As the summer comes to an end, and the coronavirus cases continue to rise, the next battle of what education is going to look like this fall crosses everyone’s mind. Whether your child is entirely developing as a Kindergartener or making it through their last year of high school, education is vital for everyone. But, the risk factor for kids going back to a classroom setting is a huge stressor. If you are a parent concerned about your child returning to school, read our list of five important things to keep in mind moving forward!
Although this experience will certainly be anxiety-inducing as a parent, it may also have effects on your child’s mental health. There are many concerns a student may have when going back to school this fall, including wearing a mask all day, sitting inside with other people, struggling to learn and any other anxiety that comes with returning to school. It can be important to create a safe space for your child to express their concerns throughout the semester, whatever that may look like for your child.
Continue to be entirely precautious and follow ALL of the CDC guidelines. Most schools have implemented their own safety rules when going back to in-person learning, including mask-coverage, social distancing and all around better hygiene. However, on top of this remind yourself and your children to really take precaution.
- We all know by now to wear a mask, but one thing to keep in mind is the importance of wearing eye goggles! According to Dr. Fauci, “If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it.”
- Continue to wash your hands! A good idea may be to carry a small container of hand sanitizer when going to school or work. Also, remember to not touch your face, on top of continuously washing your hands.
- Social distance! It may be tempting when in a classroom setting for students to sit next to a friend or teacher, but remember that in order to ensure safety, there is a 6 foot distancing policy.
- Check your child’s temperature often, maybe even daily! Although a fever is certainly not the only symptom of covid-19, it is a great indicator. Further, it may be helpful for your child to develop a daily routine in prevention of getting and transmitting covid-19. Especially for younger students, it may be difficult to remember or understand the severity of this pandemic. So, try to make a routine for your child as they leave and return to their household.
- Consider packing a water bottle, and a closed lunch box with utensils, if possible. As the traditional school lunch may be altered at your child’s school, it may be beneficial to provide your child with a pre-packed lunch, again, if this is possible for your family.
For further tips on how to make sure your child is safe returning to school, read the CDC guidelines.
Consider your state’s options for remote learning, or if there are no options and you feel strongly about not bringing your child back to school, reach out to your state’s officials! If you have not already heard, the first school in Georgia recently opened up for in-person classes. Unfortunately, within hours the school had to shut down due to a student testing positive for covid-19. We all know how important education is, especially for developing kids, but, in-person classes simply are a risk for everyone. That being said, many states are giving the option for remote learning. If you are unsure about your state’s education policies for the upcoming semester, click here for information on each state’s guidelines. Further, if you are concerned about how your child will be educated during online learning, view the California distance learning standards to get a better understanding of what online education can look like! The state of California has also announced resources on how to help low-income households access faster internet for online learning. If this relates to you, check it out!
Overall, these past few months have been extremely difficult, and going back to school in the fall will be no different. Check out more tips on how to manage online learning on our website!
Students living in different districts will be disproportionately affected by going back to school in the fall. Certain schools that are located in more privileged areas, simply are provided with more funding. As a result, privileged schools will receive cleaner schools, smaller class sizes and possibly safer opportunities to physically get to school everyday. It is very important to keep this in mind as many students, mostly students of color and students coming from high-poverty areas, will be at an entirely higher risk of testing positive for Covid-19. One way to actively keep this in mind is to continue to stay educated and involved! Educators for justice, https://linktr.ee/educatorsforjustice, provides very beneficial information as well as resources on how to help teachers and students most vulnerable to the reopening of schools.
Regularly get tested! If you have been quarantining this summer, like most of us, going back to school and/or work will be much more exposure than you may be used to. So, as there have been many cases of asymptomatic people, it is highly important to continue getting regularly tested for Covid-19. Again, if the results come back positive, follow the CDC guidelines for isolation in order to ensure you and your community’s safety.
