What would you do about this school situation?

[flashy09]

Private school, 1st and 3rd graders. Class size 10-11. Masks at all time inside, classes/lunch outside as much as possible. Hallway zones for the "cohorts" only. UV air filtration system newly installed, touchless water bottle filler, personal supplies, etc. Recess is unmasked and I assume undistanced or obviously will be with 6 and 8 yr olds!

State is Kentucky. Governor recommended Monday no school start in person until Sept 28th. We are peaking. Positivity rate 5.6%. My school is going ahead starting Aug 24th, but has remote option you can opt in or out of every quarter (first one ends Oct 7th).

All healthy in my family, but my mother is 73 and has "dicey" lungs. Gets every cold of the kids and develops a scary cough. Coughs a lot in general. Takes nightly cough medicine (don't even ask). Kids love seeing her, but she is not a caretaker.

I don't want Corona or my kids to get it and I REALLY don't want my mom too, but maybe my school situation is not that risky? I also hate going against authority lol. I do like our Governor a lot and the public schools are almost all remote in the state so I feel like he knows he was addressing private schools on Monday. Kids have no special needs or learning issues, do well in school, did well academically with remote last spring (however definitely rough days)

Ugh. What would you do??

Thank you!

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think I would do remote the first quarter. I think it'll ease your mind about the "what ifs". And I was pro-go back but am now glad that they are remote only for the first quarter. If for nothing else, I can see how in person worked for others without my kiddo being a guinea pig. (note though that I am sending ds1 to live on campus for college so I'm truly all over the place )

[Myira]

This is my honest opinion, the risk and anxiety is just not worth it. You have 1st and 3rd graders, even if we assume a little setback academically(it may not even be that for all I know) means nothing at their age and grades. They have years of schooling ahead of them to catch up and get ahead. Getting covid or giving it to their grandma can have irreversible consequences potentially. In my mind, the cost benefit ratio just does not add up.
Another thought is that this whole in person thing is at risk of changing the moment they find positives. I don’t know what your districts policy is regarding quarantine, but whatever it is, this option is fraught with instability and anxiety.
Just keep them home if that’s an option logistically.


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[Liziz]

Does your Mom live with you? That might impact my decision.

My kids have been back at in-person school for 2 weeks now, and I'm still feeling really good and happy with that decision. It's been wonderful seeing them thriving in a school environment again, and despite all that I see on Facebook about "school will be so different it will be horrible for kids" it really hasn't been for mine. They don't complain about wearing masks, don't seem bothered by the social distancing, and think things like eating in their classroom instead of the cafeteria are "cool" instead of scary or bad. They're loving being in school. I do realize they're at a higher risk than if they were at home, but we're comfortable with it - our school is doing a good job of following safe practices.

That being said, we are not visiting with grandparents or elderly relatives right now because we made the choice to send the kids to school. We said we'd give it a couple of months and see how things are going before we discuss visits. But, our families all live many hours away from us, so we're used to going months without seeing them. I've never lived anywhere close to my family or seen them more than a few times a year so it's hard for me to weigh how that affects things. I would be uncomfortable continuing in-person non socially distant visits with an elderly relative right now with my kids in school.

[smilequeen]

I am totally happy with sending my 4th grader back to his small private school with a great plan, but if you have worries, just do the distance until you feel better. It's not worth worrying about catching covid and it will give you a chance to see how it works out.

[gymnbomb]

I would go remote the first quarter if you possibly can. Will give you a chance to see which way the trends keep going and how the school’s plan works out in real life.


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[georgiegirl]

I’d do distance. I assume you want to see your mom. There’s no way I’d let kids who go to school see a grandparent, especially one with lung issues.

(FWIW, our positivity is more like 8% and the governor is forcing schools to open for in-person learning)

[AngB]

Our positivity rate is around 11% and the idiots around us are protesting and having fits because we aren't going back in person FT. (Our district is doing hybrid, our neighboring districts are apparently going back FT in person with 20ish kids per class.) I am relatively comfortable sending our kids back in hybrid but will likely not see grandparents when school starts (Aug.24). Our health dept has actually apparently decided not to give the schools any guidance besides telling them the current numbers/rates which I think is ridiculous.

In your case, it would be either getting to see my mom/ virtual school, or not seeing mom, go in person. I don't think you can risk seeing her (MAYBE masks and social distancing?) while they are in school right now.

[AnnieW625]

I would go remote the first quarter if you possibly can. Will give you a chance to see which way the trends keep going and how the school’s plan works out in real life.


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Yes to this. I think that is a good compromise if you think you and your kids can handle handle distance learning.


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[ahisma]

If you have the ability to keep them home, I would. There are no steps the school could take that would make me feel comfortable with in person under the community spread conditions you describe.