Thumbing through Sunday’s newspaper, I came upon the Target advertising insert headlined “Great Deals on School Items!” featuring clothes, lunch boxes, backpacks, pencils, markers, binders, items which in the past had stirred up excitement and anticipation of a new school year with new subjects to learn and new friends to make.
Instead, a vague feeling of melancholy arose when the thought occurred to me. Are these items really going to be needed this year? Is it safe to return to school? What will school look like?
A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association showed that 338,000 U.S. children had tested positive with Covid 19 through July 30 with at least 97,000 kids infected during the last two weeks of July. Ninety children have died from Covid 19 in the U.S. so far.
The disease especially targets minorities. A Centers for Disease Control analysis of children hospitalized for the Coronavirus found that Hispanic and Black children were much more likely to require hospitalization, with Hispanic children about eight times more likely than white children to be hospitalized, while Black children were five times more likely.
Why is the disease more prevalent in Hispanic populations? Looking around in our own community, perhaps it is because Latinos have continued to work during the shutdown due to financial need, many of the adults work in direct service occupations, and they live in crowded conditions due to lower economic circumstances.
Despite the scientific data, there is a push in some areas to reopen school campuses this fall. Children’s infection rates may have been lower than adults and elderly due to their isolation at home for the past five months, but when their mobility at school or childcare centers increases, the numbers of infected are expected to go up.
So what are the alternatives? I have not been a big fan of online learning as the sole method of instruction no matter the age of the student. I don’t find it particularly engaging or effective. Adding to the challenge, not all families have computers or adequate internet access. Families with the finances to pay a private tutor are organizing teaching pods for small groups to study at home, but what if no parent or home is accessible or no money is available to pay a tutor?
These are the issues that will be faced by the latest team of essential workers: school teachers, aides, support staff, and administrators.
I wanted to share their feelings as we approach a new school year, so I did an informal survey of colleagues who work in education in Sonoma and other communities. Their sampling of comments, some from professionals beyond our district, reflects the range of emotions we are all feeling:
Teacher, Middle School: Knowing that you and others like you are expendable to some is truly heartbreaking. I’m disappointed in people, especially our government “leaders.”
Instructional Aide, High School: I think I would be OK with our school opening if everyone did their part and practiced social distancing. However, the key word is EVERYONE . That’s the hard part, especially with students. I’m overall feeling optimistic. I’m hoping we can get back to somewhat normal by the new year.
Teacher, Kindergarten: I do not feel completely safe returning to school. I feel nervous, anxious, and scared, taking it day by day while hoping all goes well. It is hard enough being a teacher in a normal setting; all of this extra stuff in regards to the virus feels like piling on. The thought of a child with any type of behavioral issue is stressful. Finally, all the usual things that happen at school like class pictures, school events, and daily parent communication will not be happening.
Administrator, Adult School: Our district certainly struggled with trying to offer as many options as possible for students and families. With the county and state health information becoming more drastic, we finally had to announce an all online start for the whole first term. We are being cautiously optimistic for the future and are working our tails off to give the highest quality curriculum and school experience that students expect from our schools.
Student Services, Community College: I’m buried with work from the switch to remote everything. LOL
Administrator, Pre-K/Childcare: During our summer camp, the children and parents started a little cautious, but after a few days, the smiles and laughter were back. Parents were able to get back to their work. Children were busy with their friends and teachers. Many safety precautions are in place, including smaller, stable group sizes.
Teacher, Elementary: I think Distance Learning is a good way to start the school year although it has its own set of problems – equity for all students, continued isolation, loss of community building. Establishing partnerships with parents and students is critical right now. (I am) learning to take better care of myself, like putting the oxygen mask on me before helping others. I have had to learn so much in terms of new tech tools, which is stressful but very helpful.
Administrative Assistant, Community College: I feel that the college really tried to be proactive with the opening this fall and has been in constant communication with local public health authorities. We are not going to please everyone with a mostly online semester, but everyone who has to hold classes in-person has coordinated the development of area-specific safety protocols for staff and students. I’m less comfortable with the scenario that we are dealing with for K-12.
Teacher, Elementary: Our district is currently planning to start school remotely for the first nine weeks, then will reassess. About a month ago when the Superintendent announced we would be starting in person, almost all of the teachers voiced concerns and fear for our health as well as our students. After about a week or so, they looked at the rising cases in our area and decided that it was not safe, even with the measures that would be taken in order to reopen in person. I, among many other teachers, felt a great sense of relief that we will not be in person.
Administrator, Elementary: Every system, every procedure, every letter or form I have ever used has to be reinvented and changed to suit the current conditions. I am working 10-12 hours a day to be prepared. People are nervous and have lots of questions. I want them to feel supported and heard, so that takes a lot of extra care. I am concerned about our most vulnerable learners and families. And I remain hopeful that we will find a way through this unprecedented time.
Teacher, Childcare: My director applied for an emergency license in the beginning of all this to offer childcare for essential workers only. All but two of us were laid off. Special care and sanitation protocols had to be learned and put into place quickly – bleach solutions and masks, social distance lessons for pre-k and kindergarten age made to be cool and not scary. We have awesome support from our director giving us all the information and supplies we need to stay safe and get the job done including mental health check-ins offering time off when needed. That support has been crucial. People are scared. It is unnatural for small children to keep distance from each other. That is a challenge for us but we are still singing (in our masks), dancing, and celebrating life. There is still so much joy and life in their little trusting faces.
Overall, the lessons to learn this year seem to be those of teamwork and adaptation. So with the utmost respect and gratitude to our school personnel, I will close with this final thought from a particularly enthusiastic K-12 teacher:
Here’s to a great 2020-2021 school year ❤ We got this!!
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