Bozzlife : Three Week Vacation?
In one fell-swoop, our lives drastically changed... @mrsbozz and I were laying in bed last night when we got a memo from the office of the Governor stating that all public schools in the State of Michigan would be closed from March 16th through April 5th.
Although there have only been two confirmed cases of Covid-19 that I know of in our state, like many places across the globe, this is a preventative measure to help reduce the spread of the disease and ensure that those who are more adversely affected can stay sheltered and safe.
Unfortunately, this comes at a time when a large number of educators and administrators are out of their districts at the annual MACUL (Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning) convention being held in Grand Rapids, MI.
I have little doubt that many superintendents and principals are cutting their professional development time short and making their way back to their respective districts so they can coordinate and plan for the coming weeks.
As many have stated, the biggest concern with a lot of the hype around the Corona virus is the absolute uncertainty. This is compounded greatly for the young ones who are entrusted to our care each and every day.
@mrsbozz pointed out on our drive home yesterday evening that our district serves free breakfast and lunch to all of our elementary students. If they are required to stay home for three weeks, some of them will simply not eat. It is the sad fact about the environment that some of them live in.
Many school districts are trying to figure out ways they can continue to deliver instruction to these students while they are at home. The issue is, many students in our area have zero Internet access at their homes. Cellular coverage like 3G and 4G is spotty at best. They might get signal when they sit on one side of a room, but nothing on the other. At this point our best solution is sending them home with printed out packets of work to complete.
My hope is that the Governor will officially waive the state testing requirements so when the students return to school they are able to use the time in April and May that would normally be spent taking standardized test catching up on the material they missed these three weeks.
As a pseudo administrator, I am still in the dark about whether or not I am required to report to work. I really don't see why I wouldn't be. With hardly anyone in the buildings, there would be little chance of contact and spread. On top of that, during those snow days or vacation days, I typically work in my office alone with the door locked anyway.
One bright spot is the fact that one of the three weeks is during what would have been our Spring Break anyway, so if you want to be technical it is only two weeks that students will be missing instruction.
All of this is based on the assumption that things will be under control by April 5th. What if they are not?
My wife and I are scheduled to make our weekly grocery trip today. I am anxious to see what is even left on the shelves due to the misguided panic hoarding a portion of the population has resorted to.
These are indeed interesting times. Stay healthy and safe everyone!
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There is nothing as relieving as a planned vacation
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thats some very good points and concerns you raise in this post, they have just shut down many of the schools here, with only 5 cases so far, but I think these steps are needed to slow down the spread of this virus
I agree. I totally understand why they are doing it. I just wish everyone could be as calm and level headed about it. Although children seem moderately immune to the worst of it, the other factors (hunger, loss of consistency) could cause unknown harm.
yeah I agree we stocked up a little to be sensible but didnt go crazy, but I noticed the difference in the supermarket this morning so many shelfs were empy, even Sodas almost sold out, well some totally sold out, glad I hardly ever have Soda these days
We did better than I thought we would at the store. Only a couple things we couldn't get because they were out of stock.
I know the stores will be crazy this weekend, so I think I will stay away till monday and decide then if we need to go and pick anything up
Uggggghhhhh. I'm guessing we are in the 'better safe than sorry' phase. For better or worse. I really believe it's in the better category.
Why? You have 5 CONFIRMED cases in Michigan. With limited testing (less than 100,000 tests nationwide) that means you have at least 500 cases actually and in 3 weeks 5 people will be dead. Limiting exposure is really the only way a 'free' country has to mitigate what could still be a spectacular disaster.
China slapped on a quarantine and put some teeth in it. Like you get shot from breaking the rules. Singapore GUARANTEED health care for all cases.
Neither one of those is going to happen here. Those kids that aren't eating? They are going to be the carriers of Covid 19. If they can't afford to feed their kids what chance do they have of proper medical attention? Not happening.
I went to the store here yesterday. Mind you, we have 5 confirmed cases in Arizona and none in Yuma County. The shelves were really bare in places. Hand Sanitizer is sold out (in spite of the sign asking everybody to limit their purchase to 5) and toilet paper was near gone.
I saw one little old lady tottering up to the checkout lane with two 30 packs of toilet paper and a 12 pack of beer. If that's not stocking up, I don't know what is...
I bought quarantine supplies yesterday. Beans, pasta and canned goods (I hate canned goods :)) I KNOW I can go 3 weeks without the store if need be. I don't think we are at that time here, yet. But I don't want to be in need when it does become time. I'll go to the store again on Monday, as scheduled.
I need to fill my gas tank and go to the dog food store today. It's not time for either, but....
Oh, and for the record: I suspect we have more like 5000 cases in Arizona. If I'm right, we'll have 500 dead in three weeks and hospitals will be near capacity. Damn, I hate knowing those numbers.
It's a tough one and I get these are decisions I wouldn't want to make. I don't really feel panicked by any of it. The statistics are pretty favorable if you are in good health. The sad thing is the people who are panicking are forcing me to act like I am panicking. That drives me crazy.
I agree absolutely. Though I'm in a 'high risk' category (age) I'm not taking particular evasive actions. The reason I want three weeks worth is if I do catch it and have to 'self quarantine', I won't knowingly give it to anybody else.
Good points! Stay safe!
You won’t go anyway unfortunately you will stay at the house
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Hey @bozz I seriously doubt things will be "controlled" by April 5th. Unfortunately from what I have seen and heard we are far from the peak of all this .
Yeah I hear you.