COVID-19

Disclaimer: I am not a health professional. I am a concerned parent and grandparent. This article draws attention to some of the questions I have about sending my grandchildren to school. ~Rob Kennedy

Getting your child ready for school in the summer of 2020 is a nerve-wracking experience for parents. We have always been concerned about our children's safety both at school and at home. We have taught safe behaviors since they were tiny tots. Suddenly, all those familiar scenarios seem so benign and distant. This COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything you and I have seen in our lifetimes. The virus seems to attack people of all ages. It seems to lurk in hosts and find new hosts via droplets that hang in the air. It lives on common surfaces such as doorknobs and stair railings. It spreads to its new host when he touches his face. Worst of all, there's no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus. Scientists are scrambling to create vaccines, but it doesn't look as though anything will be available before early 2021.

I have listened to This Week In Virology podcasts for several months. I have concluded that frequent handwashing, wearing a 2-ply mask in public, social distancing, staying home whenever possible, are necessary steps to protect myself and others from the virus. That's what the health experts recommend. But what about children in school? Let's look at some of the safety steps and protective measures your child's school will most

Teachers and parents are concerned about the teaching that will take place post-pandemic. I have tried to cover their concerns in the following set of questions and answers.

Question: What happened in March 2020?

Answer: It was as though somebody turned off the power. One day, public and private school teachers were teaching in person in classrooms. The next day they were teaching online.

Question: Was there any warning?

Answer: Very little. The decision to close schools was made on a state-by-state basis by the governors.

Question: When will schools reopen?

Answer: That's a good question. Much depends on the coronavirus situation in your location. If the number of new cases and deaths from COVID-19 are decreasing, your governor will be more inclined to allow schools to open. In general, wherever possible, it seems as though schools will reopen in the fall. Of course, you can expect changes. Children's safety will be paramount, but so will the safety of vulnerable communities such as older faculty and staff. There will be lots of handwashing and hand sanitizer. There will be much less movement about the school. Teachers will move as needed from class to class. Students will remain in place.

Question What kind of protective measures will be in place at my children's private school?

Answer: Again, your governor's health team will recommend several measures that could include social distancing, wearing masks, temperature checks, and other measures. Most states seem to be

The COVID-19 closed schools nationwide in the spring of 2020. One day schools were open. The next day they were closed indefinitely as state governors issues stay at home orders. Then schools scrambled to replace familiar face-to-face classroom instruction with online learning. Sports and extracurricular activities became distant memories. Plans for summer school and camps went out the window. Graduations, end of year traditions such as school plays and assemblies are virtual occasions in 2020. It's all so different, so scary, and so unsettling. Yet, you and I know that life must go on.

Dr. Reinhold Niehbur's Serenity Prayer comes to mind as a spiritual anchor for these troubled times:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.

I cite this prayer because it expresses the attitude each of us must bring to bear on the situation which faces us in our daily lives. Our children's education is a critical concern. That's why we elected to send our kids to private school in the first place. However, this COVID-19 virus is controlling everything. And it will continue to do so indefinitely until we have vaccines to protect us.

This short video displays The Serenity Prayer.

With that in mind, here are five things you need to do when you are a parent with children

On March 1, 2020, the Coronavirus or COVID-19, as it is named, has begun spreading worldwide. In the opinion of most reliable news reports, it is only a matter of time before the virus spreads widely here in the United States.

I am writing this article with small to medium size private schools in mind. Larger schools will have health professionals on staff or on call. For a variety of reasons, mainly financial, small schools won't have these health resources readily available on site.

I am not a health expert. What I have done here is to gather all the information I can from trusted sources such as the World Health Organization to help you cope with the virus. I strongly recommend that you monitor your state and local government's recommendations and advice, as well as information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Suggestions for families

I offer these suggestions from the perspective of a parent and grandparent. We have so much contact with people in our daily lives. We touch so many surfaces and never give it another thought. Unfortunately, we all have to rethink how we behave with a dangerous contagion such as COVID-19 lurking who knows where. For example, I now wipe the handle of the shopping cart with a sanitary wipe when I go to the supermarket. Most stores seem to have sanitary wipes by their entrances. Use them. I don't shake hands or kiss