Good Evening,
For the past eight weeks, our teachers have been providing the best remote learning experience they can. Using a variety of video and technology tools along with whole class, small group, individual and asynchronous teaching, we have sought to engage students while also dealing with issues around technology, emotional health, educational best practices, natural disasters, and the pandemic. Teachers have been modifying in-person curriculum to try and fit the constraints of remote teaching and spending countless hours making asynchronous lessons. To be honest, it is exhausting. All of us know that this is not an ideal teaching situation. Even as we try our best, we know that just as some students are flourishing, others are being left behind. Along with parents and students, we look forward to being back in the classroom. Safely.
Safety is always of primary concern for educators. Children need to feel safe, or they don’t learn. We need to feel safe, in order to teach effectively. Currently, safety is literally a matter of life and death. While we are excited to begin a process for eventually bringing staff and students back to school, there are many issues that need to be addressed. We appreciate the District presenting a draft reopening plan to start addressing these issues. Each of the protocols and procedures in this plan will need careful consideration and may be different from site to site. For example, currently, some schools have very poor ventilation and it has been shown that tiny droplets can spread the virus for hours when there is inadequate ventilation. Many sites will need portable HEPA air cleaners, exhaust fans and some rooms may be unusable for students and staff. A room by room assessment matched to a daily schedule will need to be considered.
Safely reopening our schools will need to be based on Science and readiness. We ask that the ability to be open not be confused with being prepared to open. As the District will need time to complete and implement a final Reopening plan, we will need time to bargain in good faith for our members and what we believe is best for our students. We understand the hardships that everyone faces in remote learning and are just as anxious to see children back in the classroom. Safely.
Sincerely,
Stephen and Chris
ATA Co-presidents