AISD's (and other districts) Plans for Schools Starting August 18

[Deej 76,834]

9 minutes ago, Homercles said:

Cant believe we are back here again already.  Costco had no TP today either.  

 

[mdmost 43,004]

10 minutes ago, Homercles said:

Cant believe we are back here again already.  Costco had no TP today either.  

Sam's Club didn't have any when I went on Tuesday. Nor paper towels. 

[hayden_horn 11,362]

40 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

Got this email the Superintendent sent out to the district today

The fact that she brings that up, makes me think we will be virtual.

They are trying to keep from having to reduce capacity at all fo the schools, and/or quarantining hundreds more students/staff (That aren't already) so this will probably be the right call.

yep, saw that. gonna be virtual until at least january, possibly even through the end of the school year. 

good job, yall. really great job, texas.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

2 hours ago, hayden_horn said:

yep, saw that. gonna be virtual until at least january, possibly even through the end of the school year. 

AISD, if they go virtual after Thanksgiving for a week, is going to try and come back for the following time through December.

Notice that they didn't reduce capacity at the schools - that's a good sign.

[Horn_Spanker 524]

Overall feeling that in-person is gone until after the new year.  This isn't all on AISD's shoulders, there's a fuck ton of retarded parents out there.  

[BrazilHorn 6,616]

1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

AISD, if they go virtual after Thanksgiving for a week, is going to try and come back for the following time through December.

Notice that they didn't reduce capacity at the schools - that's a good sign.

I just don't see why they would if they go 100% virtual the week post Thanksgiving bother to come back for the next couple of weeks. I see if they end up closing the week post Thanksgiving that the schools stay shut down until the new calendar year.

Edited November 21, 2020 by BrazilHorn

[smoky 840]

I just don't see why they would if they go 100% virtual the week post Thanksgiving bother to come back for the next couple of weeks. I see if they end up closing the week post Thanksgiving that the schools stay shut down until the new calendar year.

Because TEA

My understanding, which is limited, is that they can get a one week waiver without having to add on to the school year. Any longer than that and you have to add time to your day or finish later.

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

If/when we go all virtual, TEA is going to make us make up half of the instructional minutes, even though those are all days we are working. We are looking at just doing one week to avoid adding too many more days. We can play games and add a few minutes to each day to make up for most of it. 

I wish tea would understand that we are trying to operate in a pandemic with a shit load of our kids traveling over the next week. We need an additional week to figure out who is dragging covid back home with them to keep everybody safe. Stop acting like we are trying to skirt our responsibilities.

[ChuckNorrisActionJeans 2,678]

I don't understand -- what's the (stated) need to add instructional time if they go all-remote -- with the hybrid model now, the remote kids don't need to do anything extra.

Just seems punitive and sadistic. 

[XYZ 2,154]

Kids are not going to learn shit this year. Why does TEA continue to pretend that this is a normal year?

[CooterBrown 18,015]

Kids are not going to learn shit this year. Why does TEA continue to pretend that this is a normal year?

It’s an excuse to defund public schools.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

52 minutes ago, ChuckNorrisActionJeans said:

punitive and sadistic

TEA’s new motto?

[Knoxtnhorn 6,060]

Interesting.  Our school district is adamant about staying open.  We had an unscheduled meeting on Tuesday, and most of the teachers assumed it would be about shutting down after TDay.  It ended up being a refresher on how to socially distance because so many at our school have had to be quarantined.  FWIW, we're a school district inside Dallas County.  

[mdmost 43,004]

My hope is if DISD shuts down, it won't be till mid-December and then we can come back in the two weeks after Christmas. My 7th grader is just a night and day difference now that she's back in school. She really enjoys it. She's doing her assignments, staying on task, and enjoying being with her friends. She was barely talking to other kids except for online weirdos on Discord and Roblox. She really likes her teachers much more now that she can interact with them in person. It just sucks that fucking adults can't or won't do what is necessary to keep things open. She came home the other day and said how we overrated how scary middle school is. She says the freedom they have at school is so much better than online learning. My hope is DISD will look at the numbers and see that for the most part their mitigation strategies are working. Granted, not sure if those are going to hold up in the next couple of weeks. 

[Knoxtnhorn 6,060]

I'm lucky in that I have 13 face-to-face students that are all really well-behaved and love learning.  I have 4 virtual students who have extremely reliable parents.  If we go virtual, I'll lose the progress I've gained with over half of my class.  Disclaimer: I'm not bitching about going virtual.  I completely understand.  I would just rather teach in person.  Apparently, this is a rare concept in my school as a vast majority - perhaps all of them - want to go virtual. 

[utee94 15,835]

3 hours ago, mdmost said:

My hope is if DISD shuts down, it won't be till mid-December and then we can come back in the two weeks after Christmas. My 7th grader is just a night and day difference now that she's back in school. She really enjoys it. She's doing her assignments, staying on task, and enjoying being with her friends. She was barely talking to other kids except for online weirdos on Discord and Roblox. She really likes her teachers much more now that she can interact with them in person. It just sucks that fucking adults can't or won't do what is necessary to keep things open. She came home the other day and said how we overrated how scary middle school is. She says the freedom they have at school is so much better than online learning. My hope is DISD will look at the numbers and see that for the most part their mitigation strategies are working. Granted, not sure if those are going to hold up in the next couple of weeks. 

Exact same for my 7th grader. During the COVID shutdown and online-school, she got to where she wouldn't even bother facetiming or texting her long-time friend.  She was despondent.

Now that she's back to in-person school she's an entirely different person.  She's back to being the bright, happy, school-loving, friend-loving girl she was back in Jan/Feb.  

Kids need school.  For so many reasons.

 

[XYZ 2,154]

No in-person schooling at Austin ISD next week.

[HornOnTheBayou 8,933]

Yep, just got the e-mail. I wonder if surrounding districts will follow suit.

[swraith 347]

Was it an email to staff?

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

6 minutes ago, swraith said:

Was it an email to staff?

Nope, check your email, maybe your junk/spam folder, here's the one I got

Quote

November 25, 2020

Dear Austin ISD families,

I hope you’re having a restful and joyous break thus far, and are finding creative ways to connect with your loved ones while continuing to practice recommended safety protocols to keep everyone COVID safe. 

Today, following a meeting with city and county officials along with Austin Public Health, I have decided to move to 100% remote instruction, for one week only, from November 30th through December 4th.  We will resume on-campus instruction Monday, December 7th. This decision is being made proactively to increase the likelihood of on-campus instruction for the final two weeks of the semester.  By moving to 100% remote learning the week following the Thanksgiving break, the incubation period will have the opportunity to run its course and positive cases can be identified while safely at home. In addition, I do not anticipate the need to repeat this process following the winter break as that holiday is 14 days while the Thanksgiving break was only seven. 

However, this decision may require a few individual schools to add some minutes to their school day or adjust their calendar to ensure we have met the required instructional minutes to continue to receive school funding from TEA. That information will be forthcoming as it varies from campus to campus. 

As a reminder, remote instruction will continue to be available to families who choose it when we return as well. 

Our commitment to our community remains unchanged. Therefore, Austin ISD will be partnering with Austin Public Health to provide COVID tests to staff, students, and family members Wednesday, Dec. 2 through Friday, Dec. 4. Please be on the lookout for additional information regarding testing registration and sites to be released Sunday, Nov. 29. 

 

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

Probably the right call.  Given the amount of traffic on the roads and at the airports, and that Texas went from 10,000 confirmed new cases to over 14,000 yesterday, yeah, Turkey Day gonna be a shitshow next week.

 

[Bevo Num1 1,021]

Wife just got the email.

[utee94 15,835]

10 hours ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Yep, just got the e-mail. I wonder if surrounding districts will follow suit.

So far no word from LISD, although Vandegrift specifically will be online-only next week due to cases at that school.

LISD hasn't really followed what AISD has done anyway, school started as scheduled on 8/13 and in-person schooling started on 9/8.  So I don't expect LISD necessarily to follow AISD on this, either.

[HornOnTheBayou 8,933]

Good point. And I guess if other districts were going to announce it, they would have done it before yesterday.

[phdhorn 6,224]

I don't see a "UT/Covid" thread (maybe there is one), so this is the closest I can find.

UT again (like last spring) just announced up to 3 classes per semester can be taken pass/fail (including those that aren't normally offered that way, or ones which you can't take P/F as part of your graduation track).  That includes this semester and next.

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/university-of-texas/ut-austin-pass-fail-grading-extension-fall-2020-spring-2021/269-71e5132f-0877-4cfb-b0ad-fccea1582d40

My son's in his last year in Engineering and finds this development particularly awesome.
(UT now shut down on-campus, I believe all finals have to be online except special permission).

[jimmyjazz 45,978]

I have seen multiple news reports on that UT pass/fail policy, and even went to the UT website for clarification.  They might have worded it more poorly, but it would have taken some effort.  phdhorn, I think you're interpreting it correctly, but when I first heard about it, I thought they were saying that a student could elect to have a TOTAL of 3 classes pass/fail, spread across fall and spring semesters.  Here's the exact language, and it isn't crystal clear:

Quote

For the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters, undergraduate students may choose to have a total of three (3) classes graded on a Pass/Fail basis without penalty.

 

If the policy is as you interpreted it, why not say "up to 6 classes can be designated pass/fail in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, with no more than 3 classes designated pass/fail in any one semester" or some such.

[Gardner Barnes 1,562]

Yep, just got the e-mail. I wonder if surrounding districts will follow suit.

Eanes response:

We have learned Austin ISD and some schools in the surrounding area have decided to close in-person learning the week after Thanksgiving, with a return to campus beginning Dec. 7. At this time, Eanes ISD will continue as scheduled, with all students and staff returning Nov. 30 to in-person or remote learning based on their current assignment.

Staff will report as they are assigned. We understand the childcare challenges our staff may face when AISD and Eanes ISD schedules and calendars do not align, as has been the case this year and occasionally every year. We trust this advance notice will allow staff who have children in AISD time to make alternative childcare arrangements.

Thank you, and we hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

Got this email this morning

Quote

In our effort to minimize the post-holiday spread of COVID-19, all campuses will be in a remote setting the week of Nov. 30 - Dec. 4. In order to further curb the impact on our community, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 2, we will also offer three days of districtwide, drive-through, rapid testing for all on-campus students and staff, who will physically report to campus for teaching and learning. Testing is strongly recommended for those that are showing COVID-19 symptoms, those that have had close contact with someone that is positive or showing symptoms for COVID-19, and those that recently traveled for the holidays. 

 

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

These tests are the nostril variety that doesn’t need to scrape your brain. Very easy if you feel like you need one.

[phdhorn 6,224]

On 11/26/2020 at 10:10 AM, jimmyjazz said:

I have seen multiple news reports on that UT pass/fail policy, and even went to the UT website for clarification.  They might have worded it more poorly, but it would have taken some effort.  phdhorn, I think you're interpreting it correctly, but when I first heard about it, I thought they were saying that a student could elect to have a TOTAL of 3 classes pass/fail, spread across fall and spring semesters.  Here's the exact language, and it isn't crystal clear:

 

If the policy is as you interpreted it, why not say "up to 6 classes can be designated pass/fail in Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, with no more than 3 classes designated pass/fail in any one semester" or some such.

He told me at break that it's 3 classes total for both semesters.  Still better than nuttin.'

By this late stage in his schooling and mondo credits piled up, his GPA won't move super much, but he now can crack a barrier that he didn't expect to.  This is awesome news though for 1st and 2nd year students who can really leap their point avg. up.

[jimmyjazz 45,978]

Lulz.  So I DID interpret it right the first time.

Am I wrong for expecting a "university of the first class" to write with more clarity?

[BrazilHorn 6,616]

Eanes ISD not staying home this week, basically gave AISD a big middle finger for the decision AISD made to go virtual learning the week after Thanksgiving. Will be interesting to see how cases play out as I believe that AISD is only district in Travis county staying home.

[Gardner Barnes 1,562]

Eanes ISD not staying home this week, basically gave AISD a big middle finger for the decision AISD made to go virtual learning the week after Thanksgiving. Will be interesting to see how cases play out as I believe that AISD is only district in Travis county staying home.

Because it the new tea two week max closure rule I bet eisd shuts down next week.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

Parents with kids who had to go back to virtual this morning. 

[Chet Steadman 940]

AISD quick to shut down following the Tgiving holiday due to COVID but come the next ice storm they’ll undoubtedly be waiting until 4 or 5 am to make the call when the entire city is already shut down. 

[South Austin 52,521]

Odd that AISD didn’t cancel athletics this week. My daughter still has basketball practice.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

56 minutes ago, Chet Steadman said:

AISD quick to shut down following the Tgiving holiday due to COVID but come the next ice storm they’ll undoubtedly be waiting until 4 or 5 am to make the call when the entire city is already shut down. 

Maybe they like to troll the Karens?

[swraith 347]

AISD, please reopen next week.  No technical issues were had today...but having the kids around all day was a total beating.  Work productivity cut by at least 60%.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

8 hours ago, swraith said:

AISD, please reopen next week.  No technical issues were had today...but having the kids around all day was a total beating.  Work productivity cut by at least 60%.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

12 hours ago, swraith said:

AISD, please reopen next week.  No technical issues were had today...but having the kids around all day was a total beating.  Work productivity cut by at least 60%.

I hate

1. Battery management across two iPads.
2. Assuming that from 7:40 until 2:50pm, anything I say can be picked up by an unmuted microphone and transmitted to one or two classes of little kids.

[jimmyjazz 45,978]

41 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

I hate

1. Battery management across two iPads.
2. Assuming that from 7:40 until 2:50pm, anything I say can be picked up by an unmuted microphone and transmitted to one or two classes of little kids.

"Motherfucker, Shaka.  What the fuck are you doing?  You suck donkey balls."

"Ummm, Mr. Atomheartbevo?"

[swraith 347]

I hate

1. Battery management across two iPads.
2. Assuming that from 7:40 until 2:50pm, anything I say can be picked up by an unmuted microphone and transmitted to one or two classes of little kids.

One of my kids basically screams barbarian war cries throughout the day and it ramps up in the afternoon when he gets to play games. It annoys me to no end...but I have become accustomed to it. Coworkers...not so much. In the past 24 at least 2 meetings where my mic picked him up in another room and had people say...WTF was that sound...with me sheepishly responding...oh that’s my kid...ignore him.

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

2 hours ago, swraith said:

One of my kids basically screams barbarian war cries throughout the day and it ramps up in the afternoon when he gets to play games. It annoys me to no end...but I have become accustomed to it. Coworkers...not so much. In the past 24 at least 2 meetings where my mic picked him up in another room and had people say...WTF was that sound...with me sheepishly responding...oh that’s my kid...ignore him.

"That sound you heard?  That wasn't me.  It didn't come from somebody in the crawlspace under my house.  What are you talking about, it's from your house, right?"

[atomheartbevo 89,734]

PSA:  If your kid does not have a virtual background on, and does not have their microphone muted, and if you walk around the house in nothing but a speedo screaming "I AM A FUCKING GOLDEN GOD!"....

You will get a call from the district.

[Larry T. Spider 1,746]

16 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

PSA:  If your kid does not have a virtual background on, and does not have their microphone muted, and if you walk around the house in nothing but a speedo screaming "I AM A FUCKING GOLDEN GOD!"....

You will get a call from the district.

A congratulatory one from me 😂

[South Austin 52,521]

20 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

PSA:  If your kid does not have a virtual background on, and does not have their microphone muted, and if you walk around the house in nothing but a speedo screaming "I AM A FUCKING GOLDEN GOD!"....

You will get a call from the district.

But then you all just do a group sing of “Tiny Dancer” and everything will be cool with the district.

[washparkhorn 9,939]

34 minutes ago, South Austin said:

But then you all just do a group sing of “Tiny Dancer” and everything will be cool with the district.

[zman13 180]

So based on the Board voting to give the Superintendent the power to cancel school the week of 1/5 to 1/9, it feels like it could happen. Assuming we stay in Stage 5,

what do you all think is going to happen?

[smoky 840]

There are others who are more in tune with this than me, but my interpretation of it is that it depends on the TEA.

If the TEA allows our remote days to count as full days, we'll go remote.

If they don't, I predict another week off and days tacked on to the end of the year.

[BrazilHorn 6,616]

39 minutes ago, zman13 said:

So based on the Board voting to give the Superintendent the power to cancel school the week of 1/5 to 1/9, it feels like it could happen. Assuming we stay in Stage 5,

what do you all think is going to happen?

I think parts of AISD are in bad shape from a budget perspective come fall. Enrollment at Casis is down like 25% and PTA funds ALL the salaries for the extra-curricular teachers (Art, language arts etc). The PTA won’t have the $ to do that in fall. Starting year off closed with talk of Saturday school to make up hours will drive people even more away. 
 

I see schools shutting down the extra week (if not longer) unfortunately even though the data says kids/teachers aren’t getting COVID-19 in the classroom. It’s a shitshow. 
 

I feel for kids who are struggling, dont have financial capability to fund tutors etc. Those kids are losing out big time. 
 

Just a sad deal.