Jay D. Tarnow, MD
In response to schools’ decisions to proceed with school on-campus with the option of remote learning, parents should question how to make such a decision given the lack of complete information regarding the safety and health of both children and staff. Below are questions that should be answered by schools to make an informed decision.
Questions you should be asking your child’s school:
- If you are not restricting the number of students on campus, how are you going to be able to maintain appropriate distancing requirements in all areas?
- In the classrooms: You mention facilities will “provide the maximum social distancing possible within the constraints presented by the facility and the functions within that classroom.” How can you guarantee my child will be able to social distance while in each classroom? How will I know what those classrooms look like prior to making this decision?
- In the classrooms: How will teachers be able to social distance in the classroom while also helping students with learning activities? Will there be any physical barriers to help protect both teachers and students?
- Transitions between classes: You mention traffic patterns will be established “that separate individuals to the greatest extent possible.” Does that guarantee my child will be able to social distance appropriately (at least 6 ft) throughout the day?
- Transitions between classes: You also state “…signage/floor marking will be posted to reinforce physical distance expectations.” I do not know how this will be physically possible if the number of students on campus is not restricted. Your stated plans fail to account for the fact that you have the potential to have thousands of students in the hallways without the ability to stay 6 ft apart. How will you guarantee my child will be able to social distance appropriately (at least 6 ft) throughout the day? Have you created a system to regulate hallway traffic?
- Meals (breakfast and lunch): You state “students will be seated to allow social distancing (when applicable).” When would it not be applicable?
- Meals (breakfast and lunch): How will there be accommodations for eating without masks in these areas?
- Meals (breakfast and lunch): As someone who purchases his meals on campus, how will food purchased be distributed? Will there only be prepackaged items sold in order to provide minimum contamination or cross-contamination from other people?
- Within the schools’ upkeep: What is being done to the facilities to improve HVAC airflow and filtering? Please describe the access to the hand-washing areas. Are additional sink areas going to be added to accommodate for social distancing while also maintaining appropriate hand washing?
- What will happen when a teacher or student tests positive for COVID-19?
- How will the teacher’s duties be covered? There is already a shortage of substitute teachers now.
- Also, how will these substitutes (with no knowledge of the distance learning plans) be able to instruct both on-campus and remote learners?
- How will the teachers and staff be compensated for their extra time needed to provide dual curriculums?
- How will you staff the classrooms appropriately as teachers choose to retire or quit due to your decision(s)? What if they are unable to return due to severe illness? What is the plan to maintain staffing to accommodate the 9-week period in which I have to commit to make this decision?
- With only 19% of respondents in the staff survey stating they want to do both remote and on-campus teaching, how can you justify this decision?
- How will you guarantee my child has equal access to the same learning opportunities if remote learning is chosen?
- What learning tools will be used for remote learning?
- Which lectures will be real-time streamed to the remote students or recorded for viewing later? How is this decision made?
- You state that for high school grades 9-12 “remote synchronous instruction” will be offered for “most core content courses.” Which ones will and will not be taught this way?
- You state that “remote asynchronous instruction” will be offered for “designated elective courses.” Which ones?
- You also state “some elective courses may not be offered.” Which ones will and will not be offered? Which ones are asynchronous if they are offered?
- When will we find out what his schedule looks like to be able to make this decision? We normally do not get schedules until closer to the start of school; so, how do you suggest we make a decision regarding remote or on-campus learning with out that information?
- How will the students who are remote be able to ask questions, interact with the class or obtain help with concepts while they are not on-campus?
- What platform will be used for these synchronous instructions in order to allow remote learners to interact with the class/teacher?
- Will there be “office hours” for remote learners who have to compete for the teacher’s time? How will students be prioritized for the teacher’s time during these activities? What will this look like?
- How will you support parents who choose the remote option to be a “learning coach”?
- How do I get help with subject that I have no knowledge of, or lack the sufficient knowledge, to help at the level of my child (teenager)?
- What tools will you provide to parents to make this partnership work?
- How will the teachers and parents have time to connect routinely in light of the additional workload while providing 2 curriculums for the same number of students?
- What about the 35% (with potentially more, 24% uncertain) of caregivers who will be working outside of the home? How will they monitor or manage these increased responsibilities in their role if they choose remote learning for their child (ex: teenagers)?
- What do the tools look like for providing social and emotional support to the students, parents and teachers?
- Vague statements were made about the district intent to “provide resources for parents to use with their student to help prepare for the return to school” and “provide resources for student mental health concerns for students learning remotely.” What exactly does that look like?
- Will counselors be checking on my child and me during this time? Will there be mental health checks available to make sure my child is supported? Will any checks be put in place for at-risk students who may not have supportive homes in which to learn, but also are at risk of returning to campus?
- With more than 50% of teachers responding to the survey that they were either “somewhat uncomfortable” or “very uncomfortable” returning to on-campus learning, how are you going to force them to work in an unsafe situation? How is this worry going to affect their ability to teach effectively or consistently? How do you justify putting them in this position?
If your child’s school does NOT have answers to questions about making school safe, then they are not ready. Keep your child at home for 9 weeks until they are ready.
Think about the long run. Think in year’s terms about what your child needs. Their needs change as they develop.
Assess your child’s needs and their adaptation throughout the year.
Jay Tarnow, MD
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