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February 6
Feb. 6th, 2021 04:12 pmStates Bound! The SHS Wrestling team has 8 kids headed to states, and 5 alternates! Despite everything, I can't help but be super proud and super excited! I miss the chaos of wrestling seasons and tournaments, but it was nice to be able to watch the regional matches via youtube while I was in bed in my jammies today. No pre-dawn drives, no large crowds, no running back and forth from one mat to another, no utter exhaustion afterward. States is in two weeks, no spectators allowed. It's weird, but everything is now. And one of this year's seniors already signed to Roanoke College with a wrestling scholarship, so that's awesome.
I realized today one of the things that's been bothering me about the school arguments. The pandemic is highlighting issues with schools in general, and disparities in school districts, and underfunding, and all kinds of stuff. I am 100% behind teachers and parents not wanting to return to school without feeling safe. Most districts cannot do this. But what was throwing me is that I support my school district being in-person and at the same time think being back to in-person school is Not A Good Thing for most places. I think I sorted it out in my head now though.
Salem (where my kids went, where several of my littles go now) has always been extra. They have always put priority on their school system, which is one of the reasons I paid for my kids to stay there after we moved out of district. Even before the pandemic, they had generally smaller class sizes - elementary school classes tried to stay under 15 kids per classroom, middle/high schools no more than 20 or 22 for classes other than specials (band, choir, ece, the auto classes, etc, all had more than that, I think). So when they needed to make smaller classes to meet guidelines for social distancing, etc, it was easier. Salem teachers are also better paid than others in this area, and even though the teachers obviously pay out of pocket for stuff (like all teachers) they get supplied more than others. For example, most teachers I know in other districts have limited numbers of copies available to them per month or whatever. One of the community businesses in Salem covers all copy costs for the schools - supply the copiers, provide the upkeep, donate paper and toner, etc) so the teachers, admin, ptsa all have unlimited copies. The community had several organizations donate cleaning supplies and stuff to the schools (apparently there are school districts where the teachers had to supply their own supplies to keep their rooms clean and sanitized? that baffles me), one donated masks for all the students and staff, the ptsa organized for all the students to get reusable water bottles and provided a stockpile of bottled water for each school since the water fountains are off limits. Salem is small, like 15 square miles, so there is internet/wifi everywhere. Students who are partial or completely distance learning have school provided chrome books. Salem opened schools in September. All families were given the option of full online learning. For in-person, preK-2 go 5 days per week until 1:15. Some kids have IEPs so they have a special schedule, like Illy, who goes Mon-Thurs until 1:15. Grades 3-12 go two days a week (either Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri - until 2:15 at the elementary school, to stagger the buses) and have online assignments the other days. There have been a few instances of COVID (contracted from an outside source), but for the most part, it's worked well. But I KNOW this model doesn't work for everyone, and Salem is so so lucky it works for them.
Anyway.
Have a link to read I found interesting this morning: The Strange Blissfulness of Storms
( and a handful of small fic recs )
I realized today one of the things that's been bothering me about the school arguments. The pandemic is highlighting issues with schools in general, and disparities in school districts, and underfunding, and all kinds of stuff. I am 100% behind teachers and parents not wanting to return to school without feeling safe. Most districts cannot do this. But what was throwing me is that I support my school district being in-person and at the same time think being back to in-person school is Not A Good Thing for most places. I think I sorted it out in my head now though.
Salem (where my kids went, where several of my littles go now) has always been extra. They have always put priority on their school system, which is one of the reasons I paid for my kids to stay there after we moved out of district. Even before the pandemic, they had generally smaller class sizes - elementary school classes tried to stay under 15 kids per classroom, middle/high schools no more than 20 or 22 for classes other than specials (band, choir, ece, the auto classes, etc, all had more than that, I think). So when they needed to make smaller classes to meet guidelines for social distancing, etc, it was easier. Salem teachers are also better paid than others in this area, and even though the teachers obviously pay out of pocket for stuff (like all teachers) they get supplied more than others. For example, most teachers I know in other districts have limited numbers of copies available to them per month or whatever. One of the community businesses in Salem covers all copy costs for the schools - supply the copiers, provide the upkeep, donate paper and toner, etc) so the teachers, admin, ptsa all have unlimited copies. The community had several organizations donate cleaning supplies and stuff to the schools (apparently there are school districts where the teachers had to supply their own supplies to keep their rooms clean and sanitized? that baffles me), one donated masks for all the students and staff, the ptsa organized for all the students to get reusable water bottles and provided a stockpile of bottled water for each school since the water fountains are off limits. Salem is small, like 15 square miles, so there is internet/wifi everywhere. Students who are partial or completely distance learning have school provided chrome books. Salem opened schools in September. All families were given the option of full online learning. For in-person, preK-2 go 5 days per week until 1:15. Some kids have IEPs so they have a special schedule, like Illy, who goes Mon-Thurs until 1:15. Grades 3-12 go two days a week (either Mon/Thurs or Tues/Fri - until 2:15 at the elementary school, to stagger the buses) and have online assignments the other days. There have been a few instances of COVID (contracted from an outside source), but for the most part, it's worked well. But I KNOW this model doesn't work for everyone, and Salem is so so lucky it works for them.
Anyway.
Have a link to read I found interesting this morning: The Strange Blissfulness of Storms
( and a handful of small fic recs )
