anciana
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Post by anciana on Jul 21, 2020 15:08:07 GMT -5
I don't know that we're waiting on the state as some of the districts have already decided. The thing is, some of them are changing their plans after the fact. Which makes sense as the situation changes, but they have laid out their plans for everyone to see. I just wish I had a bit of an information. Then we would still have time to tweak them before the start date? This feels like we'll get the plans and there will be no time for anything.
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 21, 2020 15:12:36 GMT -5
Wow. I think our governor would love to say 100% online, but there are so many that don't want that either. My money is on him announcing hybrid with districts given leeway to do online if they want. Ditto. I’m pretty sure our governor would have loved to say 100% online - she was the first governor to cancel in person school for a state for the remainder of the school year back in mid-March, but she’s a democrat governor in a red state with a red legislature. After she shut down in person schools and closed in-person dining, bars, etc and made the mandate to WFH unless you’re an essential work, the legislature went and stripped her of some of her power in May or June. I think her moving to delay the start of school by 3+ weeks was a compromise move on her part in the hopes that would be amendable to the conservative crazies in our legislature and not have them override it.
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cyanne
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Post by cyanne on Jul 21, 2020 17:33:56 GMT -5
We're in the dark here too. Nobody has announced a single glimpse into plans. I wish they would say "If the governor says THIS, then we'll do THIS" for all the various scenarios, but nope. Crickets. I can say that at least some schools in Minnesota are working on plans. I am on a committee that is focused on the scheduling portion for our district. We are focusing on hybrid because it is easy to pivot to either of the other two plans once you figure out hybrid. We are also waiting to hear from Walz so we can better focus our efforts. We are trying to figure it all out in a way that keeps staff and students safe. I do know that my district will be offering an online option for the entire year. There are also ongoing discussions and planning on improving the spring distance learning experience (which was thrown together in an emergency).
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azucena
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Post by azucena on Jul 21, 2020 17:47:27 GMT -5
Stl public schools announced yesterday giving parents a choice between hybrid in person 2 or 3 days per week OR 100% virtual. Case counts are increasing so maybe 100% virtual before school actually starts mid-may.
Our private Lutheran school, the Catholic schools and a few of the other private schools are still saying 100% in person. Wondering how that plays out if folks want in person will we see our enrollment increase particularly with our shiny new school bldg. This will increase our class sizes which are 15 to 20 making distancing harder.
Several major childcare providers have come up with programs to support virtual learning. Basically childcare where they are supposed to make the kids keep up with class. I know parents need childcare but I can't but think about how this all leads to more vectors crossing which kinda defeats the purpose of limited in school days.
Parents are talking about forming pods to homeschool or for childcare.
Lots of heated FB debates.
They also shut down kids sports last week after they had been open maybe 3 weeks because cases were increasing including among children (although slower than adults).
What a weird time we live in.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2020 18:39:39 GMT -5
I can say that at least some schools in Minnesota are working on plans. Oh, I'm sure they ALL are. The not SHARING these plans is what's driving me nuts!
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Jul 21, 2020 19:46:40 GMT -5
Our school district announced plans last month. If we are in red phase - 100% virtual. If we are in yellow phase - 2 days/week in-person with lunch in classrooms, etc., rest virtual. If we are in green phase - 100% in-person with social distancing, mask wearing, etc.
Now they have released a survey about whether you want to do 100% virtual or 100% in-person. All kids will get chromebooks at the beginning of the year, making the switch to 100% virtual easier if that happens.
I want Harper to go back to school because she needs the interaction and just loves it, but our numbers are increasing. I don't want to be tied down to one option or the other, and I just don't know what to pick.
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dippyegg
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Post by dippyegg on Jul 21, 2020 19:57:00 GMT -5
There are certainly a lot of challenges going forward for the schools and educating the kiddos. I think some will opt for total cyber.
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Poptart
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Post by Poptart on Jul 21, 2020 20:46:41 GMT -5
*Warning this post could trigger people*
So in early January I found out I was pregnant, I also found out that I have a medical condition that could have caused developmental issues in the fetus. I have spent what feels like a lifetime taking care of other people and I was overwhelmed at the possibility of having a child with disabilities. I know that there's a lot of people in the world who can step up and do it but I'm not one of them. I made the choice to end the pregnancy.
Here's where things get wild. A family member had her children removed by CPS, no one in her life was deemed fit to take her kids, they all had either criminal records or a long history of CPS involvement. Her older child has spent a significant amount of time with my family. We have had him every weekend, summer and spring vacations and all the holidays. Well, he told his caseworker that he really loved us and wanted to be with us, so guess who ended up with a pre-teen boy to take care of? That would be me.
Initially the case worker believed that the children would be returned to their mom within a week, after she went to family court to face a judge, well within days all the kids started to make serious allegations of abuse, the police are involved and mom could face criminal charges.
I've never had kids and now I'm trying to raise a little boy who probably has PTSD and who for sure has anxiety and panic attacks. I'm trying to do my best to help guide him but it's so hard. I'm so angry that we didn't catch the abuse sooner, I'm angry that CPS who had been called over 10+ times to the family home never caught on either, I also learned that one of the kids disclosed the abuse to a teacher and that teacher never reported it. The system sucks. We are now waiting for the courts to charge mom and then tell us how long we will have him for, as of now it looks like he will be with me for the rest of the year.
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stillmovingforward
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Post by stillmovingforward on Jul 21, 2020 20:58:51 GMT -5
Wow! That is rough all the way around! But I do not discount your choices at all. They are ones I would have taken and its good that you know your limits. The only thing I can say is for you and, if you have one, your partner to get counseling NOW. With someone who is experienced in helping foster kids meld into homes. Because love IS NOT enough. No matter what TV/music/books say. The counseling will help you help your nephew which typically does more good then counseling directly for the child. Then, you should be able to learn when and how to approach counseling for him to help heal. Good luck. Reach out as needed. You all have a rough row ahead (says the former foster mom who started with a relative's child).
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Wisconsin Beth
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Post by Wisconsin Beth on Jul 21, 2020 21:12:35 GMT -5
Hugs Poptart. Lean on everyone you can for help, information, suggestions, etc.
How old is he? My son is 10 but acts younger. There's a few of us with boys in the 9-12 range, I think. So use us.
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Poptart
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Post by Poptart on Jul 21, 2020 21:13:54 GMT -5
Yes, it's rough! I actually started therapy because I felt traumatized by the things the children disclosed to me and also because I felt a great degree of guilt for not catching it but then I realized that she would never send him over when he had bruises and she threatened him that if he told us what was happening she would never let him see us again.
Stillmovingforward, my hat is off to you, I don't think I could ever foster again, I'm doing it for him because there's no way I would ever allow him to enter the foster care system, but I don't think I have what it takes to do it a second time. I'm also struggling with him and therapy, his mom put in his head that therapy was there to get her in trouble so now it's almost impossible to get him to open up.
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Poptart
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Post by Poptart on Jul 21, 2020 21:17:37 GMT -5
Hugs Poptart. Lean on everyone you can for help, information, suggestions, etc.
How old is he? My son is 10 but acts younger. There's a few of us with boys in the 9-12 range, I think. So use us. He is a whole 11 years old.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2020 23:05:48 GMT -5
Well, I guess there was still a spot for Carrot at the private because I just got a tuition bill. I was digging around on their website and apparently the school has had a plan for several weeks now. I just wasn't on the email list anymore since older son graduated. So, it looks like unless the governor opens it completely up (not going to happen) the kids will be totally online even with the hybrid model. I really don't know how I'm going to do this. Maybe should have gone with the free option?
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tcu2003
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Post by tcu2003 on Jul 21, 2020 23:17:32 GMT -5
Hugs, ely. That’s a lot of change in a year - and thank you for stepping up and being exactly what this kiddo needs.
How are his siblings doing? Does he still see them?
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Poptart
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Post by Poptart on Jul 22, 2020 1:27:39 GMT -5
tcu2003- his siblings are doing ok for the most part, his sister has already told anyone that will listen that she does not miss her mom and that she does not want to go home-ever, my boy has also said that he does not want to go home. The other kids are younger, one of them is under a year old but they all seem to be adjusting well to their foster homes.
Because of corona all the court ordered visits are over zoom, so he gets to see mom and his siblings every day, and I do take him to see his sister at least once a week at our local park, the other kids are over an hour away so we have not been able to arrange in person meeting yet.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jul 22, 2020 6:08:43 GMT -5
Well, I guess there was still a spot for Carrot at the private because I just got a tuition bill. I was digging around on their website and apparently the school has had a plan for several weeks now. I just wasn't on the email list anymore since older son graduated. So, it looks like unless the governor opens it completely up (not going to happen) the kids will be totally online even with the hybrid model. I really don't know how I'm going to do this. Maybe should have gone with the free option? Are you locked in with the private now or do you have a withdraw date? Although the private online might still be better than the online that wanted 5 hours a day of parental help to get through school work. (How does that even work if you have multiple kids in different grades?) I know your job brought everyone back but have you talked to them about what that means for childcare come fall with schools closed? You've had your oldest home to help over the summer. I guess I'm assuming companies aren't going to fire all working parents. But if you can do your job from home, you should be able to.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 7:13:37 GMT -5
I don't know. I haven't paid yet, so I'm sure they'd allow me out if I didn't. The online public said 5 hours a day, but I don't think that was helping with work for all that time. I think it was more the issue of just leaving an elementary kid alone to do school and that 5 hours a day is the typical school day? I really don't know. But for middle school they reduced that time estimate to 2-3 hours and for high school 1/2 to 1 hour.
I'm going to sit tight until the governor makes his announcement and then try to figure out something. They haven't brought everyone back to work. It's still mostly empty here in the office. They brought me back with the engineering group mid June, and last week brought the SDEs back, but all the configs, schedulers, finance, and account managers are still home. I can do about 75% of my work from home, but there are things that I need to be here for. A lot of that just got blown off when I was gone or I'd run back and forth. I don't know. Maybe I can get some funky weird hours approved. Like work work 6-10am and then leave for 4 or 5 hours and come back and work evenings.
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oped
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Post by oped on Jul 22, 2020 7:23:00 GMT -5
Or work 6-10 and then do afternoon/evening work from home.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 22, 2020 7:27:51 GMT -5
I've been wondering if Reynold's is forcing schools to be open 100% will that translate into employers in the state deciding to force employees back into the office? I wouldn't think so since she can't dictate what private businesses do but I wouldn't put it past some companies. In other news I had ants in my car this morning! I did not give into temptation to burn the car down and go buy a new one. I sprayed Raid in the backseat where the little bastards were making themselves at home. I got the windows down so I don't come out later in the afternoon to a fog of poison so hopefully it doesn't rain. I read you have to wait till they are all dead to suck them up because otherwise they send out a distress signal which attracts MORE ants. Ugh. I also had a nosebleed this morning and got a drop on my sleeve. Hydrogen peroxide will get it out but really? Really?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 7:29:25 GMT -5
The only problem with going back and forth is it involves packing up my entire desktop computer. I could go buy a monitor, keyboard, headset, mouse, etc to have at home and get away with just taking the PC. It's a mini PC so fits in my lunchbox. My company has historically not been the most flexible, but if there are still entire departments at home come that time I should have a little more leg to stand on.
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azucena
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Post by azucena on Jul 22, 2020 7:47:00 GMT -5
The only problem with going back and forth is it involves packing up my entire desktop computer. I could go buy a monitor, keyboard, headset, mouse, etc to have at home and get away with just taking the PC. It's a mini PC so fits in my lunchbox. My company has historically not been the most flexible, but if there are still entire departments at home come that time I should have a little more leg to stand on. Watch for those items to go on sale with back to school and combine it with tax free weekend (if MN does this) to save some money. We're going to get a new laptop at that time to prepare for being virtual. Our laptop is 10 yrs old but will work for DD7 instead of the tablet she used in the spring. DD11 can use the new laptop.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 8:06:29 GMT -5
I just spoke to my coworker and she said they'd have to let me work remote if I had to stay home for childcare reasons due to Covid. I don't know if that's true or not, but I'm going to just let that thought calm me down for a bit. They just issued her a laptop so she could do all her OT from home, and apparently our boss is working remotely two days a week because he doesn't have childcare those days and his two girls are at least as old as Carrot.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jul 22, 2020 8:57:42 GMT -5
They should absolutely issue you a laptop (I really can't imagine anyone on a desktop anymore).
The other stuff would be really nice if they helped you out on, but I'd start looking for since this isn't going anywhere. Maybe watch Craigslist if you don't want to pay full price and aren't too picky.
But buy a good chair. Even the $60 ones from Amazon seem good enough to me.
Scheduling - does in office stuff have to be done daily, or could it be done every other week? Wondering if you could go in on weekends when ex2.0 has carrot?
I couldn't leave the kids alone every day which probably makes me a bit helicopter-y but that would definitely be a problem for me. I feel good about myself letting them stay 15 minutes home alone if I'm just running to the atm. Lol.
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oped
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Post by oped on Jul 22, 2020 9:02:03 GMT -5
In addition to work from home, for those hours you must be at work is there an office he could work at?
Even could the company pay a teacher to teach them? Pipe dream...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 9:04:01 GMT -5
They should absolutely issue you a laptop (I really can't imagine anyone on a desktop anymore). Really? I hate working on a laptop and don't even want one for work. I work with large spreadsheets and use split screens all the time. My eyes are bad enough as it is.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 9:06:47 GMT -5
In addition to work from home, for those hours you must be at work is there an office he could work at? Even could the company pay a teacher to teach them? Pipe dream... An office Carrot could work at? There are over 1000 employees here and 10 offices. ![](https://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff155/JiminiChristmas/ymamsmiles/tongue2.png) Nobody that isn't employed here is allowed in anyhow. It's an ITAR and FDA security thing besides them just not wanting employees kids here.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2020 9:08:00 GMT -5
I just got my lousy raise (half what my coworker got, so I apparently have been pretty sucky the past year which I knew), and talked to my boss. He said they would make allowances for parents with kids this Fall and that he's probably going to be in the same boat.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 22, 2020 9:25:55 GMT -5
They should absolutely issue you a laptop (I really can't imagine anyone on a desktop anymore). DH is on one right now. He had just started when all this happened and then there ended up being a shortage on laptops as everyone was rushing to purchase them. All they could get him in a timely fashion was a desk top. I think they are getting him one now though because the desk top has no camera so they can't see him during meetings. I don't know why that matters but eh.
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cyanne
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Post by cyanne on Jul 22, 2020 9:34:02 GMT -5
I can say that at least some schools in Minnesota are working on plans. Oh, I'm sure they ALL are. The not SHARING these plans is what's driving me nuts! Yes. I would expect that all schools are working on plans. I can only comment on the ones I know about though. I totally understand your frustration. It’s hard because the plans aren’t done yet. I feel for all families that are dealing with this. It’s a very fluid situation and teachers want to know too so we can plan for fall.
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andi9899
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Post by andi9899 on Jul 22, 2020 9:39:32 GMT -5
They should absolutely issue you a laptop (I really can't imagine anyone on a desktop anymore). The other stuff would be really nice if they helped you out on, but I'd start looking for since this isn't going anywhere. Maybe watch Craigslist if you don't want to pay full price and aren't too picky. But buy a good chair. Even the $60 ones from Amazon seem good enough to me. Scheduling - does in office stuff have to be done daily, or could it be done every other week? Wondering if you could go in on weekends when ex2.0 has carrot? I couldn't leave the kids alone every day which probably makes me a bit helicopter-y but that would definitely be a problem for me. I feel good about myself letting them stay 15 minutes home alone if I'm just running to the atm. Lol. My last employer had everyone on desktops and had to scramble to get people hooked up to work from home. When quarantine started, people were taking desktops home to use. I'm so glad I left when I did. I've missed technology. They also have some people still in the office while my current employer has said we're working from home until a vaccine comes out, so it could be a lot longer. This virus is showing a lot of people their employer's true colors.
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