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[The Lens]

Cases are going way up in Wisconsin yet Waukesha is choosing to change from a hybrid model for middle and high school students (1/2 the kids in person Tue/Thu and 1/2 in person Wed/Fri, virtual the opposite days and everyone virtual Mondays) to everyone in person 4 days a week starting 10/19 with the plan to try to see if they can vote to go 5 days face to face at their 11/11 Board meeting (Elementary are already 5 days face to face for the in person option and will stay that way).

There is no virtual option for the Middle and High School students.  They originally offered a choice of eachieve academy but that is full now.

This move by the District upsets me for many reasons.  One upsetting thing is they asked parents to make a commitment until the end of November for if they chose in person hybrd or eachieve for secondary students (or virtual for Elementary) yet they just up and change their in person setup after a few weeks.  There will be no social distancing now .

I'm convinced you can do face to face safely.  If distancing and mask protocols are followed, you'll be fine.  We're at the end of Week #5 and all is good.  As Fluff has pointed out, cases are not popping bc of schools / lecture halls / class rooms.  They are popping bc of social gatherings.  IMO bars and restaurants are our biggest enemies right now.   

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

The local public health department has told us that they have no problems with us continuing with on-campus instruction, saying that our students are safer on campus than they are off.

My understanding is that many of the issues school districts are facing is a teacher shortage due to the need for quarantining an entire classroom.  That is driving decisions to "go virtual" as much as anything.

[forgetful]

I'm convinced you can do face to face safely.  If distancing and mask protocols are followed, you'll be fine.  We're at the end of Week #5 and all is good.  As Fluff has pointed out, cases are not popping bc of schools / lecture halls / class rooms.  They are popping bc of social gatherings.  IMO bars and restaurants are our biggest enemies right now.   

I was skeptical at first on how well face to face would work. I thought the first schools opening in that model should test all students twice a week, to mitigate spread and collect data on how well masks and social distancing work.

The data now shows it can work provided masks and distancing are strictly enforced. Sadly, we are still seeing exposure to teachers and staff (low levels), that unfortunately has also led to the loss of some lives. It is not intrinsically a failure of face to face, but rather the difficulty in getting really anyone under the age of 22 to maintain social distancing.

It's crazy how often I have to tell even college age kids to quit piling up in a group (including around me). I have a colleague likely infected via a similar situation. It does seem that students are getting better about realizing social space now.

[The Lens]

I was skeptical at first on how well face to face would work. I thought the first schools opening in that model should test all students twice a week, to mitigate spread and collect data on how well masks and social distancing work.

The data now shows it can work provided masks and distancing are strictly enforced. Sadly, we are still seeing exposure to teachers and staff (low levels), that unfortunately has also led to the loss of some lives. It is not intrinsically a failure of face to face, but rather the difficulty in getting really anyone under the age of 22 to maintain social distancing.

It's crazy how often I have to tell even college age kids to quit piling up in a group (including around me). I have a colleague likely infected via a similar situation. It does seem that students are getting better about realizing social space now.

Where has there been loss of life?  I know a Bayport teacher passed away, her family said she contracted it at a funeral. 

[forgetful]

Where has there been loss of life?  I know a Bayport teacher passed away, her family said she contracted it at a funeral.

Compiling an exhaustive list would be impossible, there are actually a reasonably high number of students, faculty, and staff that have gotten COVID and died. Proving it was at "school" is nearly impossible to do.

[Marquette Fan]

I'm convinced you can do face to face safely.  If distancing and mask protocols are followed, you'll be fine.  We're at the end of Week #5 and all is good.  As Fluff has pointed out, cases are not popping bc of schools / lecture halls / class rooms.  They are popping bc of social gatherings.  IMO bars and restaurants are our biggest enemies right now.   

Yeah but my issue is with the Social Distancing.  They have too many students in each classroom to socially distance in the secondary schools if everyone is going on the the same days.  The hybrid schedule was good because they had less students there everyday and could have some social distancing.

[GooooMarquette]

Yeah but my issue is with the Social Distancing.  They have too many students in each classroom to socially distance in the secondary schools if everyone is going on the the same days.  The hybrid schedule was good because they had less students there everyday and could have some social distancing.

Agree that is a potential issue. It seems unrealistic (impossible?) to expect social distancing in classrooms if you put the full complement of students in them.

[pbiflyer]

 Megachurch Pastor Contracts COVID-19 After Suing to Force School Reopenings

“Hagee’s diagnosis made waves locally, with many San Antonio residents commenting on social media that they were—at the very least—unsurprised by the news, considering how few masks have been seen at the church. It was not clear on Monday when the senior pastor was last spotted at the church himself, though he has given sermons in recent weeks, including one on Sept. 13 in which he urged congregants to vote with the Bible in mind.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/megachurch-pastor-contracts-covid-19-210907414.html

[pacearrow02]

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/schools-arent-superspreaders/616669/

Interesting read.

[The Lens]

Wear a mask a social distance, something that can be done in schools.  Ours just finished Face to Face Week 6.  No cases.

[Skatastrophy]

Wear a mask a social distance, something that can be done in schools.  Ours just finished Face to Face Week 6.  No cases.

A friend's preschool in Waukesha County just shut down because they had too many cases. No masks on kids or teachers.

[The Lens]

A friend's preschool in Waukesha County just shut down because they had too many cases. No masks on kids or teachers.

We're K3-8th grade.  Every single person in the school is wearing a mask 100% except during lunch.

[Marquette Fan]

A friend's preschool in Waukesha County just shut down because they had too many cases. No masks on kids or teachers.

Waukesha Public Schools are requiring masks for all students and staff.  Staff are wearing face shields in addition to masks.  Elementary students are face to face everyday but Secondary students have been on a hybrid schedule since school started but that's supposed to change the week of 10/19 with everyone returning 4 days a week in person 4 days a week.