A group of St. Vrain Valley School District parents “ advocating for a slow, methodical well-planned’ return to in-person learning has raised concerns about another group’s push to get students back in schools.
The SVVSD Parent Teacher Support Network During COVID, has 540 members consisting of teachers, staff and parents, Laura Ruth stated in an email.
“We have members who are ready to send their kids back and others who are more hesitant, but the one thing we have in common is our unwavering support of the teachers and staff and desire to keep them safe. We are here to support them in any capacity we can,” she stated in an email, sent in response to a Leader story on the concerns of St. Vrain Educational Advocates, a group of 600 parents, who are worried about the social and emotional toll remote learning is having on children.
Ruth blasted the story for being one-sided for its failure to include her group’s point of view.
In response to the story, the email sent Monday stated, “We understand that in-person learning is the gold standard, but even a return to school will not offer the experience our children are accustomed to. They will be wearing masks and asked to distance, which will add to the anxiety they are already feeling. It is extremely disappointing that the district has not been more creative in finding solutions to bring back our younger students and at-risk youth before bringing the entire student population back. There are ways to meet more individual needs.”
Ruth said SVVSD Parent Teacher Support Network During COVID is advocating for a slow, methodical well-planned return that considers feedback from a task force consisting of teachers, staff, students, parents, the St. Vrain Valley Educational Association and district administration.
“We believe the transition to hybrid should occur when our infection rates are decreasing,” Ruth stated. “Otherwise we will be subject to disruptive quarantines and a likely return to online only.”
She pointed to Boulder County “experiencing exponential growth in new cases surpassing Denver, Jefferson and Broomfield counties” among the reasons for the group’s hesitancy to embrace hybrid just yet.
“Since cases are higher than August and it was deemed unsafe to return then, what makes it safe to return now?” Ruth asked. “... We also believe there needs to be more attention paid to the long-term effects of COVID-19. We still do not know the full ramifications of infection, including heart disease and chronic fatigue.”
The hybrid system as proposed by SVVSD is “fraught with issues,” she stated. “With students shifting every day instead of more structured schedules (Aurora is doing week on / week off, Boulder Valley School District is proposing Monday / Tuesday and Thursday / Friday cohorts with Wednesdays a non-contact day for cleaning), there is great possibility of cross-contamination.”
Before any return to in-person learning, the SVVSD Parent Teacher Support Network During COVID said it wants answers to a number of questions, including:
“What guidelines is the district following? We are looking for specifics rather than vague statements.
“What is the protocol for cleaning between groups and at night? Who is responsible for this cleaning?
“How will mask protocol be enforced among both teachers and staff?
“What happens when someone comes to school symptomatic?
“What happens when someone tests positive?
“What happens when a teacher cannot be present in a class?
“How many subs are there in the district who are willing to report to a classroom?”
Dan Maloit, founder of St. Vrain Educational Advocates, in the Leader’s previous story took aim at Colorado Department of Health guidelines for schools dealing with COVID-19. The state’s guidelines helped prompt the district to move to online learning at least through the end of September.
Maloit’s group wants the state health department as well as Boulder County Public Health and the Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment to amend the rules requiring the mass quarantine of all contacted people if a student or teacher exhibits symptoms or has a positive test for COVID-19. The group wants a more targeted quarantine of affected people until they test COVID-19 negative or no longer exhibit COVID-19 symptoms.
But even though the SVVSD Parent Teacher Support Network During COVID’s stance on the return to school does not perfectly align with St. Vrain Educational Advocates, Ruth said it does share at least one of the same concerns
“We do share the frustrations expressed by St. Vrain Educational Advocates with the absence of meaningful communication from the district. This lack of knowledge has led to rumors and anxiety among all affected parties,” she stated.
