Summer drawing to a close

As we approach the end of Summer (or extended Spring Break if you want to call it that), heading back to school looks MUCH different than ever before! The only real school shopping I'm doing is purchasing masks - who would have thought? I'm praying for our teachers, administrators, kids and parents adjusting to what will be a very different experience.

Selecting "in person" vs Virtual school was a hard decision. My kids are desperately wanting to go back to school and be around live people, to get out of the house and see their friends! But I wonder how the "new normal" in school will compare to their expectations... Carson has been excited to go to Parkhill Junior High for years, and I don't want to rob him of that opportunity. Collin is half way through high school and starting his Junior Year, which is a very important one! It's one thing to transition to online learning after the kids were with their teachers for 3/4 of the school year, but to START this way, that's a different story! How can you get to know your teacher, and your teacher know you over a Zoom call? I'm less concerned with Elementary, since it's one main teacher, but for the older kids who have 7 teachers, and their teachers so many students - that's much more a concern for me!

There are risks of being in in-person school and I know that. We have chosen our kids mental and social/emotional development over being able to spend time with their grandparents, which is hard. I am not particularly fearful of US getting sick, as I know SO many people who have contracted the virus and recovered. But I am very scared of my parents being exposed! Seeing a friend's struggle with her father being ill and in the ICU and ventilator for nearly a month has been completely heart breaking! The fact that someone with COVID19 dies ALONE with health care providers the only one they see in the last days of their life is so sad, and nothing anyone should have to endure! 

I know there will be outbreaks as kids return to school. I hope and pray there is not one in our campus, but I realize that when an outbreak happens we will likely be shut down and quarantined again. I know there's a possibility we may not even start in person as planned on September 8th. The first three weeks of school will be virtual for everyone in our district. I think that is very smart with the case counts what they are now (insert link)! It's interesting to see some school districts, even close to us having already gone back to school in person and crazy to imagine my house ever being quiet again!

This is HARD for everyone, and there's no easy choices. I ask everyone to show grace to our school Administrators and teachers who have many hard decisions to make, and are operating with many unknowns and changes also. It would be so great if we could keep politics aside, and focus on what's best for community health (physical, as well as social, emotional and financial health). I know it's a balance and people see life through different lenses, but I ask for RESPECT for each family's choice, even if it is different than yours!