Educators need to consider so many different factors as they try to determine the best time to reopen schools. Every state, every county, and heck, every district will be different. That’s because the needs of each student population is different.
Even so, the CDC has released some guidelines for reopening schools. These guidelines are designed to help, but they are also asking for a lot from our already struggling educational system.
Recommendations From the CDC For Reopening Schools
These guidelines are a starting point to figuring out if a school is ready to reopen, but they’re just that. A starting point. They are also recommendations, but at the end of the day, as the CDC mentions on their website, every district and school needs to make decisions based on what’s best for their students and community.
One of the biggest suggestions? Making sure kids continue to follow social distancing suggestions.
That means separating each student’s belongings and supplies…. and keeping kids separate from each other as much as possible. This is in line with all their previous suggestions for social distancing, like keeping desks six feet apart and facing the same direction.
The CDC recommends that students do not share any supplies.
This effort at social distancing also means creating an individual cubby hole or container for each child. Every child should have their own supplies, and there should be no sharing, whatsoever. No electronic devices, toys, games — nothing — is supposed to be shared.
The CDC recommendations also provide suggestions on how schools should look too… like putting tape on sidewalks and walls to keep kids six feet apart, and to create one-way routes through hallways. They say even playgrounds shouldn’t be shared.
Just in case those efforts aren’t enough, the CDC also recommends increased cleaning and disinfection schedules. They also think all kids over the age of 2 should wear masks, unless a disability or medical condition prevents it.
Is any of this feasible with the current state of our educational system? So many schools can’t even afford paper towels! And the idea that they’re asked to install partitions between children is so hard to fathom.
The only way these CDC recommendations could even possibly work is if schools start implementing staggered schedules to reduce the size of their classrooms…. and if our schools have more funds. Otherwise it would be physically — and financially — impossible for students. But even then, it would be a huge change, one that is so hard for parents and educators alike to fathom.
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I agree with Zane. Also, please make clear on your graphic that these are for summer school and day camps, and subjected to local communities needs (see pages 45-47 of the CDC guidelines). I’ve just witnessed many people up in arms in a comment stream about half true information that left people assuming things that aren’t true (that these are guidelines for the fall, and that kids will be required to wear masks, for starters). The actual verbiage in the document is so much more nuanced than what you have here. If you weren’t meaning to get people all riled up with partial information, please make your graphic more accurate, or at the very least post the actual document in the description for others to easily get that information themselves.
Hey there,
I think labeling your poster “Guidelines for reopening schools” is misleading. The CDC lists “Considerations for Schools” not guidelines, and doesn’t purport that your check list needs to be met before reopening. It suggests older children may use masks and not to use them under the age of two. You’re suggesting all children 3 and above will have compulsory mask wearing which simply isn’t true. Whatever, it’s already on social media, so the horse is out of the barn. Nick
I think you are irresponsible in how you created a poster with your blogpost name on it which left out the facts that the CDC says these guidelines are not meant to replace local laws and situations. I know you referred to some of “reasonable” language in your blogpost, but obviously you wanted your blog connected to an edited version of the “rules.” I wonder if you did this to inform, shock, or drive traffic to your site?
I am a grandparent that is now a teacher for a kindergartner (fir the second time) and a third grader. My granddaughter gets her work from the teacher. She’ll ask for help if needed. Gets her work on Monday and some things are due daily others later in the week. Things go off the rails if she gets another assignment say on Thursday and it’s due Friday along with the one she got on Monday. My daughter in law is a math teacher (not her mom) helps with math if we need her. She doesn’t like this homeschooling. My grandson just wants to play. I get everyday why do I have to do this? I explain it but nope doesnt want to do it. Because he’s still not where he should be for kindergarten they said to focus on his letter sounds, writing them, counting, sight words. He hates writing but we do it. I follow the Districts plan for kindergarten but not strictly. I struggle with him the most. Their dad and my husband work so it’s just me. There mom died 3 years ago. Dad was off one day so I said your teacher for the day. 1 hour in and he said I can’t do this. My reply was now you see what I go through everyday. The school year is coming to an end but with my grandsons struggling I think we will have to continue through the summer. Also if kids don’t go back to school I need a better schedule/plan. We live on a farm so the kids have animals they have to tend to. By the end of the day I’m pooped. I have so many things I want to do but theres just no time. It felt good to get that out Sorry for the long post. Thank you for any suggestions
Nope. Not happening. This is would be worse than prison! Kids need to be social, they need to play, and have physical contact to have a healthy mind. I’ll homeschool my kids first!
It sounds like home schooling will be easier! I was home schooled, did very well and never missed public school. I am considering homeschooling our granddaughter!
Even so, the CDC has released some guidelines for reopening schools. These guidelines are designed to help, but they are also asking for a lot from our already struggling educational system.
One of the biggest suggestions? Making sure kids continue to follow social distancing suggestions.
That means separating each student’s belongings and supplies…. and keeping kids separate from each other as much as possible. This is in line with all their previous suggestions for social distancing, like keeping desks six feet apart and facing the same direction.
The CDC recommendations also provide suggestions on how schools should look too… like putting tape on sidewalks and walls to keep kids six feet apart, and to create one-way routes through hallways. They say even playgrounds shouldn’t be shared.
Just in case those efforts aren’t enough, the CDC also recommends increased cleaning and disinfection schedules. They also think all kids over the age of 2 should wear masks, unless a disability or medical condition prevents it.
Is any of this feasible with the current state of our educational system? So many schools can’t even afford paper towels! And the idea that they’re asked to install partitions between children is so hard to fathom.
The only way these CDC recommendations could even possibly work is if schools start implementing staggered schedules to reduce the size of their classrooms…. and if our schools have more funds. Otherwise it would be physically — and financially — impossible for students. But even then, it would be a huge change, one that is so hard for parents and educators alike to fathom.
I agree with Zane. Also, please make clear on your graphic that these are for summer school and day camps, and subjected to local communities needs (see pages 45-47 of the CDC guidelines). I’ve just witnessed many people up in arms in a comment stream about half true information that left people assuming things that aren’t true (that these are guidelines for the fall, and that kids will be required to wear masks, for starters). The actual verbiage in the document is so much more nuanced than what you have here. If you weren’t meaning to get people all riled up with partial information, please make your graphic more accurate, or at the very least post the actual document in the description for others to easily get that information themselves.
Hey there,
I think labeling your poster “Guidelines for reopening schools” is misleading. The CDC lists “Considerations for Schools” not guidelines, and doesn’t purport that your check list needs to be met before reopening. It suggests older children may use masks and not to use them under the age of two. You’re suggesting all children 3 and above will have compulsory mask wearing which simply isn’t true. Whatever, it’s already on social media, so the horse is out of the barn. Nick
Please cite the specific pages where this is on the cdc guidelines pages because I cannot find it
I think you are irresponsible in how you created a poster with your blogpost name on it which left out the facts that the CDC says these guidelines are not meant to replace local laws and situations. I know you referred to some of “reasonable” language in your blogpost, but obviously you wanted your blog connected to an edited version of the “rules.” I wonder if you did this to inform, shock, or drive traffic to your site?
I am a grandparent that is now a teacher for a kindergartner (fir the second time) and a third grader. My granddaughter gets her work from the teacher. She’ll ask for help if needed. Gets her work on Monday and some things are due daily others later in the week. Things go off the rails if she gets another assignment say on Thursday and it’s due Friday along with the one she got on Monday. My daughter in law is a math teacher (not her mom) helps with math if we need her. She doesn’t like this homeschooling. My grandson just wants to play. I get everyday why do I have to do this? I explain it but nope doesnt want to do it. Because he’s still not where he should be for kindergarten they said to focus on his letter sounds, writing them, counting, sight words. He hates writing but we do it. I follow the Districts plan for kindergarten but not strictly. I struggle with him the most. Their dad and my husband work so it’s just me. There mom died 3 years ago. Dad was off one day so I said your teacher for the day. 1 hour in and he said I can’t do this. My reply was now you see what I go through everyday. The school year is coming to an end but with my grandsons struggling I think we will have to continue through the summer. Also if kids don’t go back to school I need a better schedule/plan. We live on a farm so the kids have animals they have to tend to. By the end of the day I’m pooped. I have so many things I want to do but theres just no time. It felt good to get that out Sorry for the long post. Thank you for any suggestions
That is not good starch! It is starch we use to stiffen clothes. Please fix your video’
Nope. Not happening. This is would be worse than prison! Kids need to be social, they need to play, and have physical contact to have a healthy mind. I’ll homeschool my kids first!
It sounds like home schooling will be easier! I was home schooled, did very well and never missed public school. I am considering homeschooling our granddaughter!