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Brandon School Division re-opening plan

Brandon School Division re-opening plan

Adam

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Adam
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Brandon School Division re-opening plan
8/14/2020 at 2:34 PM

Brandon School Division has released its re-opening plan for the 2020/21 school year as per below:

The Brandon School Division 2020 Re-Opening Plan is now available on our website, under the BSD Updates on COVID-19 tab. To view the plan, please click here: https://t.co/e9B2OeixQH #BSDSchools #bdnmb # 2020/2021SchoolYear #Brandon pic.twitter.com/ex1W3RjaTI
&mdash: Brandon Schools (@BrandonMBSD) August 14, 2020

With classes scheduled to start in 3 1/2 weeks, this is obviously going to be a year like no other. I’m interested to hear other parents’ thoughts on the coming school year, on various aspects of the plan that are designed for our present reality and the overall plan for learning to live with the virus going forward.

Edited by Adam, 2020-08-14 14:37:43
tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

Disappointing
8/14/2020 at 3:11 PM

I am disappointed that masks are mandatory, that class sizes aren’t reduced (my daughter’s class has 29), and that there won’t be plexiglass installed anywhere. I am not sending my daughter on September 8. This plan is a total joke and a threat to the safety of our students, teachers and other staff, our families.
Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

Remaining Optimistic
8/14/2020 at 3:32 PM

My daughter is going into grade 1, and before this re-opening plan was given to us, I was having a fair amount of anxiety. I feel like, as a country, we closed everything so quickly (which we should have) but now anything less than this, is causing panic once again. I know this virus isn't going to go away, and I only have 1 kid. She's my everything. After reading over the plan, I felt like 1) I truly feel like they're going to do everything to try and keep my child safe. 2) I can only hope they keep their word!

I have to remain optimistic and pray. Sorry for some who many not be on the same page as me, but this is all I have and can do. I will do my best, as a parent, to teach my daughter before she's faced with her new reality at home so I don't over load these teachers who are going to be just as concerned as us parents. I look forward to hearing how my school is going to implement their strategies, and if before and after care will still be in place. As of right now, no community programs are running within.

Edited by Brandonite77, 2020-08-14 15:33:24
Iceman69
Joined: This month
Posts: 513

Iceman69
Joined: This month
Posts: 513

Going
8/14/2020 at 3:34 PM

My oldest will be grade 3 and he will be going to school and he will be wearing a mask no matter what the rules are.

IMO.. if parents choose to send their kids, they should be sending kids to school with masks.

Edited by Iceman69, 2020-08-14 15:38:41
Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

I agree...
8/14/2020 at 3:41 PM

Iceman69 said "My oldest will be grade 3 and he will be going to school and he will be wearing a mask no matter what the rules are.

IMO.. if parents choose to send their kids, they should be sending kids to school with masks.

Edited by Iceman69, 2020-08-14 15:38:41"
I think right now it's best to do this. If they all do it, then there's no reason to think anyone is "weird," or "infected." I hope people take their home life seriously, and if your sick please think of other's and stay home.
Story95
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 58

Story95
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 58

Not Impressed
8/14/2020 at 3:42 PM

This isn’t really a plan. Hand washing isn’t anything new. How do you social distance a classroom full of children? That won’t happen. And expecting children to keep their masks on all day, and not touch each other or not touch their own faces. This will be impossible with normal class sizes. This all seems foolish and I do not plan on sending my kids back if I don’t have to. Having them sent home every time they show a symptom that could totally be allergies or a simple cold. This isn’t really a plan at all. It’s a let’s send them all back to school and hope for the best.. ... very disappointed parent....
Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

Brandonite77
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 85

It's not a plan...
8/14/2020 at 3:46 PM

Story95 said "This isn’t really a plan. Hand washing isn’t anything new. How do you social distance a classroom full of children? That won’t happen. And expecting children to keep their masks on all day, and not touch each other or not touch their own faces. This will be impossible with normal class sizes. This all seems foolish and I do not plan on sending my kids back if I don’t have to. Having them sent home every time they show a symptom that could totally be allergies or a simple cold. This isn’t really a plan at all. It’s a let’s send them all back to school and hope for the best.. ... very disappointed parent.... "
You're plan will come when your school reaches out to you. This is just a basic guideline for what schools are allowed to follow. If you don't want to send your kid, that's completely your choice and no one should make you feel bad for making that choice. I'm still on the fence, too. I'm not sure where you work, but you can't go to work these days without having any symptoms either, even if you do have allergies or a simple cold. Your family can't even go out if you have been tested and are awaiting results, so this will be no different. Does it suck, yes... kids get sick, and i'm going to hate thinking that my boss is going to fire me because it "happened again!" There is no perfect solution, but i'm thankful that they are trying, and with anything there's going to be things that don't work.
Abbysmum
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5038

Abbysmum
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5038

on the fence
8/14/2020 at 4:05 PM

It's answered some of my questions, and on the surface I'm actually okay with most of the proposal. But what is not adequately addressed as far as I can tell is how the different cohorts in a family, or even for a single child (which they acknowledge will happen) will interact.

I have 4 school-aged children, and they will belong to a minimum of 3, potentially 4 cohorts just for school. We're minimizing any other activities this year and we don't really see family or friends at this point, but how will this work if my kids from one cohort get sick or have exposure?

How does that impact the other cohorts?

If one child gets cold-like symptoms, do I need to get them tested every time (and test each child) and keep everyone home while waiting results?

If I have one kid who gets cold-like symptoms and has a negative test, can I assume that when the others get sick it will also be negative, or do they all need to get tested (this will make a huge difference as to how long they're out of class)?

How will the support my kids in distance learning if they're out of school potentially for a month, or two, or three, while an illness works through my house?

We homeschooled before and I don't really want to go back to it as they had a very positive experience in school last year (while it lasted), but I'm finding myself making back-up plans in case I have to pull the pin on going to school. But I worry about the impact of my children's mental health, especially because the opportunities to socialize outside of our household are very, very limited in the current climate.
Summertime
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 931

Summertime
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 931

?
8/14/2020 at 5:49 PM

tryinghard said "I am disappointed that masks are mandatory, that class sizes aren’t reduced (my daughter’s class has 29), and that there won’t be plexiglass installed anywhere. I am not sending my daughter on September 8. This plan is a total joke and a threat to the safety of our students, teachers and other staff, our families. "
"I am disappointed that masks are mandatory”... I think you read wrong as masks are RECOMMENDED but not MANDATORY.

I personally thought the opening plan was well laid out and touched on some very important topics. Should you chose to homeschool, get ready to do so for the next few years: this virus isn’t going anywhere, this is the new norm.
tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

My mistake!
8/14/2020 at 6:11 PM

I meant to say that I’m disappointed that masks “aren’t” mandatory!
TDCAU
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 108

TDCAU
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 108

.
8/14/2020 at 6:50 PM

Generally speaking, children with covid have a very low risk of getting gravely ill, they seem to fare quite well. That's basically the only good thing about covid. There have been some cases of children spreading covid to adults and if that happens, do the normal isolation procedure. Children should still be kept socially distant from the older and vulnerable as a precaution, for an amount of time that is to be determined.

If covid spreads through schools, it's going to happen whether masks are mandatory or not. What's concerning about masking children is that their lungs are still growing and we are not meant to be breathing that much of our own carbon dioxide. Growing lung tissues need the proper amount of oxygen, not be deprived of it. Not sure if there's been any sort of long term effects study of children wearing masks. Some 2020 school kids will be the guinea pigs, it seems.

Spreading germs among children is going to happen no matter what, it's what's normal and what develops a person's immune system. If it does spread, we can only hope for some degree of herd immunity as result.
Abbysmum
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5038

Abbysmum
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 5038

herd immunity
8/14/2020 at 6:56 PM

TDCAU said "Generally speaking, children with covid have a very low risk of getting gravely ill, they seem to fare quite well. That's basically the only good thing about covid. There have been some cases of children spreading covid to adults and if that happens, do the normal isolation procedure. Children should still be kept socially distant from the older and vulnerable as a precaution, for an amount of time that is to be determined.

If covid spreads through schools, it's going to happen whether masks are mandatory or not. What's concerning about masking children is that their lungs are still growing and we are not meant to be breathing that much of our own carbon dioxide. Growing lung tissues need the proper amount of oxygen, not be deprived of it. Not sure if there's been any sort of long term effects study of children wearing masks. Some 2020 school kids will be the guinea pigs, it seems.

Spreading germs among children is going to happen no matter what, it's what's normal and what develops a person's immune system. If it does spread, we can only hope for some degree of herd immunity as result. "
Herd immunity isn't going to happen. It will mutate like all the other coronaviruses out there, and will eventually just become part of the seasonal viruses that go around, to which we'll get some immunity but not complete. We're just not trying to overwhelm the system in the meanwhile.

Studies have shown that children age 10 & over spread the virus as effeciently as adults. It makes sense to mandate masks for that age group, to keep the families safe.

Who do you think is going to watch these kids when they stay home with the sniffles while their parents work? It will be grandparents in many cases.
I.L.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46

I.L.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46

Food For Thought
8/14/2020 at 9:10 PM

Is it possible for a child to have the Covid 19 virus and be asymptomatic when he or she attends school?

Edited by I.L., 2020-08-14 21:12:00
sprinter
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 327

sprinter
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 327

Back to school
8/15/2020 at 8:01 AM

ok parents, time to step up.
Check your child's trmpature every morning, just like a fisbetic would fo a blood dugsf test.
But uou take your child's tempature.
Keep a log of their tempature.
Also as them if they can still taste and smell .
How many parents have asked this western since vovid started ?
Keep a log of places visited and friends they come in contact with.
Time to step up.
Taking the trmpayure could be the best thing gor uour child and others.
BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

my opinion,
8/15/2020 at 8:20 AM

is that the BDS. is doing this the right way. I have two kids and all this is hard to them. the school reopening is needed, we are no teachers and working both. I ask my kids if they would rather go to school when mask is mandatory and they said yes. I think it is our responsibility to ask our children as well. where this covid is going is not good as well. we all know that when school starts back up again, they will get the cold (like sniff and so on). do we all panic then out and lock the hole thing again? for the mental health of my kids would say no.

I do not say everyone has to be on the same opinion.
understand to the fullest when you keep you child at home. but to complain they have to lower the amount of kids in class. this is hard for the BDS. because the schools already over crowded. where you wanna teach them? the new school is far from finished.

Please let us try and see how it goes, this is all what I ask for.
tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

tryinghard
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 124

Other options
8/15/2020 at 9:02 AM

There are larger empty buildings that could be utilized for teaching larger classes. Won’t BU have empty spots?
thegadgetguy
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10

thegadgetguy
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10

My view,
8/15/2020 at 9:14 AM

With the current trend of cases in WESTMAN region, I am not comfortable in sending my little ones (grade 4 & 2) to school. Moreover, with the flu season approaching, it will be hard to differentiate between flu and initial symptoms of Covid. Anxiety is the last thing that we (family] need at this point of time. Close to 100000 school kids tested Covid +ve in the first week of school re-opening in the US and they had to revert back to online learning. IMO, BSD should reconsider its position on opening schools. It is a disaster in waiting if you have people with pre-existing conditions or aged grandparents at our homes. Kids are kids, you can only expect so much from them with social distancing and hand hygiene etc. I am still exploring other options for this year.

Edited by thegadgetguy, 2020-08-15 09:16:41
BiG Mack
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 334

BiG Mack
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 334

??
8/15/2020 at 9:35 AM

sprinter said "ok parents, time to step up.
Check your child's trmpature every morning, just like a fisbetic would fo a blood dugsf test.
But uou take your child's tempature.
Keep a log of their tempature.
Also as them if they can still taste and smell .
How many parents have asked this western since vovid started ?
Keep a log of places visited and friends they come in contact with.
Time to step up.
Taking the trmpayure could be the best thing gor uour child and others. "
I think you may want to check your blood sugar sprinter you may be going into diabetic shock!

As for the plan I think it looks good and both our children will be attending school. I think some people are taking this a little far but do what you got to do.
rogercsr2007
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 261

rogercsr2007
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 261

joke
8/15/2020 at 10:09 AM

I feel horrible for the teachers, staff, kids, parents! This is a complete joke! No extra funding, nothing.. People need to email everyone involved in this plan, our education system needs more to keep everyone safe! BSD put their phone to voicemail yesterday afternoon after announcing this complete joke of a plan, they knew parents and the community would be outraged! There’s elementary school with 600 people, underground, no windows, horrible ventilation! No space for anyone on a good day never mind during COVID. The division employees at the office won’t even sit next to each other during school meetings but let’s throw everyone shoulder to shoulder in schools
I.L.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46

I.L.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 46

More Thoughts
8/15/2020 at 11:09 AM

I would like not to think that many people who support sending their children to school (aka daycare) with the current world pandemic situation are doing it more for their own benefit than that of their child's. There are several articles posted this morning on the CBC as well as other news web sites depicting possible scenarios regarding asymptomatic spread of the virus by children in schools. Just look at what happened to the schools in the country south of us when they opened three weeks ago. How are our children any different from theirs?
theeagle
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 411

theeagle
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 411

the ";plan";
8/15/2020 at 11:34 AM

We plan to hope that your kid does not get covid. End of plan. Note, I am not blaming the BSD. They are trying their hardest with what they have been given (which is NOTHING). No additional budget, no additional support staff, nothing. Do what you can, as long as it does not cost one penny more is their mandate. Thanks Manitoba "government"
tribe
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 34

tribe
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 34

Petition for safer reopening plan of MB schools
8/15/2020 at 12:09 PM

http://chng.it/942nHL4MVV
Teacherman
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 116

Teacherman
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 116

Provincial
8/15/2020 at 12:55 PM

BSD cannot choose not to open. That is up to the province.
Adam

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Adam
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Town hall
8/15/2020 at 1:10 PM

Province will be hosting a phone-based "share your thoughts" town hall...details below:
Share your thoughts on Restoring Safe Schools with Minister Kelvin Goertzen and Dr. Brent Roussin. Register online at https://t.co/GDtwTKHZYo to receive a call to join the telephone town hall on August 18 at 6:45PM. #Covid19MB pic.twitter.com/BB9PjMUaKj
— Manitoba Government (@MBGov) August 15, 2020
Adam

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Adam
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15663

Schools
8/15/2020 at 1:48 PM

Have really had some time to flesh out how we feel within our household over the last day. I’ll be honest, just speaking as someone in Brandon that is to make decisions for what’s right for our kiddo, our family and within what we feel is our responsibility to our community we don’t feel right about everything where it sits right now. Education is insanely important and I recognize school's secondary role as a place to be when parents are at work but this outbreak as it stands right now doesn’t feel like an environment we want our son to start in-school classes in. Three weeks is a long time and the outbreak could fall off by then or at least strongly reverse in the other direction, but if everything in three weeks looks as it does now or worse then 5 days a week full-time in school won’t be something that feels right to us based on our family setup and priorities.

No decision made yet but homeschooling is very much on the table for us and will be watching the state of the virus in the community closely. I hope the data to help with that understanding is more and more forthcoming.

If we do go the homeschool route, the massive tradeoff is the social side of school which is so important. Would have to find ways to make connections with homeschooled kids for smaller and responsible learning-focused meet-ups so that winter isn’t just lockdown, shut the door for 5 months.

What I want to see is at least one of two things.

1) Being realistic, this is likely just our first example of this kind of outbreak and as a society we do need to find ways of living with and adapting to the ups and downs. Need more concrete assurance that if there is an outbreak in the community that meets specific publicly-communicated data markers that there is a plan to transition from in-school learning to some form of learn-at-home model. Maybe that’s a hybrid alternating day thing, maybe that’s full on every day at home if severity of caseload warrants but there need to be data points and there needs to be data made available to know where we stand as a community (not a province) relative to those data points. That data needs to be specific and not in the form of “few,” “minority/majority,” “small amount” type of statements. I recognize that the childcare aspect of school makes this challenging and that our household is uniquely setup as working from home, but find a way.

2) more concessions within the current school plan to allow for some form of link to the school for those who choose to school at home (not just those with health risk factor/underlying health condition). I recognize that staffing challenges make this difficult, but find a way without unreasonably taxing our existing teachers.

Problem is this isn’t a decision one can reasonably make on the night of September 7. If we go the homeschool route there are preparations that need to be made in advance and we’ll be starting those now just so we’re ready if we do decide to look that way. I could see giving it another week or so and then we’ll have to make a call based on where Brandon’s caseload is at that point and any tweaks to the plan in line with the above points.

I saw the petition link above but I can’t sign because it’s too wide-reaching and has many points I support and others that I feel I shouldn’t be interjecting on… but if there was a petition specific to the above and specific to Brandon and our pandemic state, count me in.

Looking forward to seeing any further information that comes out so we can make the best possible decision when considering all factors.
Arat L
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 173

Arat L
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 173

So many!!
8/15/2020 at 2:26 PM

tryinghard said "There are larger empty buildings that could be utilized for teaching larger classes. Won’t BU have empty spots? "
I think this is a great idea and I heard it mentioned during a Pallister news conference. Yes , send our kids to the unused old Sobeys on 18 th , the brand new non rented properties beside Sobeys West , the Keystones unused large auditoriums. I know they will say “ the cost “ ! But in those huge spaces you could possibly put a few classes each with barriers and social distancing of the 2 Meters can actually happen. The cost may actually out weigh the health care related costs that the spike in cases without this will put on the health care system.
Buses can be re routed to get kids to different sites, it really can happen with proper planning. Why try to jam them all into the schools that were already over crowded before the pandemic ?
BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

I'm worried,
8/15/2020 at 2:32 PM

that they may not open the school at all when the majority things to do so. for my family we have not the option of home schooling. but we are more concerned about the mental health of the children.

our kids do not wanna hear anymore about this covid19 and what they can not do. I think BDS and the teachers doing there best they can to take care of this issue. one for sure we talking about kids, they need to socialize with others as well learning for the future.

these kids are out future and I'm worried that they may running in to depression. for those who are more worried about corona, where they have my full understanding,. they may decide not to send there kids.

I know there is not much time till school starts but, I'm full for it. so do my kids and when they get sick ?
we have to think off, when all kids are not having covid19, how can they get it.

just say one of mine would get it but didn't had it before school. what is everyone thinking? they got it from school or from there parents/ how is that working? we running here out of humanity and in to hate everybody.

than the death rate of or with covid is our least (problem suicide, killing, hate, isolation and so on).
I hope we still do better, so I would like to see the schools opening up.
just my wish, opinion.
Bran
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 248

Bran
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 248

Petition
8/15/2020 at 3:20 PM

https://www.change.org/p/manitoba-premier-brian-pallister-manitobans-for-a-safe-return-to-school-in-september
bethechangeyouwanttosee
Joined: This month
Posts: 112

bethechangeyouwanttosee
Joined: This month
Posts: 112

WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE???
8/15/2020 at 3:37 PM

People.

People. People. People.

What do you want?

When BSD closed the schools for 3 months because of the Coronavirus, LOTS of people were unable to deal with the ramifications of that. People couldn't deal with having to buckle down and commit to sitting with their children and teaching them what they needed to be taught. People had no back up. People had to work, right?? "OH God, I can't do this!!" the parents said

And now.

Our kids can return to school, and this school division has probably been given very little funds to offset any extra costs that may be needed within all of our schools to try to affect he spread of the virus.

And our Superintendent, Dr. Marc D. Casavant has sent out a heart-felt, thoughtful letter and plan to all of our families, and I believe that he genuinely cares about our kids' safety.
BUT now - the RE-OPENING of our schools is ALSO a problem for people????!

What do you want??

When Canada locked down in Aril, we artificially stopped the spread of COVID-19 by bringing life as we knew it to a standstill.

And what we are experiencing NOW is the gradual community transmission of the virus, because of things like restaurants and bars opening up, and because people have let down their guard.

Did it occur to anyone that re-opening ridiculous, UNESSENTIAL sectors like the food service industry would jeopardize our kid's schools, jeopardize the Brandon School Division's ability to re-open in confident manner?!! OF COURSE NOT.

All the adults got their restaurants back, bars, nail salons, unessential shops and in turn, adults parading around in these places and more will spread the virus to their children, who will eventually spread it to your children.

Get ahold of yourselves people.
And more importantly, why don't you have a few conversations with your kids - big or small - about how their little lives were forever changed because of COVID and having to stay home. Step back and watch them. Are they a little more sensitive, tired, sad, emotional, unfocused, DEPRESSED??

Yah. Kids are people too. They're the BEST people. And they need their lives back (just like YOU did). And the Brandon School Division is trying to do that - for YOUR kids' mental, physical and emotional health.

Done.
BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

BenRidgers
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 85

right
8/15/2020 at 3:43 PM

bethechangeyouwanttosee said "People.

People. People. People.

What do you want?

When BSD closed the schools for 3 months because of the Coronavirus, LOTS of people were unable to deal with the ramifications of that. People couldn't deal with having to buckle down and commit to sitting with their children and teaching them what they needed to be taught. People had no back up. People had to work, right?? "OH God, I can't do this!!" the parents said

And now.

Our kids can return to school, and this school division has probably been given very little funds to offset any extra costs that may be needed within all of our schools to try to affect he spread of the virus.

And our Superintendent, Dr. Marc D. Casavant has sent out a heart-felt, thoughtful letter and plan to all of our families, and I believe that he genuinely cares about our kids' safety.
BUT now - the RE-OPENING of our schools is ALSO a problem for people????!

What do you want??

When Canada locked down in Aril, we artificially stopped the spread of COVID-19 by bringing life as we knew it to a standstill.

And what we are experiencing NOW is the gradual community transmission of the virus, because of things like restaurants and bars opening up, and because people have let down their guard.

Did it occur to anyone that re-opening ridiculous, UNESSENTIAL sectors like the food service industry would jeopardize our kid's schools, jeopardize the Brandon School Division's ability to re-open in confident manner?!! OF COURSE NOT.

All the adults got their restaurants back, bars, nail salons, unessential shops and in turn, adults parading around in these places and more will spread the virus to their children, who will eventually spread it to your children.

Get ahold of yourselves people.
And more importantly, why don't you have a few conversations with your kids - big or small - about how their little lives were forever changed because of COVID and having to stay home. Step back and watch them. Are they a little more sensitive, tired, sad, emotional, unfocused, DEPRESSED??

Yah. Kids are people too. They're the BEST people. And they need their lives back (just like YOU did). And the Brandon School Division is trying to do that - for YOUR kids' mental, physical and emotional health.

Done. "
I could not say it better.