Education Is Far From Normal
By: Nicole Akers
Tags: Self Improvement, Parenting, Travel, Advice, Education

For the first few weeks, at a minimum, no one will enter the building. When staff and kids meet in person, no one knows how morning drop off or afternoon pick up will work effectively. Kids who used to line up in hallways by classrooms and walk to the exits must socially distance themselves. Pick up and drop off alone sound like a logistical nightmare, and the district says drop off and pick up will take substantially longer than they used to. What will happen for parents who have kids at more than one school and different drop off and dismissal times? Time will tell. First, we have to be able to enter the building.

Here’s what we know.

Wear a Mask

Wearing a mask is not optional. Anyone who opts to return to the traditional classroom in the brick and mortar building must wear a mask. If you prefer not to wear a mask, you must be open to the online learning option or homeschool. Masks must be worn from the time students get out of the car until students reach their classroom. Likewise, masks must be worn when a student leaves the class to go to the bathroom, library, art room, Principal’s office, etc. At the end of the day, masks must be worn from the classroom until students are in their own car to be transported home.

No one knows yet how students who take the bus will stay distant or what the time table will be to commute to or from school.

Don’t Share

Most of kids’ lives we teach them to share, but now we need them to unlearn sharing. There will be no desk pods or community supplies. Kids will have to keep their own supplies and not share them with anyone else. Keep your crayons, markers, glue, pens, and pencils to yourself. Please, don’t share.

In the US, schools that have 40% of the student population who receive free or reduced lunch receive additional funding under the Title 1 program. Those are students who benefit from sharing, but may not receive benefits so readily anymore.

It feels cold, like the rest of our world.

Don’t Gather

There will be no assembly gatherings in the halls, gyms, or in the cafeteria. Recess will be delegated by classroom and within certain areas of the school grounds. What will happen if a kid kicks a ball out of bounds? We’ll have to improvise.

Don’t Share Food

Kids aren’t allowed to share food anyway, at least not at our school, but we’re going a step farther. There will be no birthday snacks or snacks the teachers pass around. I’m relieved about this because I’m not a fan of birthday snacks or the school menu.

Students will eat in the classroom. Remember when a towel was a school supply? We covered our desk with a towel before eating lunch. The old way is new again. We’re not sure how those who buy meals at school will be served unless it’s a prepackaged sack option, much like was available for kids who picked up meals curbside over the summer. No one expects the hot serving line to resume function. It’s best to continue packing lunches.

Education will be a learn-as-you-go work-in-progress. The big question: if we open too early, won’t we have to shut down again? If we have to work this hard to keep kids and faculty safe, is it worth opening the doors at all?