Is it Safe to go Back to School?

My school just sent an email about the, Reopening Plan Hybrid Model. 

I’m in 11th grade this year.

This is the Hybrid plan. 

Re-opening Plan:

Starting on Thursday, October 1st 2020, “Upper School students will be following a hybrid model that allows them to split their time between learning on campus and learning virtually.  However, all students have the option at any time to remain virtual. Those students returning to campus this week must have a negative COVID test, have not experienced an exposure, and are not experiencing COVID-related symptoms.”

I did Not get tested as My Mother isn’t rushing to send me back to school. 

This is My Hybrid Schedule:

“Students will be in “A”  and “B” Groupings”

“Your student has been placed in the “A” grouping which means they will receive on-campus learning on Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday unless they are choosing to remain virtual or have not been tested.”

My Mother’s thoughts: “this is insane!”

If someone would have told us last year at this time or any year, at any time that we would be going to high school on Monday, Wednesday & every other Friday we would laugh and think it’s a bad joke.

This is no joke, this is how my school expects us to return.

It gets better: 

Rules prior to coming to school each day:

•  Take your student’s temperature, ( we don’t even have a thermometer & you can’t buy one anywhere) and if it is over 99.5, please do not bring your student to school.
•   If your student has any of the following symptoms, please keep them home: Fever, new onset of cough, shortness of breath, sudden loss of smell or taste
• If your student has two or more of the following symptoms, please keep them home: Headache, body aches, chills, stomach upset, new sore throat, new congestion 
• Please keep your student home if anyone in your immediate household is positive for COVID-19, is quarantining, or has had direct contact with a positive case.

I attend a private school for different learners, “learning disabled kids” and I travel 2 hours each way to school as most kids who attend my school do not live anywhere near it. 

I don’t know about every other kid  but I know that I have a few of these symptoms every day I wake up before school. 

So now I have to worry if I travel all the way to school & say I have a headache, I get sent home! 

It’s not like any of our students live in the neighborhood or around the corner from my school. It’s almost impossible to get picked up randomly in mid-day. It takes someone to drop everything and drive out to get me. 

This plan is just a mess. 

I haven’t been tested yet as My mother isn’t rushing to send me back. She wants to see how things go a bit first. She doesn’t want to send me only to have them turn around and cancel school again & go 100% virtual a few weeks into the hybrid model. 

In her words: “this is a shit show!”

I’m not sure how I feel. 

I guess we will know pretty soon. 

Stay posted & stay safe.

Sky Rota