Football Spectators – Billboards – Teacher Town Hall

The DeKalb County School District will allow spectators for Football games starting the weekend of October 15 – October 17, 2020.

The coaches across the county have been moving as many of their games to away games allowing the parents to attend their child’s sporting events. The DeKalb Schools shift on the no spectators stance is just in time for the Chamblee Charter HS vs Dunwoody HS football game this Friday.

Mega schools are still getting the short end of the stick. Whether your school has 500 students or 2,500 students, each team will be allotted the same number of tickets per game. I believe the tickets for the CCHS v Dunwoody football game were sold out within hours of them going on sale.


Return to School Face to Face Billboards
A parent group advocating for a return to face to face learning has purchased several billboards around the county.


Teacher Town Hall Update
Last week, DeKalb Schools administration sent out the schedule and notice that DeKalb Schools Is Returning to Face to Face Learning. Since then, the Cases Per 100K (Last 2 Weeks) for DeKalb has risen. Today (Wednesday, October 14) DeKalb County School District is holding a Teacher Town Hall @ 2pm. Check your email for details.

Note: Decatur Schools just announced that students would not return to classrooms until January.


2020 Football Games
COVID-19 Guidelines for Spectators

1. All spectators should have their temperature assessed prior to entering the competition venue and should be denied entry if higher than 100.4 degrees.
• There should be a clear point of entry for spectators.
• Spectators should be screened by the event screener
• Event screener will display the attached flyer on the table and require every spectator to review.

2. Spectators should wear a facemask/covering at all times possible.
• Upon entering event, please remind spectators that they are not to remove their face coverings.
• Stadium Administrators have the right to ask any spectator not wearing a face covering to leave the event.
• Have a bottle of sanitizer on table and encourage every person to use it.

3. Spectators must always practice social distancing with those outside of their direct family parties.
• Spectators should use six feet social distancing. Families may sit or stand together but should social distance from others.
• Game announcers will give frequent reminders of the COVID-19 guidelines during events.

4. Spectators will be restricted from direct competition areas and from visiting with student-athletes and personnel before, during and after events.
• No one is allowed on the field or court of play
• Spectators should not congregate in breezeways and, common traffic areas.
• Upon conclusion of the contest, spectators must leave the contest area and not interact with others.
• Parents are to meet their athlete outside. Please clear the facility immediately after game.

5. Number of Spectators per event
• Each team will be allotted 350 tickets per game. The tickets will be on sale for purchase by parents of the players and band members on Monday and Tuesday during the week of the game. The tickets will be purchased on the GoFan website. There will not be ticket sales at the stadium.
• If there are extra tickets remaining from parent sales, the remaining tickets will be sold to the general public on Wednesday and Thursday.

Masks
You MUST wear a mask at all times during the event. If you choose not to wear a mask, you will be asked to leave.

Social Distancing
• Family units must sit at least six feet apart
• After the event, do not gather in common areas. You must leave the facility immediately

60 responses to “Football Spectators – Billboards – Teacher Town Hall

  1. OG Dunwoody Dad

    I never even realized the Dunwoody football tickets went on sale. My student will be disappointed for sure.

    2
  2. I was wondering when a billboard would appear. Even though I’m all about being safe and taking all of the precautions to be safe from this virus, I can see their point of view. I’m a Dekalb Staff member but I live in Newton County and parents have been given a choice, and I chose to keep my kids virtual. I think that our superintendent needs to talk to the Newton County superintendent for advice, because it is working! I strongly believe the issue is that parents don’t have a choice and when it comes to peoples children that is a problem. So, If Dekalb gives a F2F option, and the parents are willing to risk the lives of their kids, then they better be willing to accept all of the consequences when/if they get sick from Covid19.

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  3. Re: billboards

    It would have been nice if those parents used that money they spent on the billboards to help donate PPE to the teachers who will be expected to go into these unsafe buildings. Gloves, masks, wipes, Lysol spray, hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, etc. are sitting in my Amazon cart right now, and it’s totaling close to $200. Once again, (some) DeKalb parents are showing they’d rather voice their disdain for teachers rather than come up with solutions to make this situation work.

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  4. Linda Gagliano

    Thank you for always posting the informative. I wish representatives from all areas would provide the same.

    7
  5. PLEASE expound upon this teacher town hall that’s supposed to take place today! Where do we access it? When? Not one teacher from my school, nor several of my colleagues from other DCSD schools have been given ANY info on this! You must realize how this looks outrageously fishy. Why are we being kept in the dark?

    12
  6. Vanessa Thompson

    Billboards..total waste of money!
    Whose cousin owns the company that sells the billboards?

    17
  7. Agree, @Consequences. All most of us have been asking for is a CHOICE. If there are teachers ready & willing to return to the classroom- and despite what you hear in the media and in Stan’s comment section, there are plenty that are- and parents/students who are comfortable being back in the classroom- which again, is a larger number than many might think- then I think we should be offering F2F learning 5 days a week for those that want it. And when I say that there are probably more people- teachers, students, & parents- that are comfortable going back to F2F than many might think, it’s because much like in other situations, there are a lot of people who aren’t comfortable professing those thoughts publicly because they don’t want to suffer the backlash that will inevitably come from those who will accuse them of not caring about people’s lives, being a “Covid-denier”, etc.

    I will say that I personally don’t see going back F2F as “risking the lives of my kids”, any more than them riding in the car or contracting the flu is “risking their lives”, since they are far more likely to die in a car accident than they are from Covid. Thankfully there still hasn’t been a single death in DeKalb County of anyone under 17 from Covid, while sadly there have been multiple deaths in that age bracket from other causes during the time of the pandemic.

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  8. @DeKalbTeacher, Does your principal know anything about the Teacher Town Hall?

    3
  9. @Dunwoody dad, Stan said that the survey showed most teachers don’t want to be back in the building. That survey was done anonymously, so teachers could be honest about their feelings of returning. I think he posted that in the comments on this post, but it could be the other.

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  10. To the parents of high school students whos desire in-person learning. What is the primary reason you would like your teenager to return to in person learning. What specifically are you/your teenager seeking from in person learning that they are not receiving during virtual learning?

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  11. Stan, to my knowledge she does not. This is what I’m so concerned about – how some people know and some don’t. Why wasn’t this mass emailed like everything else seems to be?

    7
  12. I have answers

    QTNA
    The CDC says, the harms attributed to closed schools on the social, emotional, and behavioral health, economic well-being, and academic achievement of children, in both the short- and long-term, are well-known and significant.

    Further, the lack of in-person educational options disproportionately harms low-income and minority children and those living with disabilities. These students are far less likely to have access to private instruction and care and far more likely to rely on key school-supported resources like food programs, special education services, counseling, and after-school programs to meet basic developmental needs.[4]

    Aside from a child’s home, no other setting has more influence on a child’s health and well-being than their school. The in-person school environment does the following:

    * provides educational instruction;
    * supports the development of social and emotional skills;
    * creates a safe environment for learning;
    * addresses nutritional needs; and
    * facilitates physical activity.

    8
  13. @QTNA I am in Gwinnett and I elected for my child to stay virtual. Students who are f2f do the exact same thing as virtual students. They have to raise their hand with the zoom feature just like the virtual students. They attend breakout sessions for small group with the virtual students. The only difference between the two is the f2f kids have to wear a mask all day. When it is independent work time, they have to work independently and teachers are not up walking around nor are they getting close to students to provide support.

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  14. @Hmmmmm

    I didn’t say “most teachers didn’t want to be back in the building”, I said there are plenty that do. If 60% said they didn’t want to go back, that means 40% do. That’s still a good number. And it doesn’t represent every teacher, but probably leans more to those that feel strongly one way or the other. And do we know the specific numbers for each school/cluster? I also would wonder if the opinions & choices of some teachers have changed since the survey was conducted, especially as they have seen so many other districts & private schools operating for a while now F2F without the dire predictions of bodies piling up & blood in the streets coming to pass.

    4
  15. Town Hall Information

    FYI-The teacher town hall was sent out via email as a News Flash on Wednesday, October 7th at 9:37pm. It was sent out to all DCSD staff.

    1
  16. @QTNA

    My 10th grade son (at Dunwoody) really misses interacting with other students & friends throughout the day as much as anything. As someone who didn’t attend Peachtree Middle, he didn’t know a lot of kids coming into high school. He did make some friends and start to feel “part of the school” throughout the first semester, but then with block scheduling, he unfortunately moved away from a lot of the kids he had gotten to know as his classes (and lunch period!) switched. Just as he was starting to get back “into the groove” in the spring semester, Covid hit, and obviously so has any in-person interaction he would have had with both fellow students and teacher. He said he doesn’t even feel like he’s in high school at this point, like he’s not a part of the school. Which stinks to hear. I wouldn’t say he’s depressed or anything, but just “down”, if that makes sense. It’s tough to see as a parent.

    He has also said a number of times that he finds learning in the virtual environment far more “difficult”- his words- than F2F. And that’s even though he made excellent grades in the spring and so far this fall. He doesn’t feel like he knows his teachers very well, and that they don’t know him well either. And he has virtually zero interaction with any of the other students in his classes, especially since teachers can’t require kids to have their cameras on, other than by specific request when they’re asking them a question or something like that. So I get where he’s coming from. High school to me was one of the most fun times of my life, and most of that was due to the interactions I had with friends both during & outside of school. Right now he & all the other kids are missing that, and I get why that’s got him & a lot of other kids down.

    8
  17. On October 7th there was a News Flash that informed teachers there would be a town hall, there was no information on how to submit questions or access the town hall itself.

    Yesterday I received an email from our school secretary at 10am asking us to submit questions to the Teacher of the Year by 1:30pm. We also received the link to access the town hall. This may seem like plenty of time to submit questions but remember we are actually teaching, not sitting around doing nothing.

    Why was this not sent as a News Flash as all other Superintendent correspondence is? Why are we not directly submitting questions?

    I do want to go back to school but I’d like to know the district is doing all they can to make school as safe as possible. There have been no details as to what the district is actually doing or what classes will look like.

    8
  18. OG Dunwoody Dad

    Re: Billboards

    They are designed to persuade the ADMINISTRATION to give the OPTION of full-time face-to-face instruction. They do not address teachers, much less express any disdain.

    I imagine the same parents who contributed to the billboards are also willing to contribute to classroom PPE and cleaning supplies when the administration allows the students back in the classrooms.

    5
  19. P. Gunnarsson Rambo

    We now know with certainty that this is an airborne virus.
    These long-neglected school buildings are not equipped
    to handle indoor volumes of people during a pandemic.
    Dekalb county furloughed their teachers.
    Do you really think that many staff members will return
    under these circumstances ? Dream on..

    19
  20. Mental health of teens

    @QTNA… every kid is motivated and learns differently. For my high schooler the lack of social interaction has had significant impacts. No clubs, no sports, no daily interaction with friends… for kids who thrive off of social interactions, the motivation to learn has diminished greatly. There is also significant concerns regarding the mental health of these teens.
    High school is where teens learn to manage peer relationships, gain independence, develop confidence, gain exposure to interests that can become careers. None of this happens when school is virtual, and where teachers and students stay off camera all day.

    8
  21. @ I have answers.

    Thank you for your reply! It’ so important to hear the perspectives of all stakeholders.

    **Further, the lack of in-person educational options disproportionately harms low-income and minority children and those living with disabilities. These students are far less likely to have access to private instruction and care and far more likely to rely on key school-supported resources like food programs, special education services, counseling, and after-school programs to meet basic developmental needs

    Food programs, special educataion services (with an incresed work load)and counseling are still being provided

    * provides educational instruction-
    Instruction is currently being provided in an innovative and dynamic manner. In fact when students return, they will likely receive the exact same instruction. Digital instruction will be the norm because of COVID-19 and because we are teaching in a digital era.

    * supports the development of social and emotional skills
    Pre-Covid 19, most teachers were not trained in SEL instruction, nor was there a dedicated time to do so. This year’s Professional Developmemnt Institute provided insight into addressing SEL needs. These strategies are being implemented virtually. School counselors are still available and can probvide more intense therapeautic options.

    * creates a safe environment for learning
    The CDC does not encourage large gatherings. Obviously, the larger the group, the greater the possibility of exposure to COVID-19. In person learning is the antithesis of a safe environment.

    * addresses nutritional needs
    School meals have been available throughout the pandemic. Furthermore P-EBT provided additional funds for low income students.

    * facilitates physical activity
    Nothing is preventing students from being physical during virtual learning.

    I hope this provides clarity!

    3
  22. Can you arrange play dates for your child? Why are you relying on teachers to facilitate a social calendar for your child?

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  23. I have answers

    Food programs are provided but the are not readily accessible. All the families I know who are on free and reduced lunches have never taken advantage of whatever meals are currently being provided by the school district.

    We’ll see how effective virtual learning has been.

    I don’t think anybody expects teachers to facilitate a social calendar for their kids. I think parents are looking to to get their kids moving and out of the home into a safe environment around other people.

    The COVID in school learning environment isn’t ideal. It seems like many parents believe the positives of face to face learning outweigh the negatives.

    4
  24. Many family have created social opportunities for their children outside of school. They are continuing with their sports outside of school as well. Many parents on here have said, “get out and live your life” right here on this forum. So I can’t imagine that children aren’t getting socialization. I’ve heard parents say they’ve been participating in community events since June. If this is the case, children have been getting plenty of opportunities to interact with peers outside of school.

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  25. @Dunwoody Dad

    It’s always good to hear parents’ and students’ perspectives!

    “My 10th grade son (at Dunwoody) really misses interacting with other students & friends throughout the day as much as anything”
    There will be minimal physical interaction in schools due to COVID-19. There will not be much more interactuon that what is happening now.

    “He said he doesn’t even feel like he’s in high school at this point, like he’s not a part of the school. Which stinks to hear. I wouldn’t say he’s depressed or anything, but just “down”, if that makes sense. It’s tough to see as a parent.”

    It’s absolutely tough! I have a teenaged daughter myself. She is taking a full couseload of Dual Enrollment with no synchronous learning. We talk through the tough times, take walks, generally build her persrverence. She understands that things are not better simply because she wants a return to normal. Perhaps you can speak with teachers/admin about enacting strategies to adress this specific issue. A return to the building will not be a return to normal, unfortunately.

    “He has also said a number of times that he finds learning in the virtual environment far more “difficult””
    More than likely, assignments will still be digital, so again a return to the building doesnt solve this issue. Determine specifically what is difficult about the work. Ensure it is not an aversion to virtual learning.

    “And he has virtually zero interaction with any of the other students in his classes, especially since teachers can’t require kids to have their cameras on”
    Again, this won’t change much in the building. Teachers can’t force students to interact in any environment. They will be spaced apart as well.

    “High school to me was one of the most fun times of my life, and most of that was due to the interactions I had with friends both during & outside of school.”
    Our kids’ HS experience can’t be like ours, no matter how much that saddens us.

    4
  26. @Mental health of teens

    “No clubs, no sports, no daily interaction with friends… for kids who thrive off of social interactions, the motivation to learn has diminished greatly.”
    You have a larger issue on your hand. The circumstances of learning, and life in general, will fluctuate. Your kid’s motivation can not be dependent on on such things. She should have an intrinsic desire to learn and succeed. That won’t be resolved simply by sending her to a building. Further I would hope that clubs (large groups of students) would not be conducting in person activities. Isn’t in-person learning enough of a risk?

    “High school is where teens learn to manage peer relationships”
    Work with her on building/maintaing relationships in the digital era. She will have to do that whether she is in the building or at home

    “gain independence”
    teach her to take charge of her learning, set goals and remain motivated even when its not fun

    “gain exposure to interests that can become careers. None of this happens when school is virtual, and where teachers and students stay off camera all day.”
    speak with her counselor about career assessments and virtual career shadowing. GA Futures has assessments available. You tube has a plethora of profiles of various careers.

    6
  27. Right QTNA, times have changed. Technology has changed everything. Parents upset by technology use could move to a small farmtown. Not a lot has changed in those areas and you’re lucky if you even get cell service. But, in 2020, to say virtual learning is negatively affecting a teenager’s mental health is like…are you still living in 1990?? Do you realize you live in a major city?? What will your children do when they get to college/gradschool/professional life? They will be using technology to do most everything and probably not have very much face to face in person interaction. Again, it’s 2020, not 1990. Does your child want to go into the medical profession?? In the near future, robots will probably be performing many of the procedures humans do now. Technolgy is used for everything in the medical profession. Virtual learning is the future. Technology is progressing and if you don’t want technology in your life, please, move to a nice rural town where they still live like it’s the 80’s! I know, I have family that live on a farm and there’s only one cellphone service provider and a whole lot of nothing except sports. I remember when they finally got cable service in in their area around the early 2000’s (maybe it was satelight TV? Not 100% sure on that one).

    11
  28. @ I have answers

    So you are saying we need to make food more readily available? Ok have you forwarded your suggestions to the district? Do you really know any low income families. I mean know them by being an integral part of their lives not by reading about them. Because my relatives and friends who are low income have not complained about food. But if that the argument against virtual learning, let’s solve that issue : ).

    Your issue with virtual learning will not be adressed with a return to the building. Teachers will continue using the same tools and strategies that you are questioning right now.

    BTW, I am not familiar with a single student whose performance has shifted dramatically from last year to this year. The kids that were unmotivated and coddled are still the same. The kids whose parents hold them unaccountable and value education are still thriving.

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  29. Chamblee HS Parent

    QTNA – How about the 10K students that haven’t shown up? How are they doing?

    3
  30. @ Chamblee HS Parent

    10K students not in school ??!! We should follow the same protocol that has been in place for student absences. School is compulsory up until age 16. Parents must be held accountable.

    Have you advocated for more investment in social workers and other community services?

    Is your it your stance that buildings should open prematurely because parents are breaking the law?

    15
  31. Just told children are not allowed to play outside at the school for safety reasons (cleaning). Why are we going back?? Playing outside daily is a STATE REQUIREMENT. If we cannot facilitate a normal school day then STAY VIRTUAL. I guess it’s ok with some parents if their babies sit at a table all day in a mask?

    10
  32. Student Attendance

    Chamblee HS Parent,

    Those are students who haven’t logged into Teams. No K-2 student at my school has logged into Teams because they’re using Zoom instead. So, that number of 10k is not accurate. The county would have to pull attendance records to see how many students aren’t showing up because we’re still required to take attendance daily.

    9
  33. Full of hot air

    @QTNA

    It’s so nice you have all the answers. Where have you been for so long? I feel so must more educated now.

    Just help me with this. Right now, students who are getting instruction in an “innovative and dynamic manner” are getting this exemplary education for 30 minutes (required live per day) twice a week. An hour per week.

    Yet just a few months ago students were required to go to school the vast majority of the time or were considered truant. So last year my child needed five days of in person education for 45-50 minutes per day. And remember, this is a DeKalb/GA education; we’re not talking a quality education here.

    This year he’s getting this innovative and … what did you call it … dynamic education in just an hour per week.

    Please, with you vast understanding and knowledge, help me with this. Does this mean that when schools go back in person he only has to go two days per week? Could we even get to the point where he goes one day and the day is just longer??? How exciting!!!

    7
  34. Chamblee HS Parent

    QTNA – I am not sure if you are being obtuse on purpose? You really think these 10K kids can be easily tracked down? I’d laugh if it wasn’t so sad that you believe this. Yes, I have donated towards helping those children who have been left behind due to the political motivations of Dekalb County. I hope all of us consider doing so. The organization I have been involved with has seen first hand how awful this has been for families that were already struggling. No internet, no electricity, parents who can’t read or speak English, no books to read, homeless, children accompanying their parents to their work and have no help with ‘school’. So when I see your arrogant answers to peoples valid concerns, I am just struck by how pandemic privileged you seem to be.

    5
  35. OG Dunwoody Dad

    Hallelujah! QTNA and Anonymous have all the answers for parenting other peoples’ kids. I can return to my life of leisure.

    Sounds like virtual is going great for you, and that’s awesome.

    Other parents are asking for the OPTION to return to class full-time. So it will NOT be the same experience. And yes, children are suffering. Anxiety and depression all over the place. Human beings are social creatures and zoom calls don’t cut it for my kids.

    2
  36. Mental health matters

    Thank you @ OG Dunwoody Dad!
    We are asking for an option because education is not a one size fits all model… just like kids are unique.

    6
  37. Educators, check your email frequently. We received word from admin that we are not reporting to our building next week. Reopening has been delayed due to increased numbers.

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  38. Future anthropologists will be puzzled by our culture that values football (and sports) above all else, including our health and safety.

    12
  39. Friends,

    We just received an email indicating we will not return to school on Monday, October 19th.

    Students will continue to suffer.

    6
  40. @ Full of hot air

    I certainly don’t have the answers. I do want to provide parents with the practical realities of school, however. Also, I want to uncover whether parents have concerns that will not be addressed by returning to the building. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but simply returning to school will not resolve most of the concerns.
    Hmmm I’m only aware of 2 hours per week, 3 hours if you include asynchronous learning, per class. It is my understanding that this based on best practices for virtual learning. If you have alternate research, I urge you to share it with the District.
    Yes, students will return gradually. One day, 2 day to eventually 4 days.
    Why are you fervently advocating for a return to education that is less than “quality”. Do you understand they will be returning to the same education?

    Again, most of the concerns I’ve read will NOT be resolved by returning in the building.

    12
  41. TEACHER TOWN HALL
    Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris confirmed in the Teacher Town Hall that teachers are not coming back to work on October 19. Teachers and students will return to school when the numbers allow it in accordance with the stated calculations and guidelines.

    Moving forward, any questions that are not answered by the town hall, teachers should go to their principal first and regional superintendent next. Regional Superintendents are given regular COVID updates.

    Human Resources Update
    * Discussing COVID-19 Leave Options

    Health and Wellness Update
    * Discussing the protocol for reporting COVID-19 cases
    * Contact tracing – done by county board of health
    * Isolation Room – every school and every department will have an identified space for isolation should somebody exhibit COVID symptoms. Students will be placed in the isolation area and parents contacted. If parents cannot be contacted, the school will call 911 if need be.

    Testing will be done at established sites. DeKalb Schools is working with the DeKalb Board of Health.

    DeKalb Schools is working on filling nursing vacancies.

    Operations
    HVAC units, 7,000 of them, have been adjusted to maximize ventilation.
    Implemented mandatory cleaning protocols
    Each school has been given a 2-month supply of cleaning and disinfecting materials and bathroom products
    Developed capacity modeling guidance and classroom layout modeling guidance in alignment with CDC and DPH
    Target 12-16 students per classroom using 6ft distancing as a guideline

    Information Technology
    Getting employees and students a device is priority number one. The school district is looking into a device refresh.
    Guest network has been added for student and guest personal devices.
    Be sure to store files in the cloud, don’t click on suspicious emails and reboot your device if necessary.

    Curriculum and Instruction
    What does hybrid learning look like?
    New phrase, “Concurrent Classroom Instruction”
    Classes will be divided into half. F2f and virtual live format education will be delivered simultaneously.
    There will be some growing pains – this is new
    Phase III will resume a full day schedule of learning. Remote learning will be a full day just like in school. So, the bell schedule will change.

    Preparing for Phase III
    Figuring out the master schedule including planning periods and balanced classes.
    Considering how to offer specials (art, music, PE) at the elementary schools
    Figuring out what to do about teachers that share classrooms or float between classes and/or buildings
    Devising staggered dismissal schedule
    Creating duty rosters
    Devise schedule for staggered outdoor recess
    Lots of signs to indicate directional hallways or health protocol reminders

    Q&A

    Q: Can high risk employees continue working from home?
    A: DeKalb Schools gave the same answer as the first segment

    Q: Will there be penalties for deciding not to come back?
    A: The school district will honor the normal exemptions.

    Q: Something about sneezing protocols

    Q: Where do the numbers come from?
    A: All information is on the DeKalb Schools numbers. The Georgia DPH and DeKalb Board of Health calculate the data

    Q: If a child tests positive for COVID, what’s the plan?
    A: The DeKalb Board of Health drives the investigation. They decide who has been exposed and needs to quarantine. The distance to child and amount of time with the child drives the determination of who needs to quarantine.

    Q: Students having problems with virtual learning
    A: Staff is committed to working with students individually to make the learning environment as successful as possible

    Q: Environment Questions – Can we open windows
    A: We ask that windows are left closed to protect the HVAC units.

    Q: HVAC repairs
    A: Operations has been working to reduce the number of needed repairs

    Q: Will students have to wear masks?
    A: All students must wear masks.

    Q: Will the school provide masks to students and staff?
    A: Yes

    Q: Parents and Visitors?
    A: No parents or visitors allowed in the next phase.

    Q: Supplies: Tissue paper, toilet paper, soap, etc …
    A: There will be enough in each school

    Q: How will social distancing be implemented?
    A: All schools will have their own COVID-19 task force to consider the specifics of each school

    Q: How many students and teachers will be in school during the hybrid model?
    A: We expect at least 40% of the students to remain virtual.

    Q: What is the plan for Wednesday.
    A: It will be 100% virtual for students. Teachers will be at school.

    Q: Teacher evaluations
    A: TKES and LKES are governed by state law. We won’t have student growth numbers

    Self assessments have been suspended. Summative measurements can not be made.

    Woods said the State DOE’s motto is compassion over compliance.

    Q: How will the district support MAP testing ethically.
    A: Microsoft did an update allowing the teacher to see 12 students take the test at a time. MAP will not be used as the school district typically has. The current use will be to diagnose learning loss.

    State standardized tests will still be required. School district is figuring out how to do that.

    Q: What accommodations will be provided to teachers with children?
    A: There is a provision within the COVID leave reasons, there will be eligibility for leave. Please seek other options before availing yourself of this option.

    Q: Will teachers be allowed to resign without penalties?
    A: Fines will not be assessed.

    Q: Can we connect smart boards to our chromebooks (teachers are experiencing some sort of problem here)
    A: The district is making peripherals available.

    Q: Why do teachers have all these tools? Will there be a supported platform
    A: The district is looking to have a supported platform and trying to decide which tools to include. The school district does allow many tools to be used even if they are not supported by the school district.

    Q: Para’s – will they be given devices
    A: Yes

    Q: What supports are in place for teachers experiencing high anxiety?
    A: The pandemic has caused anxiety for many people. School district is putting together a toolkit to help identify people experiencing anxiety. School district helping teachers provide mental health first aide.

    10
  42. Stan, in your post about the Town Hall, do you mean the teachers won’t be coming back Oct. 19?

    1
  43. yes. thank you. October 19 – comment updated

    1
  44. For the elementary kiddos, I don’t consider a 15-20 minute live lesson in each subject dynamic or innovative, to quote a previous post. Young kids are frustrated and falling behind and it doesn’t seem that the administration cares. And now with the news about teachers not returning….this is really terrible and I don’t understand why we don’t have the leadership and vision to get young kids back in class, at least for those that feel comfortable doing so.

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  45. Central Staff Does Not Matter

    I’m happy for the Teachers and Students that get to remain Virtual. However, once again it seems that Central Office Staff does not matter. DCSD took 5 furlough days from us and as of 5 min ago, we still have to return to the office next week, unless a miracle happens. I checked the number after 3:00 PM and it is now at 101!! Someone please tell me why Central Office Staff has a different set of rules?!!? Why does the 14 day below 100 NOT apply to us? We have health issues and families too!! So, for everyone that thinks the Central Office staff has it made…we don’t. There are several “little people” at the Central Office too!! I’M SO DONE!!

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  46. should have kept quiet

    @QTNA –
    What was it Mark Twain said?

    It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

    Maybe you should just, you know, shut up.

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  47. @shouldve kept quiet,

    Thank you for proving your own point.

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  48. Who are these teachers I keep reading about in these comments who are teaching for 30 minutes a day or only teaching twice a week??! I have been working harder than ever before to virtually teach a full schedule of classes every day (except Wednesday, which is full of one on one and small group tutorials, plus other meetings). I meet with kids after school hours and I answer their constant questions on Remind, which I do not mind at all- happy to help those who need it! I would say if your child has a teacher who is not actually teaching, you need to take it up with your school admin. Don’t make these blanket statements about all teachers like we are just living it up at home on vacation and trying not to go back. I can’t even tell you how it feels to read a lot of these comments from parents at this point.

    14
  49. Education for DeKalb kids

    Does anyone know how to get in touch with Steven Morales? If DeKalb’s decisions are driven by science and data and they did not open the schools, does that mean that the neighboring districts that opened with more cases/100,000 pop did not use science in their decision? Or DeKalb has access to other sources of data than the other districts?

    5
  50. Am I the only one who finds it funny, and totally embarrassing, that the billboard has grammar errors? Was it on purpose to illustrate “falling behind”? Look, I want my kids back in school. I have a child with an IEP and virtual school is a complete and utter disaster for him. He HATES school now and I’m very concerned about what it’s going to take to get him back on track. But I just can’t with this billboard and the group associated with it. What kind of privilege must you have to think that a miniscule group can speak for tens of thousands of others? Oh ok, I get it – you want a “choice”. But far more people have already chosen. GO AWAY F2F GROUP. Y’all need to learn how to actually lobby, not bully, and maybe for one second consider a view outside of your own.

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  51. What is the reasoning for considering football and other fall sports safe for in person but not school? Has the board or superintendent been asked this? Are we less concerned for those students and teachers/ coaches safety.

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  52. It’s outdoors.

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  53. which is carried out by the printing

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  54. escapeefromdekalb

    @central staff does not matter
    Your name says it all and is 100% correct— more furlough days for longer, no step increases- TSA taken away and
    often, they forget to inform you of anything. Get used to it– you are not a teacher or Administrator– you are not really a person in their eyes.

    1
  55. inventions of typography

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  56. Middle Ages as in Western

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  57. mostly in monasteries.

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  58. manuscripts significantly

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  59. mojoheadz Records https://technomusiccommunity.blogspot.com/2019/09/mojoheadz-records-is-la-community.html Mojoheadz is the go-to market place showcasing the innovation and evolution of the genre. Seeing as the label was founded in 2019, the catalogue stretches back to include seminal tracks like Endego’s ‘Sorry’, but in more recent years its contemporary output has guided dance music with releases by psytrance and happy hardcore.Check my reviews!

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