COVID-19 has seen all the rules change when it comes to social engagement. Workplaces and schools have closed, gatherings have been banned, and the use of social media and other online tools has risen to bridge the gap. But as we continue to adapt to the various restrictions, we should remember that social media is…
Monthly Archives: September 2020
The Del Mar Union School District started the semester virtually two weeks ago, but received a county waiver to begin in-person learning after submitting a safety plan for on-campus instruction, Superintendent Holly McClurg said. The state cleared schools in San Diego County to offer in-person instruction starting Sept. 1, so the district proceeded as planned,…
Latest San Diego schools to start phased openings
September 15, 2020
North County San Diego school districts are moving toward reopening campuses, with phased plans for in-person instruction that focus on the youngest and most vulnerable students first. Special ed students and English learners will return to on campus learning for extra help. Vista, Poway, and Oceanside have announced plans for opening campuses to small groups…
Six months that changed everything
September 15, 2020
Editorial note: If the last six months seems like a blur, you are not alone. What we have been though has been hard to keep track of and even more difficult for us to process. Sunday marked six months since President Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus. If those six months feel like…
The Legislature adjourned without having resolved what school districts say is a huge barrier to returning to in-school instruction: legal protection from Covid-19-related lawsuits. Without that safeguard, school officials warn, some districts will be skittish about opening up schools and instead continue in distance learning until they get it. “Absolutely, without question, districts around the…
Even as the country skidded to a dystopian halt in the first days of the pandemic, Sam Chaudhary and his colleagues found themselves with more work than they had ever seen. Chaudhary is co-founder of the education technology provider ClassDojo, which enables kindergarten through eighth grade students, teachers and parents to share content, schedules and…
To share how K-12 schools are confronting the challenges of reopening and resuming instruction, EdSurge, a nationally recognized edtech publication, has published a guide, What’s the Plan? How K-12 School Districts Are Preparing to Resume and Reopen. The guide includes an interactive data visualization of reopening plans from 375 U.S. districts in all 50 states,…
Fabric, fit more important than face covering style
September 12, 2020
A study that found that neck gaiters and bandanas do nothing to help block respiratory droplets that can spread COVID-19 has been called into question. A Duke University research team’s conclusion that a fabric gaiter will create more spread by splicing big droplets into smaller droplets is unlikely, a leading expert on aerosols told the…
The education sector was still feeling effects from the Great Recession when the coronavirus pandemic shuttered school buildings this spring, sending the country into economic shock — one that is expected to be much worse than the 2007-2009 recession. Prior to the pandemic, more than 20 states were spending less per K-12 pupil post-Great Recession,…
In a webinar hosted by NASSP, administrators and policymakers expressed concern about educator attrition and called for more representative curriculum. While the annual National Principals Conference, hosted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), wasn’t able to take place as usual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, its headline session still took…