Kankakee district fall plans

[sporthog_9er]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.da...cc571bf0-9fd0-11ea-ba08-3bc636992bdb.amp.html

This mentions sports will be included in the "shifts". No idea how that will work. But very interesting quotes. Plan is for high school and grade schools

 

[johnndoe]

What kind of teaching models will fit this plan (which includes school building open from 9am to 9pm)? Additionally, parallel lesson planning that must take into consideration in-person or distance learning according to the individual and shifting preference of the particular family could be problematic.

 

[sporthog_9er]

And the last quote- they will not return to traditional school model even when pandemic is all over is very... interesting.

Much has to be seen with how shifts and sports work. It's going to be complex for 2 working parents when kids are there 2-3 hours then sent home, then off for a e-learning day. Football practice I'm assuming will be one "shift".

I have a feeling the June 2 zoom meeting for this district will get a lot of feedback.

ISBE hasn't put out guidelines at all yet this district unveils a plan

 

[FCHS2019]

#111 is a total clown show.. they can't figure out how to stop parents from fighting at junior high basketball games, but they have this figured out before anyone else has????

 

[AmbroseBlack]

#111 is a total clown show.. they can't figure out how to stop parents from fighting at junior high basketball games, but they have this figured out before anyone else has????

What specifically about their plan do you take issue with?

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Kankakee was ahead of the curve on the e-learning thing. They had announced maybe two years ago that they were moving towards utilizing their Chromebook program to allow more stay-at-home education. In the winter, when bad weather is coming, they don't do snow days, they do e-learning. So converting the system to more e-learning is something the Kankakee district was already moving to prior to the pandemic.

So the plan they have proposed is for the Governor's Phase 4, which Kankakee County should already qualify for. Apparently they have looked at some proposed social distancing requirements, 6 feet between desks in all directions, and admitted the reality that a classroom which used to hold 25+ kids in it can probably only have 10 now. Most districts just don't have the space to do that, maybe some CPS schools which used to have 1500 kids that now have 300 won't have a problem. Realistically adding that many new teachers and classrooms isn't feasible.

Likewise, the silly bussing recommendations - 1 kid per seat, every other seat empty- turns a 72 student capacity bus into a 12 capacity. Staggered bus starts are necessary unless they are going to force their bus contract to buy a bunch of buses...

Give Kankakee credit, it sounds crazy but meeting the social distancing requirements will force this everywhere. They just are ahead of the curve...And it will allow them in the end to force more e-learning onto their students, which is where they were wanting to go anyway.

 

[sporthog_9er]

Sorry disagree. This isn't ahead of the curve, this is a thousand miles backwards. Some e-learning is good to supplement and can help on snow days.

The PDF in the article links to the full plan. There are sections basically saying the future is having parents teach. I have no idea, in a world where most families have 2 working parents, you can expect them to send a kid for 2-3 hours a day and one full day at home all the time. Are school districts now going to dictate all employers to accommodate their business schedules? Is every family rich enough to afford that much childcare? Remember this plan is for prek to HS, not just HS kids.

School shifts from 9a-9pm? What union is going to agree to that? Expecting staff with families of their own to work after 5pm consistently?

I know this is the "current normal" we keep talking about but plans like this don't function in reality. If we keep harping on using the data and science then it's time we actually do that. The data and science, right now- not from Feb/March- says kids and over 99% of adults can be in school as normal with ZERO restrictions.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Sorry disagree. This isn't ahead of the curve, this is a thousand miles backwards. Some e-learning is good to supplement and can help on snow days.

The PDF in the article links to the full plan. There are sections basically saying the future is having parents teach. I have no idea, in a world where most families have 2 working parents, you can expect them to send a kid for 2-3 hours a day and one full day at home all the time. Are school districts now going to dictate all employers to accommodate their business schedules? Is every family rich enough to afford that much childcare? Remember this plan is for prek to HS, not just HS kids.

School shifts from 9a-9pm? What union is going to agree to that? Expecting staff with families of their own to work after 5pm consistently?

Being ahead of the curve often results from going too fast - resulting in a crash. Does this system beg for a crash...sure does. But Kankakee is at least taking a shot at it. And they already were moving in this direction with e-learning.

Better informed parents who want their kids to actually go to the brick & mortar building every day, I suppose, could refuse to allow their children to participate in video conferencing...crashing the e-learning system.

And I would assume that the athletes would have the afternoon session, with practice right after - or their games if appropriate.

 

[PowerI66_]

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-asia-52845015?__twitter_impression=true

 

[sporthog_9er]

That's unfortunate. But also maybe good realistic news to make everyone understand this will be here no matter what. Have to live with it and push through

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

Article on the front page of the Daily Journal about Bradley-Bourbonnais plans last night. They are looking at a hybrid distance learning and on-campus system as well. They are considering not opening until after Labor Day...

Social distancing and large groups is the problem. The inability to use cafeteria space or have all the kids in the halls between classes is a killer to having on-campus learning. And the problem is worse for the Boilermakers because the voters have turned down multiple referenda in recent years to expand the campus - leaving a student body of 2000+ in a building that really can't handle 2200 kids under normal conditions. The article mentions that the consensus may be that 1600+ student high schools will not be able to function under social distancing rules...

I have to wonder if Lincoln Way North is about to reopen in order to provide greater social distancing, and do they go back to four athletic programs or is North just a distance learning center?

And you are about to see the reality of the listed capacity of buildings...Manteno, for example, when they completed the major high school addition 12 years ago, the capacity on paper is 1500 students. Can they successfully socially distance 650 students in a 1500 student building?

Stage 4 later this month, stage 5 potentially before the start of school solves lots of the problems...Otherwise there will be a lot more school officials with greying hair. The governor needs to unbury his head and declare school can open so the schools can plan, not just react.

 

[sporthog_9er]

LWN is not opening nor will probably for a long time. It's way too late in the game to get that building ready for August. Could make sense, but I don't think LW has that in the plans.

Stage 5 isn't happening until 2021 at the earliest so I'm hoping the state allows individual counties and districts to make their own decisions. Surveying parents is critical for this. If 90% of parents at a school said they want kids to go to school with no masks and social distancing then allow that. These guidances from the state are just guidances.

Parents are demanding kids go back to school, and the suits have to realize school can't function with the guidelines they put in.

 

[sporthog_9er]

Just read that article on BBCH. At least it sounds like the board doesn't want to do it, but hands are tied with state guidelines. Good to hear them basically call out elected officials on not addressing this with more urgency.