2020 Follow Up

Ironic that I logged in to blog and I saw my last post…about all the what ifs for returning to school.

I realize blogging is a release for me; I liked journaling growing up but hated actually having to write. Being able to type allows my thoughts to come out as quickly as I think them.

To update on what school is like right now, I see my “A Group” of students most Mondays and Tuesdays and my “B Group” of students most Thursdays and Fridays. The whole district is virtual on Wednesdays.

I also have two sections of 8th grade classes where I have students in person and virtual at the same time; that was a little chaotic at first, but now I just have them all join the Google Meet as if everyone was virtual which helps.

I feel very safe at school. Everyone wears masks, which is weird but now such a norm. We sanitize the tables between each use. My room is large enough to have everyone spread out 6 ft apart. Class sizes are 15 max — which is AMAZING — if only this was a norm and not done simply because of a pandemic.

The big stress is still the quarantine process and sick days. We are allotted 10 days now if we have to quarantine that don’t count towards our normal sick days. That wasn’t always the case. Dad got Covid a few weeks back and trying to juggle childcare + sub plans was a lot. So basically, Evan & I are back to doing nothing to avoid potential exposure. I told him, I’m not afraid of getting it anymore…I just don’t want to deal with quarantining due to potential exposure. It’d be so much easier if I could work from home. Not to mention, if I have to quarantine once due to potential exposure, there goes all my Covid time off then I’m using sick days which I’m trying to save for a future maternity leave.

Kaelynn is not back in daycare. Between Evan being flexible (Football got moved to Spring and he cut his classes for Fall), my mom using vacation days and my dad just returning to work this week, we have been able to keep her home, which has been a blessing. She hasn’t been sick yet, which by this time last year, she was a giant snot bubble 24/7.

I’m slowly working to better manage my workload:

• I have a paper grade book for the first time in years- synchronous and asynchronous (the new buzz words) learning lead to work turned in at all different times and I need it to stay organized
• I have been working on only updating grades once a week when the majority is turned in, this saves me so much time
• I’m assigning less work to be done independently because it was not getting done, which led to more stress, re-planning and work on my end, PLUS many failing grades for students
• I am not working at home (except for Wednesdays when I have to) and working on being even more present with Kaelynn. Enjoying the time to play, be outside and watch her develop.
• With my 6th grade Virtual Class this quarter, I get an extra prep on Thursdays and Fridays which is MAGICAL. I can get so much done.

This isn’t even the reason I logged into to blog, but it feels good to get this all documented.