I appreciate a positive approach, but to not acknowledge the incredible challenge of the last 10 months is beyond puzzling. I feel with proper procedures we can all maintain a high level of safety. Then it changed to a positivity rate of 10% and we’re at 10.4%. Symptoms – If a staff member or student is exhibiting symptoms, the staff member or student will be immediately isolated. And anyone comparing us to other counties already F2F, I would be equally as angry if I was employed there. It’s not just Dekalb, it’s everywhere. Geez…, Since we are above 10% now, and could easily be above that in January , why are Right now positivity rates only reflect PCR testing, thus it is likely a lower estimate of actually positivity rates. On Friday, DeKalb County Superintendent Jason Barnett unveiled their plans for the 2020-2021 school year. I guess it is ok to give some a choice and not all others. So……I guess I am not understanding. There has to be a better way than putting my life on the line. All rights reserved. Decaturish does not have a print edition. “Apparently, we don’t care about science anymore in this county, and they’re just saying teachers have to go back no matter what. Are there any three reasonably objective (IE: not a DCSD employee) observers who would dare suggest that what DeKalb residents are getting from their public schools is even close to an “adequate education?” Maybe it is time to recognized, and act upon, the plain fact that DeKalb County Schools are in breach of the social contract and have failed in meeting the responsibilities required of them by the State’s Constitution. I recognize everyone has unique situations so I don’t want to turn this into a social media-like argument, but I have a few questions: Why not wait for the vaccine to be available to teachers at this point? Tuesday’s protest drew a slightly larger number of people than last week’s protest, which saw approximately 250 people in attendance. Stan here are some thoughts on how parents can help the opening process and work to keep it open: William Hodge, 12, a seventh grader at Druid Hills Middle School and his mother Emily Klimkiewicz came out to support DeKalb County School District teachers Dec. 29, during a protest against the return to in person schooling in January. Full disclosure: my window doesn’t open, the HVAC at my school breaks down every other day, and you will need to bring your own PPE and sanitizing equipment (my “two month supply” of 2 cans of Clorox wipes will probably have already been used). for. The District will follow the guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health, DeKalb Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So now you have it! Help us provide you with free, quality local news. Makes no sense! Also, we are to report to our classrooms on the morning of January 4th to start teaching 1st block at 8 am as we are going back to a full schedule of some sort on the day. This is an absolute disgrace to all involved and I sincerely wish that the Board and Superintendent would take the time to think before making rush decisions. Do you have a job, family, hobby….anything? Is there a link where I can access the presentation from the meeting? I have been so frustrated with virtual, and because we both work, our DES 4th grader has been in daycare doing virtual. A/C heating. I know of a colleague that passed of COVID last year and not a word was mentioned. Virtual simply isn’t working for many. … I care about them surviving. Very foolish decision. As a current DCSD Employee that works at AIC, seeing this information is an absolute disgrace. Stan, will school be returning to 5 days a week? STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will begin its re-opening process on a staggered schedule Jan. 4, 2021, with staff returning to school buildings. While I’m thrilled DCSD is finally coming around to the importance of in-school learning, I have some questions/comments that nobody has been able to answer: 1. Teaching in-person is more effective than virtual (duh), but make sure you don’t actually get near the students. We aren’t being given a choice. Photo by Dean Hesse. They also sent me this explanation for going back even though the number of infections is going up. Done. The AIC building is NOT equipped to help prevent the spread of COVID. I’d love to have their safety precautions, like students having to have a negative test to attend class each day (Germany). https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report. Our school doesn’t have the capacity for all teachers to have their own teaching rooms so this is an issue that affects many “floating” teachers. My comments were general in nature and not in response to any other posted comments. They do not and will not ever care if teachers get the virus. We know we’ll be returning to school safely when the time is right, and it’s not now.”. 1) Will students that want to be face to face, will they be in school once a week or all week? Parents get to decide if f2f is safe for their children and have a choice for virtual, but as adults, we are not allowed the same respect. I would expect the same- only worse- after Christmas. Terms to Know . Support of Decaturish goes toward our newsgathering efforts. Photo by Dean Hesse. There may also be parents like myself that were not comfortable with the disruption of going back and forth between virtual and in person that would be comfortable with full time face to face. It’s an elementary school, so that may be the reason. * Send Stakeholder Notification (Staff, Families, and Community Partners) I know my school is not the only disaster waiting to happen. Photo by Dean Hesse. DeKalb County School District Superintendent Ramona Tyson said she will present a re-entry plan for schools to the DeKalb County Board of Education on June 8. Are we getting an adequately educated population by any objective measure? All politically motivated decisions. 01/16/2016 – Redistricting the Cross Keys Cluster @High School Teacher: Dude, THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU. @ I’ve ordered my hazmat suit | Harris also lied about our furlough days!!! In addition, they responded to several questions presubmitted by parents from the county. *If you are not familiar with MS Teams, you’ll have to teach yourself as DeKalb is incapable of providing effective professional development on anything. I don’t see anything but wanted to see if I perhaps overlooked it. When does it switch to the four days per week of face to face, which is listed right below the two days per week? Regarding whether there will be a smaller number in the class doesn’t matter. Illiteracy in our schools is so chronic and so epidemic that evaluation and reporting has been squelched over the last decade as if even looking would be like a nausea inducing glance at fresh vomit. It is essential for children to be able to return to school. I prefer for people to be honest and up front. If the positivity rate drops to below 10%, based on the presentation, it seems as if schools have the option to go back 4 days per week. Ask your principal. STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) announced reopening plans on Tuesday with a learning model that matches the current rate of coronavirus spread in the community. Clean it yourself Dekalb! I am not clear on how we can have a return date and meet the two weeks under 10% positivity rate. What if the technology doesn’t work (it won’t)? Record, transcribe, summarize and monitor the factual accuracy of what is said in public by the DeKalb Schools board and administration. Even if the windows could open here, would teachers be allowed? The rapid testing data doesn’t seem to be extremely accurate. https://countyindicatororeport.s3.amazonaws.com/county_indicator_report_20201214.html#laboratory-tests, It looks like our superintendent has already backed away from communicating directly with staff and being transparent. Please clarify. I missed that above. We will get good medical care if admitted to the ICU and sympathy. No windows and of course the Demographics ie poor and immigrant student population is much more vulnerable than any school in DeKalb County. We pay more than the legal limit begging the question: do we get more than the legal minimum? . Don’t spend too much time looking because you won’t find the part where “adequate” is defined but you will find much about delegating this “primary obligation” to local yokels and you’ll even find a millage cap handily exceeded by the DeKalb School System. . This brings up more questions than it answers. That is all. Photo by Dean Hesse. It goes against what the CDC and DCSD guidelines are at this moment. From the social media posts to the talking points used by CWH — it’s like DCSD is living in some alternate universe that the rest of us don’t understand. #moveon. That staff meeting was misleading. What is the plan for lunch? Not one parent cares about our well-being. • COVID Medical Advisors have shared that it is now possibly safer for students to be in school than out of school, particularly if mitigation strategies are in place. It never did and it never will. Here come lots of resignations! The metrics have changed, at first the county said it’s safe to go back to work when we have cases per 100,000 under 100. I don’t know if that is still the case. Our principal disputes these dates being posted here. But for narcissistic people like you putting everyone else at risk when you don’t have to, good luck. As parents, only we can decide what is best for our children. Even if the students come in our rooms, we have a lot of cleaning and disinfecting to do every day with so much change. If they quit, they could risk losing their license.”, Another teacher, Stacey Shoats said, “I’ve been teaching for 28 years. Photo by Dean Hesse. Selected grade levels will begin in-person learning on Jan. 19, 2021. I’ve already been contemplating resigning because I’m tired of the way the education system is and continues to be. ADA documentation can also be accessed through the following link: https://dcsd.sharepoint.com/hr/Pages/Forms.aspx Employees may use the email to make requests: ADArequests@dekalbschoolsga.org. I surely hope my ADA request goes through, as they are asking us to quarantine starting at 35 weeks now. Teachers need to have access to these forms before we go on break and should not have to search and search for them. If the COVID-19 cases in DeKalb County continue declining, DeKalb County School District officials anticipate starting the phased reopening of schools by … Are these dates going to be pushed back if the under 10% positivity rate in the chart presented last night isn’t met by those dates? It’s a huge financial hardship for us, too. Wednesdays will be reserved for small group instruction, tutoring, appointments for student conferencing, parent conferencing, services, professional learning, collaborative planning and instructional planning. Many times county admin and board members have stated they are learning from other counties who have returned to school and yet and still no PD has been provided to teachers on how to teach both f2f and virtually at the same with a few hiccups as possible. DeKalb County teachers plan protest over January reopening The plan calls for staff to return to buildings as soon as Jan. 4. Also, does the county have any information on when teachers will be offered the vaccine? Am I expected to use another teachers area and sanitize it and hope that they are doing the same when I need to teach? Now there are dates. We have enshrined in Article VIII, Section I: It makes no sense. From what I’m hearing from other teachers, more students will return in region 1 and 2 than in regions 3-7. Your email address will not be published. So many unanswered questions……. I have filled out my ADA accommodation form and sent it along to my doctors/midwives. 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