fatguyinalittlecoat
Footballguy
Online school started today, apparently there are already countywide technology issues with getting into Zoom calls, etc. My kids are at my ex-wife's place so I don't know how they've been managing so far.
Sadly enough, this is us (though no blocking going on here). Just the sheer amount of super sleuthing parents had to do. The school is all over social media, but they didn't post all the things to all the different sites, so it was like an easter egg hunt to find information.My son's online school has been disastrous for some families so far -- today is the first day. They've done a shoddy job of communicating schedules to kids ... lots of kids are supposed to get on Zoom calls but don't know who their teachers are, the Zoom information, nothing.
Oh, and the school hosts a website that's supposed to be the one-stop-shop for the middle-school kids' Zoom class links. How's that working? The school-assigned laptops block that site I saw that last night and was able to look at the links on my work computer and email them to my son. But still ... that's a giant whiff. And the school was hoping they could just tell everyone to just "Go to the Virtual Hallway to link to your child's classes!" Ehhh ... gotta get it working first.
I did a lot of researching over the weekend to at least make sure he had links to his classes (I found 4 of his 5 Zoom links, one is a longshot "maybe" that would conflict with a printed schedule if it pans out). But if any parents/guardians weren't able to do the detective work I did ... they are pretty lost today.
Ditto. It's been this way for years, and every single time I get one of those parent feedback forms, I answer the same way, that parents need a single web page for each child with pertinent information. Still hasn't happened. Instead, they blast out 15 e-mails a day, mostly repeats, with info on all 9 schools intermingled. I end up spending 30+ minutes a day just to cull out the crap that doesn't apply to my kids, then another hour or more a week to find the additional info that they didn't send. Remote learning has then exacerbated this problem.Sadly enough, this is us (though no blocking going on here). Just the sheer amount of super sleuthing parents had to do. The school is all over social media, but they didn't post all the things to all the different sites, so it was like an easter egg hunt to find information.
Ditto. It's been this way for years, and every single time I get one of those parent feedback forms, I answer the same way, that parents need a single web page for each child with pertinent information. Still hasn't happened. Instead, they blast out 15 e-mails a day, mostly repeats, with info on all 9 schools intermingled. I end up spending 30+ minutes a day just to cull out the crap that doesn't apply to my kids, then another hour or more a week to find the additional info that they didn't send. Remote learning has then exacerbated this problem.
I think any and all official school business for all districts everywhere, public and private, should be forbidden from using Facebook or other popular social media as a source for official info. For one -- no, everyone is not on Facebook. For two, people shouldn't have to join a social media site like just to receive fundamental, necessary school information. People avoid those sites for very good reasons.Sadly enough, this is us (though no blocking going on here). Just the sheer amount of super sleuthing parents had to do. The school is all over social media, but they didn't post all the things to all the different sites, so it was like an easter egg hunt to find information.
As part of the myriad of polls we took this summer, one of the questions that came up was how do you want to get official announcement - facebook was definitely one of the options, there might have been one for twitter also.Doug B said:I think any and all official school business for all districts everywhere, public and private, should be forbidden from using Facebook or other popular social media as a source for official info. For one -- no, everyone is not on Facebook. For two, people shouldn't have to join a social media site like just to receive fundamental, necessary school information. People avoid those sites for very good reasons.
If you, as a school administrator, have to disseminate official information online, do it with a purpose-built website for your school. No piggy-backing social media.
Preach it brother....the most bizarre part of this whole thing is our school has a REALLY GOOD web page that they could EASILY manage all this stuff through. It was really baffling to see them take this approach when they had that resource at their disposal.Doug B said:I think any and all official school business for all districts everywhere, public and private, should be forbidden from using Facebook or other popular social media as a source for official info. For one -- no, everyone is not on Facebook. For two, people shouldn't have to join a social media site like just to receive fundamental, necessary school information. People avoid those sites for very good reasons.
If you, as a school administrator, have to disseminate official information online, do it with a purpose-built website for your school. No piggy-backing social media.
Reminds me of last school year when we went virtual, got a couple of automated calls saying "your student did not check in to..." Wife asking all three kids if they missed anything, having to call the school to ask which kid they were talking about. I think both times it turned out no one had actually missed anything.
We only deal with 2 schools - but all the schools in the district use the same system to send out mass e-mails, so they all come from the same email address, and there is usually no indication about the school or the student involved in the email.
This just reminded me of a glitch we had a week ago Friday (the first Friday back in our district).Reminds me of last school year when we went virtual, got a couple of automated calls saying "your student did not check in to..." Wife asking all three kids if they missed anything, having to call the school to ask which kid they were talking about. I think both times it turned out no one had actually missed anything.
Close proximity = greater spread. Greater spread means more people will suffer more severe consequences.Here in Virginia W&M, JMU, and VT started already. UVA started but only online and freshmen are supposed to arrive this Friday. JMU already decided to send kids back home. All schools have like 150-400 confirmed cases already, including UVA. you have to assume more have it. I mean, apartment or dorm it's gonna spread just like flu, cold, mono and other close proximity infections.
So here's my serious question...
Why not keep them at college? From what I can tell nobody has died. There don't even seem to be any hospital stays reported. So about 2% of students are known to have it, and it's no big deal. Perhaps the safest place for these kids is around each other?
ETA : I've had friends die from it. Others infected, including some teens. I've seen what it can do. But these kids seems to be fine if they are essentially isolated from spreading it to and from older people.
My opinion is they go and stay, or they don't even go at all. What's the point of sending infected 17-22 years olds back into the community.
So I must have jinxed it since the tech had some issues yesterday. One teacher in particular kept freezing or getting logged out. Seems this will be a week of testing and getting to know you stuff.Kid started yesterday remotely. Reports are it went smooth, no glitches for any of the classes. Not a lot of teaching, more just intos and making sure everyone was there.
District also looking to move to the hybrid in a couple weeks with OC off the list, provided it stays that way. I believe there will be 2-3 blocks of kids, 2 hours on campus a day. Curious how this will work, getting kids to and from school in time for their blocks then back home for online classes. We'll see
Our Superintendent (Orange Unified) sent a similar message earlier today, however was non-committal on returning on September 22nd, just said that was the earliest possible date if all numbers continued on the downward path, but school boards would still need to vote on what makes the most sense regarding return to in person. They've already said elementary schools would be the first to go back as that is the easiest to implement. Middle and High school are a lot more complicated because of having different students in different classes with a mix of students coming back vs. staying online. Essentially they would quite likely have to rework a large number of kids schedules so that the in person classes did not exceed social distancing guidelines, but also had enough students in each class to warrant having a classroom used.So I must have jinxed it since the tech had some issues yesterday. One teacher in particular kept freezing or getting logged out. Seems this will be a week of testing and getting to know you stuff.
Also, CA changed the system for rating counties, so OC is back on the list sort of, but all it really means is the move to hybrid is pushed back a week or two.
Yesterday's email:
"Governor Gavin Newsom and state health officials have instituted a new color-coded, four-tiered system for monitoring the spread of COVID-19 based on rates of new cases and the percentage of positive tests in counties. The tiers are designated by colors: Purple, Red, Orange and Yellow. In order to slow the spread of COVID-19, each tier carries restrictions on activities in a county. This new monitoring system went into effect Monday, August 31.
While the COVID-19 data in Orange County continues to move in the right direction, Orange County has initially been placed in the State’s Purple tier, the equivalent to being on the State Monitoring List under the previous tracking system. In order to move to the less restrictive Red tier, Orange County’s COVID-19 numbers must meet the lower tier’s thresholds for 14 days. Even though Orange County’s COVID-19 numbers continue to improve and already meet the Red tier requirements, the state and the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) have indicated that Orange County is expected to transition to the Red tier on Tuesday, September 8 and we must remain there for 14 days before schools will be allowed to reopen for modified in-person instruction on Tuesday, September 22.
Middle Schools will reopen in an AM/PM Hybrid Schedule on Tuesday, September 22"
Los Al had their waiver approved so elementary schools can go back to in-person. I think its hybrid model, but not sure since I don't have a kid that young. Seems our district is pushing to go back the first avail day so if they qualify for the 22nd, they will be back then. I would rather see them go a month or two of online before making the change. Just when they get into the online routine and things are smooth, they are going to change. Plus if the OC status changes....Our Superintendent (Orange Unified) sent a similar message earlier today, however was non-committal on returning on September 22nd, just said that was the earliest possible date if all numbers continued on the downward path, but school boards would still need to vote on what makes the most sense regarding return to in person. They've already said elementary schools would be the first to go back as that is the easiest to implement. Middle and High school are a lot more complicated because of having different students in different classes with a mix of students coming back vs. staying online. Essentially they would quite likely have to rework a large number of kids schedules so that the in person classes did not exceed social distancing guidelines, but also had enough students in each class to warrant having a classroom used.
And based on what we have seen in other areas of the country (and in other countries), more than likely quite a few of the schools that open will need to close down shortly after re-opening because there will be outbreaks.Los Al had their waiver approved so elementary schools can go back to in-person. I think its hybrid model, but not sure since I don't have a kid that young. Seems our district is pushing to go back the first avail day so if they qualify for the 22nd, they will be back then. I would rather see them go a month or two of online before making the change. Just when they get into the online routine and things are smooth, they are going to change. Plus if the OC status changes....
True, I am just hoping with the mask mandate and the protocols they've put in place this won't happen.And based on what we have seen in other areas of the country (and in other countries), more than likely quite a few of the schools that open will need to close down shortly after re-opening because there will be outbreaks.
With my son's middle school ... they've had technical issues knock out entire Zoom class periods each of the last two days. I do wish they'd at least submit supplemental and simple busywork that the kids can work on when the Zoom classes are down.two days in with my 4th grader and it's clear the school district did little to no planning.
we're remote learning for now. so far her teacher has sent two 5 minute videos in the morning. that's it. there hasn't been any other direction or instruction.
...
we've heard from parents in other districts that their kids are doing full time zoom school right out of the gate.
Over a month of in person school, and not one school (or class) has shutdown in our district. Distancing when able and the use of masks is all it really takes. I couldn't imagine my kids getting anything useful out of distance learning or a hybrid schedule.And based on what we have seen in other areas of the country (and in other countries), more than likely quite a few of the schools that open will need to close down shortly after re-opening because there will be outbreaks.
None whatsoever. Go ahead- bring that illness home to your folks. It'll be keen!My opinion is they go and stay, or they don't even go at all. What's the point of sending infected 17-22 years olds back into the community.
Where are you? Cleveland?Over a month of in person school, and not one school (or class) has shutdown in our district. Distancing when able and the use of masks is all it really takes. I couldn't imagine my kids getting anything useful out of distance learning or a hybrid schedule.
I grew up in Cleveland, but am actually living in middle Georgia now.Where are you? Cleveland?
based on what we've heard on the grapevine, the teachers are just as upset about how school prep was handled as the parents are.Doug B said:With my son's middle school ... they've had technical issues knock out entire Zoom class periods each of the last two days. I do wish they'd at least submit supplemental and simple busywork that the kids can work on when the Zoom classes are down.
Just guessing ... but I'm getting the feeling that a lot of districts took the robustness of online meetings for granted. That Zoom or whatever would "just work" and that technical issues were the least of their worries, way behind content creation and presentation skills. Ergo, no dress rehearsals during the summer. Then again ... maybe the first week of school kind of IS the dress rehearsal
If this is a school-assigned Chromebook, double-check in advance that that "link to a website" can be opened and is not blocked on that Chromebook. Based on my own experience and Rich Conway's account a few posts up ... school-assigned laptops are probably locked down super-tight, and even school-approved (or even school-created!) websites may be blocked.We didn't have any information regarding teachers, schedule, etc. until Thursday last week for my youngest.
My oldest starts on Tuesday next week & all we have for her is a Chromebook and a link to a website where she's supposed to login and all of her classes will be available. which classes those are, or who will be teaching them (if anyone??) has not been made clear to us yet.
No concerns with "no one knows why" Internet outages? That's how my son's school is couching it: "You know ... the Internet just goes down sometimes."That said, we seem better prepared than most of what I see here. Tech is no issue, going live won’t be an issue.
You wouldn't want to do it every single day in place of instruction ... but there are tons of educational videos online that are well worth the time to view. Appropriate for all age groups, all subject matter. My son's 7th grade science teacher last school year sent us a site with a lot of self-directed exercises centered around videos on different science topics. One I can recall that was really cool was sort of an abridged version of "Earth Without People" -- my son was into that one and wrote a nice essay about his response to the concepts presented.Rich Conway said:Day 3 - Live streaming not ready, remote learners were sent an e-mail the morning of with more async activities. For fifth-graders, those activities consisted of watching a 20-minute knockoff of Mister Rogers, more suitable for 3-year olds.
hadn't thought of that, to be honest, but you're right. she had a Chromebook last year and it was only able to access the school's intranet.If this is a school-assigned Chromebook, double-check in advance that that "link to a website" can be opened and is not blocked on that Chromebook. Based on my own experience and Rich Conway's account a few posts up ... school-assigned laptops are probably locked down super-tight, and even school-approved (or even school-created!) websites may be blocked.
To be slightly more technical: I think virtually the entire Internet is blacklisted on my son's school-assigned Chromebook ... just a handful of school-approved educational sites, a stripped-down version of Google Search, etc. are whitelisted. I think his school just never got around to whitelisting new sites they built hurriedly during mid-August or so.
I'm not opposed to a video now and then. Perhaps I should have clarified, "those activities consisted, in their entirety for the day, of watching a 20-minute video..."You wouldn't want to do it every single day in place of instruction ... but there are tons of educational videos online that are well worth the time to view. Appropriate for all age groups, all subject matter. My son's 7th grade science teacher last school year sent us a site with a lot of self-directed exercises centered around videos on different science topics. One I can recall that was really cool was sort of an abridged version of "Earth Without People" -- my son was into that one and wrote a nice essay about his response to the concepts presented.Rich Conway said:Day 3 - Live streaming not ready, remote learners were sent an e-mail the morning of with more async activities. For fifth-graders, those activities consisted of watching a 20-minute knockoff of Mister Rogers, more suitable for 3-year olds.
Certainly could be an issue. That’s out of our control. I don’t recall us having internet issues the last few years outside of a few minutes here or there. Ofcourse a power outage or something will stop things dead in its tracks but we have increased our bandwidth by 10x and have done in district PD with every teacher in the building all on the same video call at once without issue.No concerns with "no one knows why" Internet outages? That's how my son's school is couching it: "You know ... the Internet just goes down sometimes."
Admittedly ... it would probably take cash and time to make the school's web access more robust.
No, I understand -- I was thinking your problem was more the age-appropriateness than the fact that a video was assigned.I'm not opposed to a video now and then. Perhaps I should have clarified, "those activities consisted, in their entirety for the day, of watching a 20-minute video..."
It is unfortunate that there is such a wide disparity in how prepared schools are - as I noted above, even in our school district we can see the differences in schools.That said, we seem better prepared than most of what I see here. Tech is no issue, going live won’t be an issue. My worries are just teachers not designing high quality online instruction, not understanding learning management systems, making basic tech mistakes in presenting, be really boring with presentations and struggling to manage the kids “live”.
That's definitely encouraging. I'd like to think that we could accomplish the same here.gobrowns33 said:Over a month of in person school, and not one school (or class) has shutdown in our district. Distancing when able and the use of masks is all it really takes. I couldn't imagine my kids getting anything useful out of distance learning or a hybrid schedule.
terrible. all of our stuff goes back to semi normal starting next week. cannot fing waitIt's amazing how NYC's administration and teachers union has handcuffed public schools ability to plan this out usefully.
Just finished our 8th graders middle school meeting. So many things still uncertain that could/should have been figured out a long time ago. So now we are pushed back two weeks so they can finally get off their collective asses and prepare.
8th grade floppinho is doing blended- 5 days in person every 3 weeks. The school will attemp to live stream/teach the in-class day to the remote kids, so they'll all get the same exact teachers, lessons and days. Small school, so fingers crossed that it works.
Right now they're not even allowed to leave their desks in order to maintain 6'. No outside, no nothing. We'll see how that works.
I got short films from the National Film Board of Canada. I distinctly remember one aboot the Voyageurs.I mean ... was I the only kid that loved it when teachers whipped out the old-school slide projector? * BEEP! * between each slide, queued up to a little Radio Shack cassette player? The teachers pet was usually the one who got to drive the projector and advance the slides. Ah, good times, good times.
Did you all play them on a Dukane filmstrip projector like this? I will never forget those brightly-colored knobs.I got short films from the National Film Board of Canada. I distinctly remember one aboot the Voyageurs.I mean ... was I the only kid that loved it when teachers whipped out the old-school slide projector? * BEEP! * between each slide, queued up to a little Radio Shack cassette player? The teachers pet was usually the one who got to drive the projector and advance the slides. Ah, good times, good times.
Never seen one of those before. I was watching actual film on reels. We used a movie projector.Did you all play them on a Dukane filmstrip projector like this? I will never forget those brightly-colored knobs.