Today was the 1st day of "Closure" for us. The reason is apparent without having to even say: the Coronavirus has spread to the United States from overseas.... at an alarming rate and everything in the country.... everything in the world has been changed.
This disease wasn't even on the radar of most people here in the US until a few weeks ago. It started in China and - at this point - over 80,000 people in China have been infected with the disease. It made it's way over to the US and we started hearing about it in February.
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
- December 1, 2019
- Wuhan, Hubei, China
At this point, school systems have shut down while parents & students are all working at home together in an effort to distance themselves from others! March 16th was the 1st day of our closure for the county where I work and the city where our kids go.
Our first day that the kids and I worked together didn't go so great, honestly. (I was busy over the weekend setting up an online system for my students to use. I'm just figuring this out myself. Unfortunately - throughout the day - I noticed that a bunch of students were NOT using that system put in place and were, instead, asking me lots of questions... all while I was trying to monitor what my own kids were doing at home!) It was a bit stressful especially during the first half of my "Office Hours" duty.
I was not at school much of the previous week - as it turns out - Isabella and I were sick at the beginning of the week. (Cold / Flu symptoms) She and I missed last Monday, but I couldn't even talk so I went to the doctor. I was prescribed antibiotics and - after a couple of days - I began progressing / getting better. I went back to school on Wednesday which was a pre-planned half-day at school... and on Thursday, everything changed!
The 1st school in our system had students test positive on Wednesday afternoon and the superintendent told our principals that a temporary shutdown was likely. When we all went to work Thursday morning, we had a "standing meeting" to discuss this. I did not get to hear what was said, however, as one of the other teachers and an administrator whisked me out of the meeting... cornered me... and talked to me about going home. My immune system was already "compromised" and they knocked into my thick skull that I needed to take care of myself. I did not need to risk exposure to the virus. WOW. Thursday morning was a little scary -- processing everything -- but in the end I was just bowled over by their concern. I talked to the principal of the school before I left and she said that I should take everything I need in the event schools were going to close. When I went back to gather my belongings I was trying to convince the students in my room: "everything's fine." "I'm fine." (although I was reeling with emotion inside) I grabbed the class pet... all the while saying "everything is OK, kids!"
On Friday (March 13) we were told that our school closure would go on for at least 2 weeks. However... during our first day of closure... there were news reports recommending 8 weeks of this "social distancing" to help "flatten the curve" of patients needing medical attention.
These are but a few of the new terms that are now the norm.
Back to "Day 1"
- Isabella's teacher provided a cute video for the 1st graders to watch. While watching it with Isabella, she kept smiling and waving at the screen. At one point in the video, the teacher's cat jumped up onto the arm of the chair and Isabella kept trying to tell her to look at the cat.
The teacher was walking us parents through how to access all of the online systems they have in place. Amazingly - even though there are like 10 - 12 steps to access one thing or another - Isabella has it figured out! She knew all of the steps... all of the passwords.
Mercer's work was a little more straight-forward... just access one blog (although one of the teachers didn't have anything posted, rather, sent an email later in the day).
The kids mostly self-guided their work -- with lots of breaks in between subjects. I have a "master schedule" so that I can maintain my office hours and they can use it to check off / make sure they're staying on track, but there were snafus. Mercer watched more videos than I hoped. Isabella had a couple of melt-downs throughout the day and refused to do some of her teacher-assigned work. I am trying to catch up from being out last week and grades are due... so I'm a bit stressed right now.
But - it was day one. We survived the hurdle of online set-up. We tried to define spaces in the house where different people could work at different times. The weather hasn't been great the last couple of days. We only got outside for a limited amount of play and our nightly family walk around the neighborhood.
I did resort to introducing my kids to an online program I've used with my students in the past: Code.org -- I figured that they wanted to be online, may as well learn a skill. It entertained Mercer for a little while. Isabella was sooo into it. It was almost insatiable. She only wants to code now! (That was a WIN.) whew!
It is a different time.
I'll post some good news / smiling pictures soon.
Be well.
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This SHOULD have been posted before the Coronavirus posts began, however, the virus posts were unexpected... and - when starting posting - did not know how things would go! At the end of February, our baseball friends who like to entertain hosted a "daddy-daughter" dance at their house. And, because they have a son Mercer's age, they invited our whole family. Here are some cute photos from that event. We had little notice. Isabella picked out her outfit (she LOVES this ballet "dress" that she picked out from a thrift shop 2 or 3 years ago / it's made the blog before as she dresses up in it when she wants to feel fancy!) It used to be too big.... now it fits.... but we'll have to find another soon.
Also, I made her a "corsage" out of a fake rose received from a student at valentine's day. She was really proud of it when we explained what a corsage was and Todd placed it on her wrist. :)
In early March, I took a day off of work (which started a lot of missed days - explanation below) so that I could attend a meeting with Mercer's teachers and school personnel. He has been having some issues in school - mainly ELA - and he received testing for some learning issues. They did some initial observations and identified some things, so decided to do a full set of testing. At the meeting, they did say he has "extremely low processing speed" however he was 1 point away (1 POINT, ugh) from receiving any special services related to this such as "extended time" on tests. This is something that we will obviously have to watch throughout his school career and - hopefully - there are some ways that we can help him in the coming years to help him work through this. Obviously we just want what's best for him. Since I had to apply for a sub for that morning, I decided to take the whole day and go on a field trip with his class. I've taken plenty of field trips with my students, but I had never been on a field trip with my own kids! And... before he gets too old/ too cool for mom... ha! 
We went to the Center for Civil and Human Rights. I've always wanted to go. (I'll still have to go back -- ON MY OWN -- because I was more concerned with keeping up with students than enjoying the exhibit. I took this photo to "document" who I was responsible for. Ha!
I was very impressed with the museum. And - this piece of artwork in the lobby is one of my favorite pieces there. This museum - which I was not aware of until I went - is focused on bringing about awareness of ALL types of prejudice.
I bought this t-shirt at the very end as I was moved by the message. I've worn it a couple of times not really thinking about it, but have been stopped and a stranger stopped to tell me about a time they were a victim of prejudice based on their sexual orientation. :(
In looking back on this day, I'm thinking I could have picked up a "bug" on this field trip!! Makes sense... riding a bus with 60 other kids I'm not used to / don't know!
The next day was our anniversary - March 7th. Because of ALL of the rain we had previously, baseball's "Opening Day" was postponed. They had their procession onto the field of all of the teams, then they had a presentation of the 12 year old awards -- recognizing those kids who had played their ENTIRE baseball career thus far at East Marietta.... ever since tee-ball.
Funny how the group of 7 year olds can't quite stay still for the team photo before the procession....compared to the group of 12 year olds (Mercer's team, below). ha! Her coach is a woman -- I think the first for the league? And there are 2 other girls on her team. This year, they can't form an all-girls team because at the level she's at... they do a draft. The assistant coach is Isabella's previous coach - which she is really excited about.
Mercer's coach is the coach for the All-Stars / the "travel" team. Todd is an assistant coach. 
Here is is getting his award at the end of the procession of all of the teams.
Mercer has pretty much played with all of these guys at some point throughout his career there. For the last year or two, Mercer has been looking forward to receiving this award.
And, I know Todd is proud. :)
The next morning, Isabella and I both woke up sick! I with chills and coughing... Her with a little fever and coughing. She and I literally laid on the couch all day -- missing the 2nd day of Mercer's tournament. I was still not feeling well the next day (and I couldn't talk at all), so I went into school, got some things prepared for subs... and went home / went to the doctor. I had some sort of bronchial infection (I guess) and got a round of antibiotics + steroids. I had a note to stay out of school 'til Wednesday. Isabella was at home with me (or Todd while I went to school / while I went to the doctor). Tuesday, she was getting better... but I still had no voice.
Still not feeling well, I reluctantly went to baseball that night because Todd was coaching Mercer's team while Isabella had her game. I went...and in the end... was glad I did: moments after Isabella and I walked over to his field after her game ended... Mercer hit a GRAND SLAM home run out of the park! (One of the runs ended up not counting because the player before him -- in his excitement -- didn't technically touch the bag.) But - it was still so exciting. His team was down before this hit... which brought his team to a 15-14 lead. They held the other team to no runs in the bottom of the same inning and won the game! There's a tradition - I think it's happened 3 or 4 times now - where the dad of the kid (who sort of looks like Mercer) and I go behind the fence and look for either his son's home run ball or Mercer's home run ball. There are prickles and thorns... but it's a good tradition / we happily go into the thicket to retrieve the ball! :)
This was Mercer's (and Isabella's) last baseball game before the virus broke out here and things were cancelled. The first Coronavirus case in Cobb County was reported earlier in the week... which resulted later in the week as the 1st death in the state.
Luckily, Wednesday was a half-day at school... (grading was due soon, so the school system gives us a half-day to help) so I did not have to talk much. And... Wednesday is the first day that the Coronavirus was reported at a school in our county. Things were all-a-buzz that this particular school would be closed for cleaning starting immediately. That next morning, we had a "standing staff meeting." The principals of all of the Cobb County schools must have had a conference call Wednesday night because Thursday morning, we had a "standing meeting" before the day started where they were talking about the closure of the one school and alluding that other schools may be following. I did not get to hear much of the meeting because of on my colleagues pulled me into a corner and "demanded" that I go get tested (since I was having respiratory issues earlier that week). I didn't feel that this is what I had - not that there were any tests available at the time anyways. (People are allowed to get other things, ya know!)
It upset me / scared me... and my 6th grade principal came into the conversation. She suggested that I was compromised and should go home so that I wouldn't get it. I felt cornered... but... heeded their advice (after trying to figure out what my students would work on -- again -- on the fly before their test the next day)! I did leave after talking to the principal and the school nurse. It took me awhile to really "hear" what I was being told.... I need to take care of ME or else I'm no good to anyone else.
Happy to say - I'm fine... I still have breathing issues and DID go see a pulmonologist as a follow-up who suggests that I have adult-onset asthma. So... I guess I'm still in a "high-risk" group and need to be more careful. :(
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