Here We Go....

 Any way you look at it, the 2020-21 school year is going to be unlike any other.  School started last Wednesday, but still a lot of questions remain.

We spent the better part of August attending parent meetings, reading reopening plans, asking questions, reviewing current infection rates, and seeking advice and input from respected friends and medical professionals.  We came to a decision that, while well thought out, still feels very random.

For now (as with everything these days...this decision is just *for now*), D is attending high school live and in person, while the girls are e-learning from home.

This is the first time in over 3 years that D has been in a classroom.  His school is offering 5 condensed days of in person instruction from 8-12, with afternoons set aside for additional classwork and homework.  Only 3 days in to it, he told me he won’t have time to get bored.  The condensed schedule only allows 30 minutes per class period (that 30 minutes includes taking attendance and settling in, plus packing up and cleaning desks at the end of each period).  Teachers don’t have time to drag anything out.  Additionally, so far the subject material and teachers have been very engaging...4 honors classes (World History, Geometry, Biology and Literature), plus Spanish, Theology and PE.  

A lot has changed since I was in high school.  Frankly, a lot has changed since last August.  He carries his backpack with him all day (no lockers allowed), drinking fountains are turned off, no using the bathroom between classes (to reduce the likelihood of over-occupancy), AC off and windows open, and every single assignment is completed and submitted on his Chromebook.  He carries the school-issued device with him from class to class and uses it for note taking, assignments, teacher office hours, and in many cases, for a digital textbook.  The school doesn’t want to collect anything that has been home with the kids.  I’m beginning to wonder why we bought all those pens, notebooks and folders.  I’m also thinking that perhaps after this pandemic passes, we may find that typical “school supplies” are a thing of the past.

Halls are marked for one way travel, everyone is supposed to stay distanced, and masks are worn by everyone throughout the school day.  Desks are “spread apart” to about a 3 ft distance.  Every morning he has to take his temperature and fill out a self-certify form online noting any symptoms or exposures for himself or his household.  Then, after our 40 minute commute, he proceeds to his assigned door at his assigned time and waits in a (not so) socially distanced line to get another temp scan and enter the freshman hall/stairwell to proceed to his first class.

Band was on his original schedule and we held out hope for that till the very last.  He is an exceedingly musical kid, between band, piano, listening, and composing.  He’s a percussionist in the band, though he prefers mallet instruments over drums.  He couldn’t wait for high school band (and marching band).  But alas, with football postponed, there is no marching band.  And MommaHealy just couldn’t get comfortable with the idea of being in a band room full of people blowing into brass and woodwind instruments for 30 minutes 5X a week.  It just seems so contradictory to every other thing we are doing to slow the spread of COVID.

Together, we decided this might just be a perfect year to get a PE requirement out of the way.  No gym lockers, no changing clothes, no contact sports for our not-so-athletic kiddo.  And with the possibility of D or the whole school moving to e-learning at some point, how hard can this year’s PE class possibly be?  So far it’s looking like walking, Pilates, golf, and maybe ping pong or tennis later in the year.  That would have been my dream PE class in high school. 

His school has a dress code (dress shorts or slacks and collared shirts), but I didn’t over-buy.  In fact, we’re running on a pretty small supply at the moment. I’m waiting to see if it looks like in person learning is going to last before I fill his closet.  Each family had a choice of online or in person learning.  In person students are allowed to move to online instruction at any point, but must then stay online for the remainder of the quarter.  I could see that happening.  I could also see the state mandating it for everyone.  More unknowns.

I’m saving my story on the girls and e-learning for another day.  But if I’m honest, I’d really rather have D e-learning too.  Don’t get me wrong, I see the value in him being there.  I know you can not replace in person discussions with online chats.  And this is a whole new school for D, so he needs to meet teachers and kids.  He needs to find his group.  But it wouldn’t hurt my feelings if in a few weeks or a month he decided he’d rather stay home and e-learn (a choice I’ve left to him at this point), or if the school moved to 100% e-learning.  I’m just glad he got a chance to start.  But I’m also glad that he’s serious about masking, hand washing and social distancing.  He always was a rule follower and a bit of a germ-a-phobe, which is turning out to be pretty useful.