when students were in the building. I would have never thought that, but it was the case in our district.
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