Today, August 31st, 2020, was a much anticipated day for families and teachers in RI. Governor Raimondo announced that all but 2 districts in RI (Providence and Central Falls) were ready to re-open for students as of September 14th. For me, this means as of Thursday, September 3, I am working full time for The Compass School.
What will things be like?
I will be using this platform to share my experiences as a teacher and a mom of three during this crazy time. I will share what this all looks like through my own eyes, but also through the lens of my children and community. Recording and reflecting might allow for common concerns and/or solutions to arise. May we share in opportunities to learn and grow!
What new safety measures are put in place to keep our community safe?
I'm feeling really ready to go back to our school this week!
TCS (how I will now refer to The Compass School) is truly set up for success. Honestly, i f anyone can pull it off safely, it's Compass! Let me tell you why...
First of all, TCS met all of the criteria set out by Governor Raimondo:
Second, TCS has a solid
re-opening plan. Our staff has continuously worked to make our school as safe as possible; and our director is out-of-this-world amazing. She predicts and prepares and we all move forward together.
A couple of things worthy of note:
- Students will be in stable pods of 20
- Teachers will rotate to students
- Every class will have it's own outdoor classroom space - also used for lunch - we have 27 acres!
- Students will be spaced 6 feet apart, facing one direction
- Students have assigned bathrooms
- Students will not share materials (including desks, pencils, etc)
- Masks will be worn except during lunch and mask breaks (both preferably outside)
- New cleaning protocol is in place
- Students will monitor health daily
- There will be a clinic area staffed by a nurse every day
Third, we are a
tiny community (already capped at 20 students per class). When I look at the list of
viral cases in RI, it is pretty clear the risk is really low for Washington County - where our school resides. This is great news: the majority of our students come from towns
lowest on the list of confirmed cases!
Forth, we already teach outside! We have a farm! We have animals and plants and gardens and a green house and a silo even! We have outdoor basketball and volleyball, trees to climb, a vernal pond, a soccer field area, trails, and more! We are set up for some real learning and play...outside!
Fifth, we got STUFF! Our director was quick in ordering because she had a hunch we'd be ready for in-person learning this Fall. She has sun shades and tents, voice amplifiers for teachers, extra cleaning supplies and cleaning staff, ... Basically, we have what we need to be successful.
My thought is: kids are resilient.
And, not for nothing, so are teachers!
It's going to mean so much to see friends, to learn from teachers, to eat lunch together and play outside. Yes, it will look different. They'll be spread apart more and wearing masks. Will they know if others are laughing? YES! Will they be learning? YES! We are all going to move forward...whether in person or distance learning or a hybrid of both. I'm grateful to reclaim a bit of normalcy. I can't wait to get the classrooms ready (oh, by the way, we have a brand NEW, well-ventilated new building for grades 3-8) and welcome back all the students! #wevegotthis!
Note, I am also grateful that families in RI are guaranteed a free distance learning option. While it’s not ideal, some schools may not be able to offer a safe, regulation-compliant learning environment. I understand my situation is special and I hope it is an example of what can work!
