Here are some of my questions...not in any particular order:
What is the plan for specials to ensure teachers have a prep and specials teachers stay safe?
If Specials remain remote, how/ when will classroom teachers get a break from their class?
Where are the kids eating? Who is in charge of that?
Custodial staff has been a revolving door, how are we going to ensure that the proper and necessary cleaning is actually taking place?
Will there be staggered start and end times to reduce the number of students coming and going? How will that look and who is in charge of that?
How does that impact instructional times when we may not have all our students first thing in the morning - and will be leaving at different times in the afternoon?
Is there a single document list of student behavior and safety expectations we can share with students and parents now so they are prepared for the return to school in the hybrid model?
How close can I get to a student to help them with their work? I cannot walk up from behind to see their work with a 6ft rule.
How will teachers get prep time, breaks, and a time for lunch? It seems like a lot to ask IA's to be in multiple rooms which could easily quadruple their exposure (probably way more).
When teachers travel out of state they will have to take the 14 days to quarantine. So, subs will have to be hired for huge amounts of time? Is the district ready for this?
It seems like the district needs to put forth a detailed plan and set of expectations for parents and students with clear consequences for violating these expectations. Will this happen?
What is the policy for when a student/teacher/IA is sick? Will the class quarantine? Will a positive test result be the determining factor?
Will the type of masks students wear be mandated? Parents should be provided guidance in regards to effective masks.
Why is it still too dangerous for the School Board to meet in person, but safe enough for teachers and students to come together in classrooms for instruction?
Why are they doing this right before flu season? What happens when students are getting sick?
Will students get transportation to school? How many students can be on a bus at one time?
Will there be staggered start/end of day?
Will students be expected to carry Chromebooks to and from school, as well as workbooks, etc.?
What do we do if we or our own family members have symptoms, but test results take several days to come back? Do we quarantine while we wait for results? What about our classes?
Will the LAMS and LAHS teachers be as isolated with their classes as elementary? Will LAMS and LAHS teachers be losing planning time as well? I feel like a lot of our freedoms are being taken away.
Aren’t the Pueblos still on restrictions/closure? I have 1-2 Pueblo students, will they be able to return to school if they are still under closures and curfews?
We collaborate with the Lab about things like 2-hour snow delays, but during a global pandemic the Lab isn't even currently back at 50%...so why are we expected to be?
Why are we staggering hybrid start times if there's nothing to worry about with us returning? If we're 'all in this together,' why are elementary teachers being exposed to more risk first? Why are we returning before a vaccine is available?
How will subs be able to teach in persons and deliver online content to students not in school?
How will teachers go to the bathroom, how will they ensure IA safety when they are working with multiple grade levels, what will the buses population look like, how will recess look, are we supposed to stay 6 feet apart even with masks, what will arrival and dismissal look like, do parents truly understand that teachers will not be reachable or teaching their children 3 days a week?
- How will teachers get breaks during the day (restroom, etc) without IAs being exposed to multiple cohorts (or multiple cohorts being exposed to each other)
- What if my own children have symptoms? Do I quarantine while we wait for the test results? What about my class? What about my kids’ classes?
- Will I be using my sick leave if I have to quarantine?
Where are the kids eating? Who is in charge of that?
How will our recess/lunch be managed?
For lowest risk CDC states we should keep groups separated. Will we allow for more recess/lunch time slots?
Will we divide up the playground to keep classes isolated from each other? Are we allowed to have the kids eat lunch outside based on weather? Could we have safety markers outside that are 6ft apart?
Bathroom Breaks -who will give us these? How do we limit exposure for people who are in multiple rooms?
When teachers travel out of state they will have to take the 14 days to quarantine. So, subs will have to be hired for huge amounts of time. Is the district ready for this?
Why aren’t we being given at least one day (without students) to prepare our classrooms? It is going to take a lot of work to get furniture moved, at the minimum.
Why did we ask parents about this decision at all? I will now be in contact with 20 students and anyone they have been in contact with greatly increasing my chance of contracting Covid-19.
Will students be expected to carry workbooks and computers to and from school each day? How will we keep chromebooks safe without laptop bags?
Why was the decision to move to hybrid made a week earlier than we had been told and why are we only being given 3 weeks notice?
What supports are in place for teachers with kids at other schools, different tracks, different schedules?
Is there a single document list of student behavior and safety expectations we can share with students and parents now so they are prepared for the return to school in the hybrid model? There are many separate resources with guidelines (LAPS Safe Start, CDC, etc) but I was hoping for a list that I didn't have to piece together. The LAPS Teacher Guidelines Hybrid Learning Model document has great information about learning and teaching, as does our Aspen Staff Hub, but I'm looking for a list of specifics that covers all the expectations of mask wearing, desk placement, what students can/can't do in the classroom, hallway, playground, etc.
I do not understand why teachers who are opposed to coming back to in person teaching did not sign up for the all online option. The district was looking for teachers in August. They ended up hiring unqualified people. Choosing to stay with the hybrid model meant coming back to teach in person. It also meant the decision as to when to come back was a district decision, not up to the individual teacher’s decision as to when it was safe.
Also, the district has explicitly said that if a teacher feels unsafe returning to school they should talk to HR or district leadership. Why aren’t those reluctant to return doing that?
Finally why didn’t these teachers speak up at the public comment session if the school board when the decision to return was made?
Prep time, our responsibilities to students not live, real life procedures for lunch, bathrooms, recess, suspected illness, hallways and lockers.
How are IA's supposed to work with multiple grade levels and not mix germs among cohorts?
I would love to just return in person 5 days a week.
What coverage will be provided for classroom teachers who need to use the restroom or at other break times (lunch, recess, etc.) that still follow health guidelines?
Is there any guidance or expectation from the district on how a typical hybrid day should be scheduled?
Is there any guidance or expectation from the district on how a typical remote day should be scheduled?
Administrators have told us in meetings that in a hybrid model, not all the standards are going to be covered or that the pace will be much slower. Will we still have the big end of year state tests? If so, how accountable will teachers be for those scores when district administrators have told us to move slower and that not all standards will be covered? Will this also be applied to progress for other testing, such as MAPS or iStation?
My questions are all logistics - bathroom breaks, lunch space, lunch time for teachers, plan time, safety of IA's, expectations of responding to emails when not having proper breaks or plan time throughout the day, how to help students with questions who are at home, what will time really look like on Wednesdays, will planned district meetings still happen on Wednesdays??
If I have to quarantine, what happens to my students? Does the time come out of my sick leave?
And then - I wonder with the length of exposure time of ten people in one room for eight hours a day, what is the effectiveness of masks and the 6 foot social distancing rule. At what point do these rules become negligible as we are together for almost 16 hours in two days time?
I think the Hybrid model is the worst of the three options, especially for elementary children. Students will be receiving HALF the amount of direct instruction in the Hybrid model. Right now (remotely) I am able to give instruction to my whole class four days a week, that will be reduced to two days a week. In the Hybrid model it will be impossible to support my at-home students while I am teaching. Being with me for two days then being at home for 5 days is too much time away from the teacher, and too much interruption for learning.
So far with remote learning, I have only received positive feedback from my parents. For parents working from home, I think it will be worse for them to be in charge of children's learning from home three days a week. Right now, I am very available to instruct their child and be available to support their learning. In the Hybrid, children will need to go to their parents for help most days of the week.
From the little information I have received so far about Hybrid, it sounds like I will be trapped with my class all day long. We will be isolated in our classroom as I am expected to police masks and social distancing...kind of like jail. Elementary teachers will be "on" every minute of the day. I'm not even sure how I will get to the bathroom as our IA is shared over six classrooms. The Hybrid model provides very little normalcy for children. None of the experience of school will be like it was before last March.
There is no perfect answer right now, but for many reasons I would prefer to remain remote than go to Hybrid.
I am hard of hearing anyway, and I wear hearing aids. Talking to people through their masks is VERY difficult. I can't imagine the difficulty I'll have trying to listen to students.
Hybrid will leave students without access to their teacher 3/5 of the week.
We haven’t given remote enough time and we don’t have enough time before hybrid to answer all the questions and work out all the details
I think academics for our students will suffer during hybrid AND we’re putting them and their families more at risk from the virus. It seems like a lose-lose scenario.
-pros: kids want to see their friends; we love our students and want to be able to see their sweet faces
-cons: it won’t be school like kids want; two days with a teacher, three days off will be really hard (I’m dreading this for my own kids - I think they will really struggle with the lack of a regular schedule); academics will go more slowly; students won’t have access to their teachers every day; teachers only have planning time on Wednesdays - this means there’s no time to change plans if changes are needed.
Hybrid sounds like the worst option for teaching through a pandemic. I have major concerns about the health and safety of my students and myself. And I have been extremely disappointed by the response to my numerous questions by our administrators. In fact, in the most recent meeting, teachers were asked "what WILL make you feel comfortable?". My response was "I don't know." Having never lived through a pandemic, the only thing I feel comfortable with right now is my limited exposure at home. Seeing a small number of people whom I trust, from 6 feet away, wearing masks, makes me feel comfortable. Being around 20 students a week, whose families I don't personally know, makes me uncomfortable to say the least. Just this weekend, 5 out of my 20 students are traveling to see other family members, some in other states. And I'm just supposed to trust that they are taking COVID as seriously as I am? After I've spent 6 months doing everything in my power to avoid getting sick? That's asking a lot.
Then, there's the issue of actual learning. On Wednesdays right now, when my 6th graders have monitored independent work, only 50% of them actually do anything! And this is with me meeting with them the day before, emailing them in the morning, chatting with them through GoGuardian throughout the day, texting those I know have forgotten, and reminding parents. I hate to even think about what 3 - 5 days of "independent learning" will look like. And inside the classroom on the days they are with me? I'm going to feel like my priority is keeping them safe and socially distant from their peers and myself. But just yesterday, our principal told us that she isn't going to strictly enforce the 6ft of social distance in our classrooms. She thinks it will make teaching too difficult. Our principal asked us to think of our students as our family, and be a little less rigid with our social distancing. This floored me. Not only is this disregarding current medical advice and state mandates, it's also putting me into an incredibly uncomfortable situation. These are my students. Not my family. In fact, I haven't been within 6 feet of any of my family members (excluding my husband) for six months. It is dangerous for students and their families to think that we will not be enforcing strict social distancing, but it's what our principal seems to think is ok.
Right now, I'm having incredible success with remote learning. I have had 100% attendance every single day. Every student has completed work. Overall, I'd say 95% of all assigned work has been turned in, which is on par or better than during regular instruction. Students are learning, contributing, writing, reading, solving math problems, and having fun each day. And they are excellent about following expectations in a Google Meet. Some of my students have started a club, that I gladly sponsor 2 days a week. This club is open to all the 6th graders, and we have about 20 students who join us to read Harry Potter 2 days a week. That's more than 1/3 of the 6th graders! When hybrid starts, this will likely have to end. I just won't have the time or energy.
Each day during Independent work in the afternoons, I offer a math help session, and meet with at least 2 or 3 students independently to help them. I talk with every student every single day. They know how to get ahold of me and they know that I love helping them. They take advantage of multiple channels of communication and get immediate feed back from me. This ends as soon as hybrid starts. I will not have time to answer the questions of the students who aren't with me. I will likely not even have lunch to myself. And when I get home from work each day, I will need to take care of my own mental health. This cannot include spending another 3 hours at my computer fielding questions.
I don't see a single pro to the hybrid model. But I see tons and tons of pros to what's currently happening with my 6th graders right now. Are they lacking typical social interaction? Absolutely. But we are living through a pandemic! And some things have to take a back seat right now.
Remote allows me to see the kids without masks. Gage their levels and emotional needs with the safety of distance. Hybrid raises concerns about safety, mask wearing, ability for students to understand through my mask and face shields. If students are with their school cohort 2 days a week, who is tracking what groups they are with the other 3 they are not in school?
I feel like school will be more of a detention center feel for students than the warm inviting place they are used to and expecting.
Remote: consistency for students and staff, structure, contact and instruction 4 days week, safety, no masks
Hybrid: 2 days instruction in person, 3 days independent busy work, minimized/rushed curriculum, masks for 7 hours, kids will be policed
There isn't a single teacher in this district that doesn't want to see their students or understand the benefits of in-person education. Therefore, I feel the pros of hybrid are obvious.
Plain and simple, the district does not have the resources or personnel to go to a hybrid model right now. Furthermore, the decision to go hybrid was made without any logistics planned and without the 4 week notice promised to us (and no, I don't feel the Labor Day deadline counted as a part of that 4 week period - I think it's a slimy, disgusting, and dirty thing for people to count that as a part of the 4 week period). I am happy to talk to someone more in detail about my comment on resources, personnel, and logistics.
Lastly, I feel that elementary classroom teachers are getting the raw end of this deal. We will have no planning times on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. This presents both students and teachers a lack of a break from classroom education. On top of that, the district is going to cram all our planning time into Wednesday, and we won't even be able to plan at the school where all our resources are. Wednesdays will be used for cleaning the school, so we won't be able to work from the school on Wednesdays. This is cruel towards teachers, and I feel it's an underhanded solution from the district to fix the problem.
If we have to stay 6 feet apart with masks on, what's the point of being in person?
Do parents really understand that with the remote model, there will be three days a week they are fully in charge?
I think no matter the situation, hybrid or remote, we need to adjust the amount of material we think we're going to get through this year. It's not going to be the same as years past. However, I do feel the amount of quality instruction I can deliver with hybrid is much greater than what I can do remotely. I want solidified answers to all of our health/safety/planning time questions answered, though, before moving to hybrid.
What are the procedures for students using the restrooms?
What are the procedures for staff being able to use the restroom?
What are the bus procedures?
What happens if a student needs to quarantine? Do they miss all instruction for the time they are out?
What happens when we run out of the one bottle of hand sanitizer and cleaner we were given? Are there extra supplies?
Do we need to rework shelter in place/fire drills?
How are we to sanitize our rooms if students are in our rooms with us all day?
What happens if a teacher needs to quarantine? Do they need to take leave? Do they need to teach from home? What does the class do?
What happens if/when we need to go back to remote instruction? Do we stay in remote or do we yo-yo back and forth between the models?
What emotional support procedures are in place for the class/school if a student or teacher becomes seriously ill?
Hybrid means we are teaching four days in person, preparing quality materials for 3 days of remote instruction, and fueling all the additional emails from students and parents. All with less prep time during the day (Many of us are already putting in hours beyond our contract hours on this.) What happens when the teachers begin getting ill from all the extra stress this year?
The governor has already said that it is okay for some small groups of students to meet in-person, but that is up to the teacher... whether they are comfortable with that option or not. I would imagine that Aspen's kinder ,1st grade, and ILP programs will continue with small groups if we remain remote. That is working for those teachers and families. It seems to be a good option for this age group/population because it consists of very small groups and because it is not a full day of school. Due to the age and ability of these children, more is accomplished in this out-of-the-box model.
Skip hybrid altogether. If it's not safe for everyone to return 100% before a vaccine is available, then stay in remote. We're doing well. We're enriching students' lives virtually. We're connected. I thought I'd have a hard time connecting virtually, but we've done it. In a hybrid model, the consistency of WHOLE CLASS connections goes out the window.
Not full hybrid days, have an actual plan that is equitable to all, support teachers who have kids, keep IAs safe
If we are to see any students in person, it should be those with the highest need. There are 2 or 3 students in my class who would benefit from small group, in person work. But I don't know if I even feel comfortable with that! Online learning is going well for my class. I've had 100% attendance every single day for each class. And I can SEE my students learning.
Students attend based on NEED of in person instruction. Children who are able to learn remotely continue to do so. Schedule of small groups for extra help or instruction for short amounts of time rather than entire days.
I think both of your examples fit a better model than our current one for hybrid. If you want the current model to work and fit within health guidelines, you will need a staff member (no parent volunteers), assigned to each classroom teacher. This staff member will assist in class coverage. If one staff member is assigned to each room, then that staff member isn't exposed to multiple classrooms and multiple groups of kids which would defeat the purpose of keeping kids in isolation from other classes. As was stated above, the district doesn't have the resources to do that and should therefore not have moved to a hybrid model.
What if we started on a smaller scale - say K-2 start on the 21st. This gives the school more IA support, more recess space, more flexibility, easier drop-off/pick-up and more resources to find a rhythm, work out any kinks, offer suggestions and smooth the transition for the full school.
I think selective small groups for all grade levels based on need would be a better model than hybrid with full cohorts.
If students are eating lunch in the classrooms, will extra cleaning supplies be supplied?
What procedures will be in place for students playing outside for recess?
Bus procedures?
We were told that we would not be providing instruction when students were not at school. This needs to be district wide. It’s not equitable if some students receive instruction and others don’t. Why was it said at the last board meeting that remote instruction would be provided? We do not have the proper equipment to do this. How would a camera follow us. Would this violate privacy of in class students?
How will services for students who are on an IEP be provided their push-in hours/pull-out hours?
How will we ensure that parents aren’t sending their students to school sick because they can’t take off of work?
We do not have proper signage in the hallways showing kids the 6 feet marks, arrows, hand washing, etc. Who will provide these?
What is the protocol if someone in building gets sick?
We have never had thorough cleaning. My room was not clean when I returned this year. Why should we believe that it is going to happen now?
What are the guidelines for Special Education?
Do parents really understand this model?
Why were we given only 15 working days to create a new system while teaching the old when we were promised 4 weeks (20 working days)?
Will the district provide PPE and disinfecting supplies?
What will the consequences be for staff who habitually do not use masks correctly or violate social distancing?
Will a whole class need to quarantine? Will the teacher switch back to online only?
What is the Curricular difference between LAOLA, and remote learning for people who chose hybrid? Does LAOLA provide more instructional time?
As a preschool teacher, we have been pulling in small groups. However, we have already had to change our schedule because other grade levels were releasing students at the same time. As a team we decided this was not safe for anyone.
It seems like a whole lot of work to begin bussing students, figuring out routes, lunches, massive amounts of cleaning.
We, as teachers, have been cleaning every surface and toy the PK kiddos have touched, everyday. It currently takes 1.5- 2 hrs a day. We are one of the few populations in the building. It is not possible for the custodians to clean our massive school building top to bottom everyday. In addition if the teachers are with students all day, they do not have time either.
I don’t think it was communicated clearly to families. Students will be getting 2 days of in person instruction and 3 days of independent home learning. So students will get 2 days of acquiring new topic/standards and 3 days of review. In remote, students are getting 4 days of learning new things and 1 day of reviewing/practicing skills that have already been introduced.
-safety And health risks In hybrid.
- building being cleaned thoroughly and staff knowing how to use cleaning materials properly. If building custodians are unable to go to work are there subs for them that know what to do?
- not being able to help my students when they have questions on days that they are home during the hybrid.
- making sure kids follow protocols while at school which at school.
- kids having to wear masks for 6 plus hours at school and that causing anxiety, while at home they don’t have to wear masks.
-not being available to help students and parents when they need help.
- things need to be decided and not rushed when it comes to sending kids back to school in a safe manner for everyone.
- with remote everyone knows expectations and is for the most part safe. It is predictable. With hybrid, it causes opportunity for too much back and forth if closure has to happen, which is worse for everyone involved. There is uncertainty which causes more anxiety and worry.
Many families are not following protocols, this puts other students and the staff at risk. Yes, I am concerned about student academics, but health and safety are more important.
Parents will take out their frustration on teachers who are not available to them during the off days.
It would only take one family to ignore protocols to shut down an entire classroom and throw us back into online learning.
What will happen if a teacher must be quarantined? How will the class be managed?
Let's go hybrid and get back to full time!
The amount of cleaning that will be involved. Our classroom don’t get cleaned as it is so having two cohorts and cleaning g in between will not be done unless teachers do it. Parents will also not be happy to teach their kids for 3 days without teacher assistance! I’m afraid of contracting COVID when we don’t know what kids do at home.
It has been difficult to make personal connections with most students during remote learning, and some students regularly miss parts of class. I am looking forward to seeing them and talking to them in person. But them having no teacher instruction for five days of the week is concerning.
Hybrid model does not allow much instructional time. And not all departments will be able to teach students in person even though they are in hybrid model.
At first I was very much in favor of hybrid as teaching and learning in person is much easier than teaching and learning remotely. You get immediate feedback, can read body language, can have immediate follow-up, and have an extended learning time. However looking at the logistics I believe hybrid is going to cause more stress for everyone involved along with potentially exposing many to the virus. More stress leads to people getting ill. Parents are going to need to support independent learning three days a week instead of one. This will fuel a lot more emails that teachers will need to answer, I believe children will be stressed with all the rules and procedures in place at school, teachers will be stressed with all the extra responsibilities with less time to carry them out. Regular classroom instruction is more effective than our online instruction. But hybrid instruction is not regular instruction. Everyone wants this year to be more "normal" but it is not. We are in a pandemic.
I feel like what ECE is currently doing with small group instruction once a week for a few hours, in combination with remote learning is the best option for now. Less students in the building.
I think we should look at a half day small group model. Take the Green and Gold cohorts divide them in half. Half green M, half T. half Gold Th, the other half F. Students come in for 3-4 hours a day. The rest of the time is spent doing remote instruction.
Start hybrid in Jan. or Feb. and continue to provide remote learning to our students. They will acquire more skills this way. Plus, it could possibly keep students, staff and their families safer.
Thank you for sending out another survey!!
Shortened days would allow for teachers to interact with students on the off days. Large Google Meets are a bad idea, splitting students into smaller groups from the start would have been preferable.
Hold off on hybrid until January. No other county is going into hybrid, so why are we risking teacher lives and being the guinea pigs? Remote learning with small group instruction is working so just leave it as is.
Small groups throughout the week sounds like an interesting idea.
Subs; the procedure if someone tests positive; the threshold at which we backtrack to remote; etc.
What precautions are being taken for ancillary staff? Will there be plexiglass barriers? Will students be sent home if not wearing a mask? Will families adhere to procedures to keep their "bubble" small? What happens if/when a teacher gets sick? If a student get sick? What are the District's plans to address trauma should a teacher or student pass away from COVID?
What happens if one kid contacts Covid? Do we shut down a pod, the school, or the classroom?
What contact will specials, the counselor, ancillary have with children?
What will teachers with school aged children do when their kids are not in the hybrid school? WIll they be allowed to bring their kids to school? Where would you put those kids if all classrooms are being used?
When looking at Los Alamos Covid numbers, have you taken into account the infection rate of the surrounding areas because we have kids that come from as far as Albuquerque? I think that should play into the decision making as well.
Do students have to wear masks for PE?
How will specials teachers be supporting classroom teachers when they are only teaching remotely?
Why are specials teachers teaching remotely when middle and high school teachers will be exposed to large numbers of students when they go back in a few weeks? How is that different?
Why are kids still with us until 3:20 when they will not have specials when they are at school?
Where are the fogging machines we were promised?
Will teachers have to go without breaks all day?
Why do kids have to wear masks during recess and outside exercise breaks?
How do we keep 5-7 year olds 6 feet apart at all times?
What do we do when we get sick since we have no subs?
Why weren't these things decided upon over the summer?
Why was the public lied to about our ability to teach kids online when we are already teaching kids in person M,T, Th and F with the hybrid model, without any planning time?
Why didn't out school board representative come to our school to talk to us about our feelings and concerns?
PPE, cleaning protocols
-Will I get a bathroom break? Or I do I have to share with my students and hope they behave while I 'go'?
-How will I escort kids to and from their parents if I don't have an IA?
-Will we get our 4 IA's back that we don't have right now?
-Will I get a lunch break without children? What's the plan for that? It feels like we are stringing staff thin all across the day.
-Why are specials remote when the office staff and others will exposed to the whole school over the lunch duty? (If it's in the gym.)
-If we eat in the gym, where does coach teach his classes?
-What's the plan for bad weather days regarding recess and the stations?
-What if we don't have all 4 people out at recess? How are we going to cover 3 or 4 stations?
-If a student or adult is exposed to COVID, will the whole class quarantine?
-If someone get COVID in my class, will the whole class have to quarantine?
-If someone in my class gets COVID, will siblings class be quarantined?
-If I don't have COVID, but I have to quarantine with my class, do I have to teach for those two weeks? Are the kids responsible for the work those two weeks?
-If I have to teach in quarantine, can I have my classroom AV equipment?
-What if there is more than one person who needs to be quarantined at the same time at school? Do we have other designated places to keep them separated?
-Do parents know that they won't be able to escort their students to their class? Hang out before or after school?
-Is the town aware that Meadow Lane is going to be backed up for most of the morning (both directions) between 8:05 and 8:20 and, let's be realistic, longer?
-What happens if it becomes a pandemic again, and our school shuts down, then what? What's the protocol?
-How will additional services like Speech, OT, PT, reading IA's work in hybrid?
-Is the district ready to respond when or if a student or staff member dies from COVID?
-Is LAMC ready for an influx of cases?
What will we do with kids when they come to school early?
What will we do during inclement weather?
How are we going to provide SPED services--currently no clue?
Are the teachers going to have any time during the day when they are not watching kids?
How do we handle kids needing to use the bathroom when they have to go down the hall and we don't know how many other kids are in the hall or in the bathroom?
How often are bathrooms going to be cleaned since "toilet plume" disperses germs?
How far apart are kids going to be in the lunchroom since they won't be wearing masks?
What will happen if students or staff have symptoms? What will happen if students or staff test positive?
How will kids know where their "zone" is on the playground?
If the kids are running around at recess, do they have to wear a mask, i.e., is it playing or exercising? If they don't have to wear a mask while running, at what point to they have to put it back on?
How will we handle passing out or collecting paperwork since we don't want multiple kids handling items and we don't want them walking around the room?
What happens if kids forget their Chromebook or workbooks since they can't use our school copies or items? What if they forget their pencils?
Have subs been trained in COVID protocols, and if not when will they be? What do we use to wipe down the copier since it has a sign that says wipe down after use, since we can't use Virex on it and we have no Clorox wipes?
What are the implications of kids in SPED who cannot be required to wear a mask because of their exceptionalities? How far apart will kids be on school buses? Is the school board willing to meet in person? Why do I drive by a sign every day that says, "Stay home"? Why are parents working remotely if it is safe enough to send kids to school? For each answer we get, there are 1000 more questions at this stage of the situation.
My concerns are about breaks throughout the day and having enough planning time. If we go hybrid we are planning for 2 classes. Wed. alone will not be enough to plan for student in class and make packets for those at home.
Do we have enough staff to cover all the regulations put in place? If a sub isn't available, and multiple teachers are out, we don't have enough principal, counselor, or admin staff to cover. What then? How come teachers are not being asked about these steps being put in place?
Too many to list here -- I would like the board members to visit the small groups happening currently to witness how difficult it is to follow CDC guidelines with small children.
We are switching to hybird, yet parents and teachers do not yet know what a regular day will look like. Parents and teachers had a right to know what a sample schedule would look like before the school board vote happened. Parents do not understand the logistical challenges of hybrid. They also wrote childcare as their lowest concern, showing they support the teachers.
Too many.......
- will there be subs?
- what if there isn't a sub for my class? Then what?
- what if I have to quarantine? Who pays for that? My sick leave?
- will I have to provide my own PPE to feel safe in my classroom?
- can I trust all the families to keep their exposure bubble small?
Why aren’t we being supplied with plexiglass or cleaning equipment
Hybrid is not worth the risk or the lost academic time and reduced teacher attention for each student. If kids could socialize normally, it *might* be worth it; but kids will soon find themselves in a police state. They're going to be very disappointed when they see what in-person school has become. Teachers will become the hygiene police and will have little time left to focus on instruction.
Hybrid will offer only 2 days of direct teacher interaction. The District seemed to promise families and the Board that teachers would somehow also make themselves available to students on their "off" days, yet I don't believe teachers were consulted regarding how to actually make that happen. Teachers will be with the students in the other "track" and will not be available to the students at home. I personally was not targeted by the District's survey that went out prior to the Board meeting. I have heard from many other direct staff members that they also were not represented in the staff survey (to be clear, I am a staff member already working directly with children, face-to-face, yet my opinion was not represented in the District survey and subsequent data). In my household, the move to hybrid increases our number of household contacts exponentially, as all 5 household members will be interacting with countless numbers of new people. I don't feel that the benefits of hybrid outweigh the risks. Parents wanting hybrid are wanting a return to normalcy. Hybrid will not offer parents the normalcy the seek; there is no normalcy. APS is seeing new cases among, even during remote learning.
https://www.koat.com/article/covid-19-cases-popping-up-at-new-mexico-public-schools-covid-19-coronavirus-aps-albuquerque-public-schools/33865823
Cases in children in Florida are increasing after returning to school:
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article245241965.html
The benefits of hybrid simply do not outweigh the costs.
I do feel that parents should have been notified about the hybrid model and what that will entail. I have talked to many parents who were for hybrid until realizing that their kids will only get two days of instruction. I think that hybrid will lead to more stress. I think it will be harder on the parents because the days the kids are off, they will have to be their teacher. I believe that it will be harder to manage assignments with children as many parents will not have a set time for their child to get work done when they are not in school. It is sad because I see that many teachers are stressed about it, some to the point of tears. We feel guilty because we don't want parents to thing we don't want to educate their kids. I'm also concerned that we don't have the IA support to deal with SPED and help kids on Tier 2. We have lost many IA"s and I don't see anyone lining up to do that job.
I myself am worried about Covid because I live with someone who has a compromised immune system. I would never forgive myself if that person were to become ill and have serious problems with Covid. Thanks for listening. Again, we love your children, and want them here, I just think that it sets us up for failure due to not only higher risk of getting Covid, but I think they will get more educationally out of online because they have four days a week of direct lessons, instead of two.
Too many to write.....overall I feel teachers' rights and safety are not being considered and the school environment will be so structures and strict that we will be police officers more than teachers for our students. There are so many questions and really hard/impossible things about the hybrid model that it is crazy to consider it at this time. In person learning sounds good but the problems are vast and the danger too high. Children can come in small groups for individualized instruction for short periods of time in remote learning and not have to experience all the restrictions and policed environment that we will have to have in place for hybrid.
I feel we have all adjusted to remote and I am confident that we are beginning to improve our delivery of instruction and support to students. If we switch to hybrid and have to switch back, it'll be time wasted. I would like us to stay in remote setting to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Seems safe now, but let's not fool ourselves.
See the kids, everyone getting sick. It just takes one!
Remote will give students more instruction time; hybrid will make us the hygiene/safety police.
My concern is that if we go hybrid and specials teachers are still remote, we will loose 3 hours of planning time. I realize we will have Wednesdays, but most of that day will be filled with small group interventions, team meetings, site meetings, and district meetings.
In addition, how will we be able to attend IEP meetings during hybrid if we don't have substitutes?
-I am concerned that the district is giving false information regarding subs. Have they verified that people on the list actually sub? Will they verify?
-I am concerned that students will be turned off of school in the hybrid experience. It will be a policed environment.
-I worry that the students will come to dislike their teachers because it will be a policed environment.
- I am concerned that any of us, principals to custodians, will be able to sustain a hybrid environment.
Hybrid was envisioned as a short transition phase to fully in-person school, not as a long term teaching model. Many instructional days will be lost during the transition because of all the time required to train the students in classroom and school procedures. Since we will only have the kids 2 days/week, the procedure training will take longer than usual.
With the hybrid model, instructional time will be cut in half since they will only be taught by their teachers 2 days a week, rather than 4. Additionally, some of the time the kids are in school will be consumed with hand washing, spacing kids out, staggering for lunch, etc. While some elementary kids are self-didactic, the vast majority are not and will will struggle without the structure afforded through remote learning.
Many students will be floundering on the 3 days they are not at school, either because they are not motivated to work without the structure, or because they need assistance with knowing what to do on assignments or have questions.
Our kids in SPED often have low executive functioning skills, they process information a little less quickly, and difficulty following directions, and they will be lost without SIGNIFICANT support from parents. Additionally, scheduling SPED services is always extremely difficult under normal circumstances, but with different kids on different days it will a nightmare to figure out. Trying to do a Google meet with different kids working on very different skills is extremely ineffective and dilutes each child's time with their special education teacher. As it is, many kids don't show up for the special education services Wednesday because parents consider it a day off. What will happen when the kids have 3 days off?
The hybrid model will also take a significant toll on teachers because they have to plan for direct teaching, plus 3 days of home-based, independent learning. Because of the added requirements for supervising kids at all times and the fact that we have fewer IA, the teachers will be busier during the day and have less time for planning and collaboration.
Kids want to be with each other, but I think most kids and parents don't understand what time in school willactually look like. They cannot get close to each other (no tag games), they will be restricted to a certain "zone" for recess and can't play where or with whom they want, they can't work on group projects or do group games, and they have to wear their mask all day. They will have to stay at their desks and not move around the room. They have to bring all of their supplies and computers back and forth, while in the past, a number of children have had enough problem just remembering to bring their agenda. Repercussions for not following procedures will be significant for some new "infractions" such as not wearing a mask correctly or being too close to other students.
In summary, the hybrid model reduces direct instruction for each child, and leaves them to fend for themselves for 3 days. The remote model provides 4 days of direct instruction and structure, and there are opportunities for kids to ask their teachers if they have questions about their work. The hybrid model will be a detriment to kids academically.
I am making remote work and I can see all the kids 4x week. I am excited to keep up with small groups coming into school 1x week. Hybrid will not allow for that. With hybrid, the cons are, I will see students 2x week. Any progress they make with me at school, can be lost the 3 days they are at home. Instruction will slow down, students may not make the progress they need with daily interaction, I will be the hygiene police, teaching will take a backseat in order to keep everyone safe, planning time is gone, breaks are gone, rules will not be remembered all the time (there are just too many regulations to keep track of), Chamisa classrooms are small, my students won't understand how much 6 feet is to keep their distance, masks can be problematic, the constant changing will be difficult, I can't plan a week ahead because I don't know what will change tomorrow, I am concerned about my own stress, as well as my students. I care about my students, but I need to care for myself because who else can teach my class? I want to see my kids, but not if teaching is put aside.
I feel like I am barely getting the hang of teaching remotely and having to change in just a few more weeks will throw my schedule totally out of whack. The teachers want to see their students, but I don't personally feel that the safety measures have been met for this to happen at this time.
Hybrid pros
see the kids
more direct instruction
access to science labs
easier for kids to share ideas
Hybrid cons
logistical nightmare
lack of prep time as a teacher
keeping up with two groups on different tracks simultaneously
student absences
In my area of specialty, there are so many activities that I will not be able to do in person. It is simply not safe and there have been multiple studies done over the summer proving the fact. In person instruction in my classroom with look extremely different (and not joyous) than the kids have ever experienced before.
During remote learning, while we can't all be in the same space, all students are able to fully participate in my class and I feel like I have had great student engagement.
I believe only primary and the highest needs SpEd students should be coming to school in person, and the rest of us should be supporting that effort through sharing time, classrooms, and teaching assignments, and through keeping 3rd-12th grade home to reduce community spread. We should settle into the routine of remote, which will allow us to focus on academics instead of safety for the duration, until we can return to full time, normal school.
schedule small groups throughout the week instead of full-day cohorts
Moving to hybrid now does not allow teachers and other direct service staff to even master one method of teaching/service-delivery before moving to the next phase. Staff are struggling. Staff are overwhelmed. Staff are anxious. Staff are not sleeping. Staff are not eating. Staff are working nights and weekends. Please listen. Please let us get our feet underneath us. Wait until next semester to implement the hybrid model. Let us succeed.
I think small groups in the afternoon would be good. Similar to what K-3 is doing. I think it would be good for 4-6. I also think that ancillary should be allowed to meet with kids 1:1 as I can imagine those services are hard to do online.
Scheduled small groups throughout the week would work well. Half days would be better than full days for hybrid. Kids need freedom, fun and a high quality education with teachers who are calm and confident, not freaked out and struggling to breathe when teaching, which cannot happen in the hybrid model. We are smarter than this. We can do better for our students and teachers.
No way to modify the exposure of some teachers to the entire school population by the end of a two week period.
-If we continue with hybrid, and parents insist on online content as well, maybe one teacher per grade does the in person, the other does all the online?
-Stay remote and continue small in person groups and add one on one appointment times with all students?
-Get parent feedback regarding work load, meet requires and if a problem, coordinate Meet times across the school?
Currently, K-3 classes are bringing small groups to the school. This could be expanded to give kids an opportunity for kids to see each other in person, or to do instruction for specific skills. Kids in Kindergarten and some children in special education have greater educational needs for in-person instruction, but that could be done by bringing in small groups for instruction, rather than bringing all of the children back to school. Currently, many small groups meet outside, which is a much safer environment.
What about hybrid half days? half come to school in the morning and leave at half day, then I finish teaching online with the other students at home (with included breaks and adequate time for planning)
Please shorten the day if we go to hybrid. We need time to check in on the remote students.
Why not continue the remote model and allow all elementary grades to have very small social groups come to school for limited weekly visits. That way they can continue to learn but have the opportunity to see their friends and teachers in person. Most of the students just want a little bit of time to socialize and see real people face to face (or mask to mask).
If I am expected to keep up with both groups, instruction should end at lunch. This will greatly simplify the schedule. Have specials on remote days.
Most of them. There is no clear procedure in place to start hybrid.
How illnesses will be addressed, guidance as to how to help students in the classroom with 6 feet rule, planning time
N/A
Recess, lunch and free time activities...not sure how that will run... ai still have questions but I feel confident in administration...
We just got our 18 page hybrid document on Friday at 2:30. Nothing has been formally discussed until Weds. So I hope to have my questions answered then.
Will staff working directly with very young children (e.g. Pre-K children with disabilities who need our assistance physically, children who may need to be held, children who need mobility assistance, children who wipe their noses on those caring for them) be provided scrubs? (Currently, such staff have been provided one single-use gown which is to be used over and over.)
Will plexiglass dividers be installed in classrooms?
How will teachers be supported in their efforts to sanitize their materials and classrooms (toys, manipulatives, dress up items, etc.) after each use?
How will ancillary staff be supported as they navigate the near-impossible task of scheduling times to meet with the children they service?
What extra precautions are being put in place to address the fact that ancillary staff see children at multiple (sometimes up to 4) schools and, even in the remote setting, are providing face-to-face, direct services to Pre-K, IELP, and other students who cannot benefit from remote learning?
Will social distancing efforts be implemented in the Pre-K setting (there is no attempt at social distancing currently)? How will teachers be supported in providing remote instruction and in-person learning simultaneously during hybrid?
What precautions will be taken for staff who serve an entire school, such as counselors, nurses, therapists, etc?
Will rapid-result testing be available to staff members who will have contact with all students? Will rapid-result testing be available to ancillary staff who have multiple contacts with children across multiple schools?
What efforts are being made to address trauma should a staff member or student die from COVID? What plans are in place to address illness or need for quarantine for ancillary staff?
This doesn’t go here but: even though remote isn’t ideal, I am willing to suffer. It’s a pandemic for goodness sake!
How can we possibly be able to create bubbles or limit exposure when we have families with kids across different schools and parents working with different population?
Why are staff told to return to in person work when the small group school board is still working remotely?
Why was it said that teachers would be meeting with students on their remote days?
What about planning time? Remote teaching requires more planning and that is before layering on hybrid. We need more planning time, not less!
It was stressed over and over that remote would be presented as on demand and that younger students could access it when parents could help, this is NOT the case attendance is being taken at 8:30ish. How can remote either be made such that students can do it Independently or on demand for parents to help support?
What does recess look like?
What is being done currently for cleaning classrooms?
I'm not sure that any adjustments have "really" been made to cleaning rooms after students have been in them. My room has been being used with students for 3 weeks now and I'm not confident that surface, door knobs, cabinets, and other areas are being cleaned any different than prior covid.
What is the plan to speed up the testing process so that when cold and flu season hits we can isolate and test students with symptoms quickly. Without a speedy testing regime for students or staff who are showing symptoms, we will need to shut down schools frequently or risk an outbreak.
On the hybrid model are we to maintain 6 ft social distancing or are we working under the 50% occupancy? Both? If by occupancy, is this safe all day within the classroom setting?
Why did other schools start instruction like K-2 small groups but not all? Inconsistent actions across schools already...
When do teachers get planning time?, When do staff get breaks?When does staff have lunch? How are teachers able to help their own personal children when they're not allowed in our classrooms? Are they not allowed in our classrooms before and after school either?
All of the students are missing out on their social interactions with one-another. They need to have some way to get that.
We fumbled this big time. Everything was done in the wrong order. Here's how it needed to go down:
1) District forms clear and detailed plan on what the hybrid model would look like including details like when ancillary services would be, what "close contact" meant, who would quarantine in which situations, etc.
2) District releases plan to staff.
District holds staff town hall, amends plan if needed
3) District releases plan to public
4) District holds public town hall (BEFORE school board vote)
5) District surveys public and staff
6) School board vote.
People were surveyed about this without enough information. The school board pushed the issue but voting to go to hybrid and the district had no clear plan. Then they scheduled the town hall for less than a week before planning to go hybrid. People do not have enough information to know what to do.
I’m concerned about the disarray caused by going back and forth even once.
Having one or more COVID cases and having to go remote again.
I have many mixed feelings as a both a parent/teacher. I think we can make hybrid work. It will just take adjustment as we have been doing for 6 months now. I do not feel the board should change the decision again. Too much inconsistency has been happening and a decision has been made. I think we should all do what we can.
I don't have many concerns about going to the hybrid model. I personally believe it will be better all the way around to get the kids back in the classroom at least part time.
Reason I think remote is a disaster: I have 30 minutes with students and I likely spend up to 15 minutes off and on trying help with tech problems. So teaching is minimal.
I am for a full return, I know we need to take small steps...we need to resume school. Remote school is hard for kindergarten kids....it is not developmentally appropriate....
I have a two page document of concerns about hybrid that I sent to the school board and superintendent.
Childcare on off days exposes everyone too much! Too much work independent time. No clear guidelines on when to keep your kid home for the safety of others. No clear way to get educational support when kids need to stay home.
Simply stated, the benefits of the hybrid model do not outweigh the costs, risks, and disruptions it will cause.
I am assigned as Pre-K IA and we started small groups last week. We have 3-4 students each day and it is often difficult to ensure the students are following the safety protocols like wearing a mask or social distancing. Based on the students’ age, the teacher does not want to discourage the students and does not always enforce all of the rules. We often encourage the students to wash their hands, but it is difficult for them to think about washing their hands for 20 seconds. During circle time the students are very close to each other. During play time they share toys and play together. I understand it is very important for them to interact at this age. However, if we were unlucky enough for someone to become infected, the virus would spread very quickly.
We sanitize everything after the students leave and I still ask myself “Did I clean enough?” It is hard for me to imagine 180 students in the school a day. So with the staff, Mountain will have around 230 people in the school. This seems beyond safe for now to me.
To think about all the logistics of how to run the classes (like arrival time where 180 students all come together; sharing outside equipment on the play ground; or when a student becomes ill, we no longer can send the students to stay in the nurses office, etc.) seems overwhelming. I am not confident we can keep the students and the staff safe everyday.
My daughter’s teacher has been absent 6 days with a sub only three of those days. Once the nurse got on to tell students to do independent work. Is this what we can expect during a hybrid situation? Sometimes no subs at all?
I do not see any pros to hybrid. People are tired and want life to be normal. This will not be normal and will make each day harder.
Hybrid teacher are now teaching double lesson plans.
Remote is very hard for parents to support more than one child at a time at the same time.
In some remote classroom students are on over 7 apps and "directions" are taking place when "instruction" should be taking place. very little direction instruction with small group supports given.
I would like to wait a couple more weeks to see how schools in other states who have already opened fare.
Hybrid is a nice idea as a "middle point" in theory but it is all based on HOPE. Everyone wants 5-days a week for the sake of learning and normalcy, so hybrid feels more like that. Hybrid sounds like a headache for teachers. Nobody has done this before so we should anticipate and expect mistakes. Be clear in communication about what should be done.
I'm very concerned about hybrid due to already putting in 12-15 hour days for remote learning. The work load seems that it will be intense with hybrid because I'll have to prepare remote, in person, and take home packets. However, I will get to see the kids which is a pro unless someone gets sick.
Wait until after the 1st semester. Let parents plans.
NO to small groups throughout the week. I really don't know....but I DO feel that the younger groups need to be going to school.
Nope!
Honestly if we don’t go hybrid, I think parents are going to be irritated....we have to start small groups.
Allow smaller groups to come into school (my cohorts are 12 to 13 students each) in the lower grades where it is shown that they need this time. Don't introduce the older students who are doing well with the remote learning. Of the parents surveyed for 6th grade only two said remote was not working for them and we have connected with these parents... we have 70 students. All of the students said it was going well for them. Remote is a lot of work but worth keeping everyone safe.
Teachers can decide if they feel comfortable meeting with their class or part of their outside once every week or two for an hour or two.
Don't rush into hybrid. Wait until January. Let us succeed in the current model.
If staff is comfortable, start with small groups with non full day schedule and gradually increase lesson time. Students come to school by different time.
This suggestion is for remote elementary classrooms: small groups with classroom teachers and independent work. The full class meets do not promote connection.
It is a step...want to be back 5 days a week
Highest priority special education students who are struggling with tech or need in person to maintain skills and early primary, pre-readers where remote is a huge challenge to learning skills.
Small groups attending in person sessions could be very helpful for special education students or students who need extra help.
no idea
Can staff or students switch to LAOLA if we don’t feel confident?
What are all of our options? Is it hybrid or nothing? If we commit to online, are we stuck with it?
If children need to go to another program on independent days, doesn’t that defeat the purpose behind hybrid? What do I do with my children if I’m not comfortable sending them to another program on their off days? How can we expect young children to be self motivated to complete independent work? What if the students can’t handle wearing masks? What if I can’t handle wearing a mask for that long? How can we trust that our students families will limit their exposure?
Can you guarantee COVID won’t come into our schools?
Is the district going to make it very clear to families that students must wear two layered masks all day (no breaks) except while eating (per the latest from PED)?
Is the district going to make it clear to parents that we will not be teaching live or teaching more to the kids on their remote days?
There are students that seriously need to be back in the classroom...even for two days a week!
Kids will be on their own 3 days a week in hybrid, the virus spreads quickly, staff are finally getting a hang of the remote learning schedules and applications
I have a handful of students that are completely on their own during the day. It is not a fair learning environment for those who have working parents. Even 2nd graders need quite a bit of help and direction in the classroom, and when left on their own at home, they are doing the bare minimum (if that). For my students on IEPs or SAT, remote learning is not meeting their needs like they would be met in the classroom. I have 1:1 Meets with those students daily, which is definitely helping, but there is only one of me! I meet with those students in the afternoon and then I spend at least an hour every night making sure everything is ready for the next day. And for my own kids who are in kinder this year, they do their Meets with the teacher in the morning, but I don’t have time to do their work with them until the end of the day. They are getting the short end of this because I am busy with my class until the end of the day. We are making this work for now, but it isn’t the quality of education that my students and my children deserve.
Pro remote until it’s safe to return to full instruction.
I think the one pro of hybrid is that parents get a moment of relief, and students being physically with other students. But the cons of inconsistent education, stringent rules on interactions, and the unknown (i.e. cases of Covid occurring w/in the schools) far outweigh the pro.
A pro of online learning is there is room and time for more individualized attention. I have met with all my students, at least once, through google meet one on one. The biggest con is that we can’t see eachother in person, but again, what that would look like is not really gonna be much better.
I believe that hybrid should be a stepping stone to full in person, when that is an option and we have a clear plan forward. I do not think that hybrid is a long term solution. I feel that I am better able to support my students in remote than I will be in hybrid. I also feel that the hybrid plan is disruptive and does not give students the consistency they need.
Remote is a TON of work!! Teaching and teaching my school ages kids is WAY too much
With our a vaccine, hybrid is unsafe!
For the hybrid model, we do not have enough PPE; we don't have the substitutes; we don't have proper ventilation; teachers won't get breaks while teaching live on campus; teacher planning time will be cut way back, but yet more will be expected of us; and I am concerned about my health as well as my students' health. The jump to the hybrid model seems a bit rushed and poorly planned.
Let classroom teachers use this remote learning time to start easing students back on campus in a way that isn’t completely terrifying. I would like a couple of hours each day with a small group of students so we do not have to worry about lunch/recess/all of the other tiny parts of the day that make up the whole school day.
I think LAPS is doing a great job managing uncertain times! Trust in them!
I think our principals have a great plan in place. I know I have a smaller class size this year, but teachers can do so much with 10 or less students in two days. I would have concerns if we were going back to full class sizes on Sep. 21st, but the way hybrid is set up seems like a dream class size for any teacher.
Why not do hybrid where the cohorts each go to school for a 2 hour block 2 days a week, that way teachers remain connected to their students everyday?
Let teachers schedule small groups and one on one based on their students needs.
I think that we need to do everything we can to build consistency, such as enabling teachers to have class morning meetings with both at home and in person students if they choose, the remote specials schedule should be maintained with students in class and at home doing specials together. Internet and bandwidth issues need to be addressed.
It should be 100% remote