New Agreement Allows Lakewood School Buildings To Re-Open This Semester

[Betsy Voinovich]

Superintendent Michael Barnes

Just received this email from Superintendent Barnes. The gist of it is the teachers have agreed to go back into the buildings after November 30th, based on the decision of the Superintendent. This means staying remote is no longer being determined by the county's emergency code levels--- we're in Red now-- but by the Superintendent, who as he say below, will decide on re-opening or staying remote after reviewing the latest information from healthcare experts and relevant data.

Here's the letter:

Dear Families:

I first wanted to express my sincere appreciation to our parents, caregivers, staff and community members for your continued support of our students over these past months.

During this pandemic, our focus has been to provide the best instruction possible in as safe a manner as possible. This remains our focus.

We have listened to the voices of our community and recognize that our families are in different places and have different needs. Some passionately want students to return to in-person instruction. Others, with equal passion, are advocating to remain with remote instruction. As Board President Emma Petrie-Barcelona said at the Nov. 16 board meeting, “we must respect each other and recognize that our experiences (in regard to the pandemic) might not be shared with everyone else.”

Earlier this evening, at an emergency meeting, the Lakewood Board of Education approved an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Board and the Lakewood Teachers Association (LTA). The modified agreement will allow the District the flexibility to potentially bring students back into the buildings prior to the end of the first semester (Dec. 17) and provides the District the ability to make adjustments to our in-person instruction as needed.

We respect and appreciate that families have different opinions in regard to in-person instruction. As such, we will offer three instructional options so that families may choose the option that works best for them:

Option #1 – In-person instruction (date to be determined)
Option #2 – Remote instruction (with current teacher for remainder of semester)
Option #3 – eLearning LKWD (students currently in this model will remain for the rest of the first semester)
If in-person instruction begins before Winter Break, students choosing to stay remote will remain with their current Lakewood City Schools teacher through Dec. 17.

I want to thank the leadership of LTA and my administrative team for working together to come to an agreement on a plan that will best serve the needs of all our students. I also want to thank the Board of Education for providing its steady leadership.

All decisions regarding the timing of returning to in-person instruction will be made after reviewing the latest information from healthcare experts and relevant data. This means that the District will not automatically offer in-person instruction beginning November 30. All factors will be carefully weighed and considered, including the Cuyahoga County Board of Health Stay-at-Home advisory issued today.

As we all continue to navigate this difficult situation, we respectfully ask that community members remain open to the perspective of others. We ask that they thoughtfully consider that what may be best for one family, may not be best for another family. The three options provided by the District are designed to provide each family with the option that they believe is best for their situation.

We will share more information with you in the near future regarding the details of our in-person instruction timeline. Again, I want to thank you, our families and community members, for the many ways you have been supporting the students of Lakewood.

We are grateful for your partnership.



Respectfully,

Mike Barnes
Superintendent



Betsy Voinovich

[Dan Alaimo]

The timing of this is odd. A month ago, and perhaps in a few months, it would've made perfect sense. And I get the part about respecting everybody's views. But right now with the pandemic raging at levels not seen before and lockdowns imminent or on the horizon everywhere, how can they contemplate in-person learning within two weeks without reference to testing and safeguards?

[Jim O'Bryan]

The timing of this is odd. A month ago, and perhaps in a few months, it would've made perfect sense. And I get the part about respecting everybody's views. But right now with the pandemic raging at levels not seen before and lockdowns imminent or on the horizon everywhere, how can they contemplate in-person learning within two weeks without reference to testing and safeguards?

Dan

Of course it makes no sense. This is Lakewood, in Ohio, in the USA in 2020, nothing makes sense.

This has become another Civil War" in Lakewood, on the heel of the last civil war, after Hospital Wars, and ... wars. It is just ridiculous.

And it will get worse, because the virus gets worse and the divide always gets worse, and with reason.

Today I was watching a person really tough on "do not share air anywhere" also speak of how safe schools, THAT DO IT CORRECTLY are. He was commenting that NYC should not close their schools, that it is the safest place for kids. Then arguing that Americans have got to get serious about masks, social distancing etc. But the caveat he threw in each time is, "After the community has it under control." That does not describe Lakewood, but with needing to go to 10 different sources to figure out what Lakewood's numbers are is just adding confusion. Then it filters out in pieces to 50 different places with the influence of their beliefs, and you have a community that is every bit as mixed up and scared as any community in the USA.

The facts are still simple, work it until cases are falling, get it under control in other words, falling consistently for a couple weeks. Make sure the community had both testing and tracing in place, then and only then does it make sense to relax and start to move towards a new regular life.

Right now we are watching Mayors, Council, Superintendents, School Board and other being bullied and told to ignore facts and the others that they alone are right. Lakewood has become an ugly place filled with ugly angry people.

FWIW

[Dan Alaimo]

I wish I knew the answer to my previous question about HVAC filtration in the school buildings. That would make a difference.

[John Myers]

I wish I knew the answer to my previous question about HVAC filtration in the school buildings. That would make a difference.

Which member of the school administration did you contact to get this information?

[Bridget Conant]

If some parents are so eager to put their kids in a building with other kids during a raging pandemic, then perhaps they should focus on what scientists recommend- limit gatherings at bars, gyms, restaurants, weddings, etc in “exchange” for allowing schools to open. Contact your governor, mayors, etc and push them to crack down on those areas so that schools can be open.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.co ... index.html

[Dan Alaimo]

I wish I knew the answer to my previous question about HVAC filtration in the school buildings. That would make a difference.

Which member of the school administration did you contact to get this information?

I didn't.

The Deck is an integral part of our civic discourse, sometimes with more activity on the surface, sometimes with less. For myself, recently national events have diverted a good smount of my attention. For local politicians, including the school board, and other civic employees, including the public schools' administrators, i expect them to be readimg the Deck regularly as part of their responsibility. If they don't, they are remiss. And if they do and they don't respond to issues that directly concern them, they are also remiss.

Besides, this question has been raised by others in other places, like Facebook, and publicly in neighboring cities, like Rocky River.

The public school district's lack of communication and transparency is the reason - the only reason - I voted against the recent levy.

Responsible online discussion forums like this are not optional for them, no matter the blowback they might receive here for their statements.

[Jim O'Bryan]

If some parents are so eager to put their kids in a building with other kids during a raging pandemic, then perhaps they should focus on what scientists recommend- limit gatherings at bars, gyms, restaurants, weddings, etc in “exchange” for allowing schools to open. Contact your governor, mayors, etc and push them to crack down on those areas so that schools can be open.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.co ... index.html

Bridget

As you know, had we really locked down, we would not be having this discussion. But thanks to science deniers, anti-makers, party goers, those demanding we go back to normal life for the sake of the (fill in the blank), we are into 2,000 Americans dying a day. Worse numbers than any war. YET, everyone refuses to understand and follow the basics.

Also professionals on all sides keep referring to how schools are safer which is proving true, but only when it is done correctly and a community has control on the virus. Which only comes about from community members showing a modicum of self control. But as we roll into Thanksgiving and Christmas, I see the push back getting worse not less.

I would encourage all that are hearing screw masks, I party but outside, we are having thanksgiving... Then look at their lives... Look at the other advice they have told you or are giving you... We can get through this. Common sense, critical thought, and a little family only time.

The equation to beating this is easy. It is transmitted through the air, from person to person. Avoid other people's air. If it cannot jump to a new host, it dies out. This is all a vaccine does. Like back burning a fire, you remove the chance for spread, and concentrate on the small flare ups. It is not rocket surgery. It is not even complicated.

Next we will discuss how many families and people legitimately fear 4 weeks with their family, or not going out drinking. Legit fears, and another driving force.

I am willing to be less than 10% of the anti-maskers will get a vaccine, so that will fail too. 2021 ia going to be a long ass year I fear.

.