Return to School - are alternative approaches possible?

[Amy Lee]

I am writing to send my support for opening all schools. After listening to the board meeting last night I get the generally feeling from the teachers is they want to stay fully remote. I believe it is the school board jobs to follow the recommendations of the state and begin to open schools. You should provide the necessary support to the teachers to give them the safest working environment and the peace of mind that their concerns are being addressed. Right now I feel they are afraid, some of it irrational. A recent report by the New York Times indicates a low risk of an infected student showing up the first week in pods of 10. For Los Alamos it is a low risk for all school populations. You cannot prevent a covid case , as we learned this morning, but you can reduce the risk of spread significantly.  https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/31/us/coronavirus-school-reopening-risk.html

I personally am more concerned about a teacher or staff bringing in the virus rather than a student. As adults I feel they are having much more interaction with people since they have run basic errands in their off time and work with other teachers. 

Is it possible at all to consider alternative options. I would be fine with remote instructions for the core classes but would like to see hands on classes like auto shop, baking, art, astronomy, language meet in person in small groups and extracurricular activities take place. Can students meet at the high school and middle school in small groups for academic time in the afternoon?  I know there are teachers willing to come into school to supervise such groups. We battle with tears and yelling almost everyday with our 7th, 9th and 11th grade children.  Both of the high schoolers have gotten failing marks in the short time we have been back to school. One has been able to address the problem but the other is going to have to transfer out of the class due to the teacher being too rigid and lack of willingness to be flexible in this new mode. She is continue on like this is normal school year.  I would say about of half of the teachers are behaving this way making it a very frustrating environment for the student. 

The lack of sports has been a huge problem for our kids as they cannot get out their frustrations and are missing the structure playing a sport provided. I do not think the teachers have recognized this as an issue for the student athletes and fully understand what a large part of their life has been taken away. 

I know this exhausting work and for the most part thankless.  

Thank you for you time and effort,

Amy Lee

Sent from my iPad