https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:39:10 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919815 Tue, 20 Oct 2020 10:05:35 +0000 Anagram 2919815@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I work in a middle school that has been doing hybrid schedule; my kids go to a school district that is full-time in person, which was only managed because originally 49% of the district chose all remote. So basically the in-person classes were half size (both of my kids were in classes of 11; then phase 2 happened and kids could switch from all remote in in person; now their classes are at 14. So I’m guessing phase 2 is putting us at about 35-40% still opting for all remote.)</p> <p>So my experience is mixed. I have inside intel from being a teacher in my district, and behind the scenes, the safety is not as good as some parents would like it to be. </p> <p>My school just went all remote temporarily today because of a Covid case, along with our feeder HS, another neighboring HS, 2 other involved middle schools. It’s early (we literally got the call last night at 10pm), but apparently there were 2 big HS level sports events over the weekend where tons of students and parents were maskless and also socialized afterward—the sports meets involved multiple towns/school districts. Someone (or a few people) there had Covid and it spread. By yesterday, a few people were sick and got tested, now everyone at those meets had been asked to test, and that’s how one of our students got a positive (younger sibling). </p> <p>This was not a school sports event but a club sports event (Im being vague on purpose). And this sucks on multiple levels—because of social media, teachers/other parents who live in town know exactly who was at this meet and who was socializing unmasked (lots of team Group photosPosted, no masks—lots of parent group photos posted with no masks, Plenty of eating/drinking socializing pictures posted unmasked. And now some of those people are Covid positive while others sent their kids to school anyway. </p> <p>So all the schools had to totally close until contact tracing can be done. I am a parent, but I just don’t get parents sometimes. What is more important—Jonny’s sports match and the party afterward? Or Jonny’s school being open? </p> <p>Meanwhile, in my own town, every day there are constant posts like “where can my winter birthday child have an indoor party?”. I have no patience for that. Our kids will not shrivel up and die if they don’t have an indoor party. If parents get our schools closed because they have to have their indoor parties, feel the need to fly for vacations, want to keep socializing in big groups indoors, I’m going to be pissed. That meme where it says Covid is like every group project in school ever—I feel that so hard. </p> <p>Anyway, rant done—just needed to vent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919798 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 21:40:36 +0000 bhbee 2919798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaG: yes it seems overall to be going well, which I put down to the mask mandate more than anything else. I’ll be interested to see if our rising community spread becomes a problem for schools. It seems pretty clear that with masking, spread in school is not a problem for now (the cases all seem to be related to socializing outside of school or sports). But does that change as positivity and case numbers go up? No idea. I’m also wondering how much distancing matters, as we had more kids go back in person this week from virtual.<br /> I guess what I hope the pressure from the county health dept will do is convince the district to keep protocols strict and help talk people into good behavior outside of school (questionable!). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919790 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 20:43:45 +0000 MamaG 2919790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bhbee: I think we are in the same metro area, I’m on the other side and our county health director is also urging virtual school. I haven’t been able to support. My kids have been back in school full time since early September. No cases at our school. And on a weekly basis the district of 23,000 students is reporting 10-20 cases among staff and students. </p> <p>While open, we do still have a virtual option as well. And so many precautions in place. My kid was sent home for a sore throat today and we are in peak fall allergy season here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919741 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:46:03 +0000 krispi 2919741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>3 out of the 4 girls (mine is one of the 3) have been super emotional. Their individual responses range from crying excessively to regressing to "babyish" behaviors to just full-on screaming. All of them have asked for time apart, saying they want a break, being more clingy with parents, saying they don't want to share toys and they want to spend more time with friends outside the pod (which we haven't due to covid). The parents agree that it just feels emotionally unhealthy overall. We were hoping it would get better with going back to school in person, but now that isn't happening. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919735 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:07:03 +0000 DillonLion 2919735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@krispi: so far our pod has been going really well. </p> <p>What is happening with your pod that isn't going well? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919734 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 10:06:04 +0000 Chuckles 2919734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: I think you're right. And it also has to do somewhat, at least in our area, with the resources of the families and district. We have some very affluent towns and districts right nearby that have gone back with a hybrid model. The schools were able to hire extra teachers quickly so that class sizes could stay small, and the kids go home for lunch because there are fewer homes where both parents work (or they have been able to hire childcare). Also many students live within walking distance of their home school. They are also just smaller districts in general (2-4 schools in total) versus our district with 15 schools, so there's less to juggle. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919732 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 09:43:23 +0000 krispi 2919732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@DillonLion: Would you say that your learning pod has been going well? We've been in a pod with 3 other girls since the beginning of school. All 4 girls are in kindergarten, and all 4 are only children. We originally formed the pod to help us all keep our full-time jobs as working parents and also to provide socialization for the girls. But lately, we've been seeing some unhealthy emotional responses from the girls. We're experimenting with reducing the amount of time the pod spends together for the 2nd quarter of school. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919731 Mon, 19 Oct 2020 09:41:11 +0000 krispi 2919731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We were supposed to return for in-person next week, but we found out on Friday that we will be remaining fully virtual until at least January. :sad: I don't see how cases will lower enough between now and then with winter and the holidays to go back in January either, so we're probably looking at virtual for the long haul. It's really difficult with the kindergarten age group, and lots of parents are having to return to work full-time in person, so childcare is also an issue. Honestly, this whole pandemic has been nothing but a mess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919723 Sun, 18 Oct 2020 22:12:16 +0000 PinkElephant 2919723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Chuckles: Some of the district-by-district thing may be about access to certain PPE. I think that our school district is now able to move from having half the class in-school at a time to the full class in-school at a time because they will have a certain type of plexiglass desk shield in place that was backordered at the start of the school year. Neighboring districts that already had the shields are already in this "plan", while other districts who do not have or don't plan to get the right set-up are fully virtual. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919643 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:37:43 +0000 DillonLion 2919643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our first quarter (August - October 30th) has been remote for everyone. </p> <p>They are currently piloting a few classrooms to test out the plan for the 2nd quarter. Elementary will go 2x a week from 9-11:30 and the rest of the time be at home either remote or working independently. You can also elect to stay remote. The middle school schedule is also limited. High school plans to return one time PER MONTH for each grade level, but the push back on that has been insane, so that may change. </p> <p>2.5 hours twice a week is pretty lame and impossible for working parents to make happen, so a lot are opting to stay fully remote. </p> <p>My 2nd grader is in a learning pod (5 girls, each day of the week a different mom takes all 5 and helps facilitate the learning). We plan to continue to keep the pod going with the hybrid schedule and are hoping the girls are on the same in-school schedule. About 17 of the 24 in their class have opted in to the hybrid model, so there will be about 8 in each hybrid group. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919638 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 13:11:48 +0000 Littlebit7 2919638@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Its interesting to read what phases everyone is in.<br /> What is their rationale for not reopening?</p> <p>We are open. Public has a 100% in person or 100% virtual option. Most of the private schools have a hybrid model due to space constraints (except the very youngest grades; my daughter and son are both 100% in person; you had to opt out to do virtual). Some of the charter schools are hybrid as well due to space.<br /> Our numbers have been low the entire time thanks in part to a very aggressive approach early on by our Mayor and governor. (and we are literally adjacent to NYC so thats saying something considering the horrible outbreak back in March/April). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919637 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:43:46 +0000 Mrs. Pajamas 2919637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm also in the SF Bay Area (East Bay) and although my county just got into the orange tier which means schools can open, due to labor negotiations school will be 100% virtual until at least 12/31. I'm dyyyyiiiinnnggg to get my kids out of the house and back in school but I get it. Super frustrating. DD1's kindergarten teacher sent a sweet video of him walking around their classroom today and it just made me so sad that she has no idea what that's like! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919633 Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:17:30 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2919633@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are in a lottery for a waiver and the teachers are being told to get their classrooms ready for if we get picked. It could be in the next month, or it could be next year. We just don't know. Also California. Oh, and it'll be hybrid, not full time. The parents who weren't comfortable with in person instruction had the option to opt out at the beginning of the year when we had more of a surge in cases. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919612 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:50:54 +0000 KT326 2919612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@theotherstark: I think most of the school districts in my county applied for and received waivers. But hardly any of them have kids back to school (that I know of). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919611 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:44:57 +0000 theotherstark 2919611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@KT326: Oh, interesting that your district got a waiver! I hadn’t thought any Public schools had tried for those </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919610 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:44:06 +0000 theotherstark 2919610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’m in the Bay Area as well. Our district has been very conservative - we are still in full-time distanced learning, even though technically they could be reopening based on our currents numbers/phase. They will be ‘discussing how to move forward’ after the fall break this week, with a priority for at-risk students, and then TK/K, but even with a hybrid program, I really don’t think we will see any sort of in-person school until January at the very earliest. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919609 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 21:09:53 +0000 mamabolt 2919609@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Philly suburbs, we went back in a hybrid (half kids MT half ThF) starting two weeks ago for K-2 and finally today reaching middle and high as well. We did 5-6 weeks virtual to start the year. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919592 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:37:05 +0000 KT326 2919592@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JCCovi: @Corduroy: I'm in the Bay Area as well (south bay) and while our district has a waiver, they are pushing back any in person instruction until at least January. They surveyed the parents and enough families said they weren't ready for in-person instruction yet. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919590 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 10:03:49 +0000 JCCovi 2919590@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Corduroy: We’re also in the Bay Area. Our private school got a waiver and went back (hybrid) at the beginning of the month. The public schools in our city also got a waiver and brought back Kinder and 1st graders half days.</p> <p>I think without the waiver it’s just so hard to open knowing that the county’s metrics could change and send everyone home again. There’s obviously still risk with a waiver but it feels more controllable. So I agree, I don’t see widespread openings in the Bay Area until August... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919589 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 09:42:01 +0000 catgirl 2919589@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our state has assigned counties a color rating - green means you can be 100% in person, yellow is hybrid, and red is 100% remote. The green and yellow categories still have long lists of requirements to be met by the individual school. Almost all counties in my state have a green rating but most districts still opened as though they are yellow because they can't meet the day to day requirements of green.</p> <p>We started as a hybrid in my district and they had a school board meeting two weeks ago where they voted to stay in our hybrid/yellow instead of moving to green. They haven't set the next vote, but I assume it will be in early November. Our elementary school is four half days a week (half of the kids go in the morning, the other half in the afternoons) and fully virtual on Wednesdays. The middle school and high school have two full in person days per week (half of kids are Monday/Thursday and the other half are Tuesday/Friday) and a fully virtual day on Wednesdays. So at any given time about half of kids are in the buildings. </p> <p>Even in the green level students have to remain 3 feet apart with masks on and 6 feet apart with masks off (for snacks and lunch). There simply isn't enough space to do that in the elementary school for snacks and lunch. If that distance requirement stays I don't see how we can move to 100% in person anytime soon. And for the middle and high school, many of the classrooms aren't big enough to fit everyone and the hallways would be too congested. We also don't have enough buses as a district to transport everyone at one - only one kid per seat, every other seat is allowed. Drop off and pick up would have to be staggered as well to not go over the outdoor gathering limit. So who knows??? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919588 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 09:16:04 +0000 Chuckles 2919588@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I also find it so interesting that districts within the same area/region are doing things very differently. Our school district has been in the news a bit because they are prioritizing a return to in-person learning for marginalized students - students with IEPs, experience homelessness, are English Language Learners, and/or are low-income. They are also prioritizing pre-K through 2nd grade. Right now everyone is remote, but they are re-evaluating the first week of November to move to a hybrid schedule, mostly, I think, for those students. We're also in a state where numbers are going up, but it's been tricky because even if our specific town's numbers are good, the region's numbers aren't great and the district is being mindful of the fact that many people who work in the buildings come from the greater region. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919582 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 08:18:33 +0000 Jess1483 2919582@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our schools are hybrid and the school board just pushed back our "hybrid-plus" model by a few weeks (this means all kiddos in class, but shortened days, and no one there on Mondays). We chose the virtual option, but cases are trending way up. Locally, kids on sports teams are agreeing to refuse testing to avoid quarantining. It is starting to spell disaster. I would be surprised if we don't shut down entirely after the election. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919581 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 07:57:49 +0000 Lahela017 2919581@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My district is hybrid and has been since the beginning of the year. How often they go in person really varies by grade level. They don't have any dates set for changing the approach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919578 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 06:58:51 +0000 krispi 2919578@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been completely virtual so far this year. Right now, the plan is to return on Oct 26, with an option to stay virtual for those who aren't comfortable with in-person. But it all depends on the latest case numbers that will be released tomorrow, so we'll see.</p> <p>The school systems around us are all doing completely different things, from totally open to remaining virtual for the rest of the calendar year. There doesn't seem to be any consistency, even in our metro area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919577 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 06:34:34 +0000 bhbee 2919577@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It’s so interesting how different places are handling this! We are the opposite ... our schools are open (with a virtual option) but county health is advising they not be ..: our recent trends are bad but I expect schools will stay open until the cases in schools get out of control (they’ve had cases but no huge outbreaks so we’ll see what happens as community spread gets worse). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919576 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 06:02:56 +0000 PinkElephant 2919576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We’ve been in a hybrid model since the start of the year - the kids go to school for four hour days, five days a week, every other week. The alternate weeks, they are virtual and Zoom into their classroom (Classes are split in half by last name).</p> <p>I just found out that starting in Mid-November they will keep the half days, but attend in person every day (no remote weeks). I’m cautiously optimistic....part of me worries that the “go date“ is so far out for this so that they can cancel the change and say they tried. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/distance-learning-whats-the-timeline-for-return-to-school#post-2919573 Thu, 15 Oct 2020 01:00:54 +0000 Corduroy 2919573@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your schools haven't opened do you have an anticipated date of return?</p> <p>My area (California, Bay Area) just met state and local guidelines for school opening. At the school board meeting tonight they decided to delay the decisions around planning reopening until January. At this point I don't really expect the schools will open this year. </p>