It was March, 2020, my family and I were at Portofino Island Resort enjoying spring break when COVID-19 took over our hometown. Overnight, members in our community acted quickly, quicker than a category five hurricane approaching landfall in the Panhandle area. Never in the history of Pensacola did groceries become scarce in as little as two days. Like empty gas pumps during a hurricane projected to make landfall in Pensacola, toilet paper was obsolete from every store shelf and convenient store. Little did we know that our children would not go back to school for the remainder of the year.
Parents across the Panhandle of Florida are having to make the dreaded decision about sending their children back to school after a State closure due to COVID-19, some four short months ago. In those four months, companies, schools, and all extra activities, including play dates, became remotely operational from home. Kids and parents learned quickly how to maneuver Zoom meetings and Google Classroom while embracing new terms such as “social distancing” and “COVID-19.”
Preparing for the 2020-2021 School Year
With the number of COVID-19 cases rising in our area, a mom can’t help to think what the right decision would be for her children. This recent rise in COVID-19 cases led me to do some research of my own and help provide my fellow moms some good thinking points to consider.
On July 8, Escambia County School District Superintendent Malcolm Thomas announced the plans for reopening Escambia County Schools giving three options of learning; in-person, remote and virtual school learning; a decision every parent must have made by July 20, 2020. Shortly after, parents of private schooled children received announcements about their school’s plan for reopening and not to much surprise offered similar options to those of public school choices.
On July 10, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published a news release I found enlightening and encouraging about the decision with electing to send our children back into a traditional classroom setting. Making decisions that are backed by science and not fear or politics should be a top decision-maker for any parent. Such science includes but not limited to frequent hand washing, face coverings, and frequent temperature checking.
Recent Updates from Escambia and Santa Rosa School Boards
On July 21, one day after parent decision day, Escambia and Santa Rosa School Board Superintendents held a news conference to discuss the districts’ “new” plan for reopening. Unfortunately, both school boards underestimated parent choices for remote learning and virtual school. The numbers for both remote and virtual school learning were two times the predicted number originally estimated back in early July. Thus, leading to additional training and planning within the school system, consequently, causing a two-week delay in reopening schools. August 24, 2020, will be the official first day of school for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. If you are a parent who has been on the fence about making a decision, you now have until August 3, 2020, to make the selection for your child’s learning plan.
Recent Updates from the CDC
Every parent does everything in their power to protect their children from contracting COVID-19. Therefore, every parent should outweigh the benefits to the risks of sending their child back into the traditional school environment. The CDC recently published an article about the importance of reopening schools. This article hit some valid points such as death rates being lower in children and the importance of the virus not spreading if proper measures are being taken at school.
In the long run, regardless of what school path your child will take for the first nine weeks, you should choose one that is best for your family. Most importantly, get input from your children about what they would like to do. Don’t forget to address your concerns to your children about their decision. Most importantly, remember this decision is for the first nine weeks of school.
Helpful Tips for Sending Your Children Back Into the Classroom
I’ve offered some of my own tips to help with making your decision.
- Discuss social distancing (role play at home) and the importance of hygiene.
- Invest in travel size hand sanitizer by placing them inside your child’s backpack.
- Purchase or make fun face masks.
- Take temperature before and after school; invest in a touch-less thermometer.
- Talk to your school administration or teacher about any concerns you have about property sanitation and ask for specific protocols about what measures are being taken to social distance, hand washing, and face coverings; I assure you they too have the same concerns.
- Donate some Clorox wipes to the classroom.
- Pack disinfecting wipes in your child’s backpack and discuss when it is appropriate to use the wipes.
Helpful Tips on Remote Learning and Virtual School
Make learning fun.
- Stay engaged with your children’s schoolwork.
- Schedule a virtual conference with the teacher to follow up on your child’s progress.
- Make play dates with your children’s friends a priority.
- Reevaluate your decision after nine weeks.
- Develop a plan to transition back into the classroom.
Regardless of the decision you make as a parent, know it’s the best one, and remember prayer never hurt anyone. If you are still unsure what decision to make, seek information from healthcare providers or reputable sites such as Harvard Health Publishing and Yale School of Medicine.
