Well, we had to decide what to do about school this year. Last year, independent home school was the best choice for us with Owen, Weston, and Savannah. However, they were really needing the daily social interaction from public school. I believe their mental health was taking a hit from the prolonged isolation from their peers.
Things were looking pretty good over the summer for in-person return to public school. The junior high and high school kids were told that if they got vaccinated they wouldn't have to wear a mask at school. Church had the same policy - if you were vaccinated, you didn't have to wear a mask. Nathan, Jared, and Owen were practically begging me to take them to get the vaccine so they wouldn't have to wear masks anymore. Nathan and Jared had already done the masks at the end of last school year, and they hated it. They weren't even allowed to take the masks off outside for in-person school last year. We were hopeful that the elementary school would actually look at the science and the data and also not require masks, despite the younger kids not being able to be vaccinated. However... the end of the summer brought the Delta variant and all the originally planned procedures changed. They were STILL requiring masks whether or not you were vaccinated. Talk about an instant non-motivator for any of the teenagers to get the vaccine! Their only motivation to get one was so they wouldn't have to wear a mask. Now there was no point in getting the vaccine.
Nathan, Jared, and Owen had gotten the vaccine already, and they enjoyed 2 weeks of mask-free church. The only benefit to them now (seemingly) is being able to show their "entry card" if it's required for vaccination or testing. Nathan was having to get tested 2-3 times a week when he was playing basketball last year! TWO to THREE times per week. That's crazy. He hasn't had to get tested yet this year, but his season hasn't officially started, so we'll see. They have already said that spectators for the games would either have to show their vaccination card or a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of the game. Anyway, we're not happy with some of the policies, but all of the kids did go back to school this fall. They have to wear a mask at all times indoors and not required to wear it outdoors (although Owen has already been "bullied" at outdoor check-in to wear a mask, despite masks being optional outside). And many of the kids still wear masks outside, but I'm fine with that, as it should be an individual choice. Our school board just voted to require vaccinations for all the employees without the option of testing, so it's getting interesting over here. It seems we're headed towards mandatory vaccinations for the kids too. I don't agree with forcing that on anyone.
I also find it interesting the things the school is choosing to spend money on. All students get free breakfast and lunch, free masks if needed, hand sanitizer, pencils, and use of individual I-pads. However, if you want bottled water, you have to buy it. If you forget to bring your own re-fillable water bottle, you have to buy water, because they're not allowed to drink out of the fountains. There was one day that Owen forgot his water bottle, didn't have money to buy water, and went the whole day without drinking water (even after doing PE). He may have had milk though, which comes with the free lunches. Owen said at the junior high, if you wanted milk, you had to take the lunch that goes with it. A lot of kids don't want the food, so they take it and throw it out, just to get the milk. What a waste! You also have to pay to ride the bus.
Weston and Savannah have to wear masks at school, and unfortunately masks don't work well with glasses, which both of them wear. Weston started just taking his glasses off so they wouldn't fog up. I hope he can still see the board... the other policy that Weston doesn't like is being assigned to a certain area on the playground. They rotate each day, but he only likes to play kickball, so if he's in a non-kickball area, then he's bored. He has loved playing kickball again with his friends - he comes home talking about what happened during the kickball game. He was excited to finally make the "podium", which is being one of the first 3 kids chosen for a team. At first, he was the last kid picked, but has slowly moved up in the ranks apparently. Kickball is the highlight of his day.
Anyway... aside from masks and vaccines and additional policies, the kids are doing well in school. We're at three different schools this year. Savannah (3rd grade) and Weston (5th grade) are at the elementary school. They walk to and from school together. Owen rides the bus to the junior high for 7th grade, except on Monday and Friday mornings when we take him to choir (a 0 hour class) at 8:00am. He has a friend in the neighborhood who also sings in the choir, so we have been carpooling on those mornings. He also rides the bus home. I've still been running with Owen, Weston, and Savannah on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 6:30-7:00am. Weston and Savannah have to walk out the door at 8:00am (they're the first out the door). Owen catches the bus nearby at 8:20 (heading out about 8:15, around the same time as Nathan and Jared on MWF). School starts at 9:00am for him.
Nathan and Jared are at the high school, which is also within walking distance. Jared is in 10th grade, and Nathan is a SENIOR this year! I can't believe he's a senior. Nathan and Jared have been doing early morning seminary from 6:30-7:20am, which Nathan has been driving them to. Currently, Nathan's basketball class is meeting M-W-F at 6:00am, so he's had to miss seminary temporarily. It's also interesting on T-Th mornings. Their school doesn't start until 9:20am those mornings (it's 8:30am on MWF), so normally they'd have about 1.5 hours between seminary and school. Jared gets a ride home from seminary, but Nathan has to drive straight from seminary to BB at 7:30am, which often goes until 9:00am. He didn't buy a parking pass, so it's been interesting seeing him either rush home and take a quick shower or call me to get the car (while he takes a shower at school). Today, he messaged me to come get the car (which means I get to walk over there and drive it back). But then at 9:10, as I was getting ready to walk over there, he called and said he'd forgotten his I-pad. So I either had to jump in another car and drive it over there to him, drive back home, and then walk to get the car parked at the school OR I could grab the I-pad and run over there. So I scooped up the I-pad in a small backpack and ran to the school. I'm sure I looked funny, like a student running late to school... Jared even saw me and wondered what I was doing. I got Nathan what he needed just before the bell rang and then was able to drive "Nathan's car" home.
Mornings are pretty crazy sometimes. I miss the relaxed, non-busy schedule we had last year. But the kids are all happy and doing well. They're much more resilient through all this than I am. I'm not sure whether to fight back or throw in the towel on all the policies. It's pretty much beyond my control - it is what it is. Welcome to school year 2021-22.
I'm just glad that I mostly don't have to do school drop off and pick ups every day. They either ride the bus or walk. Nathan usually gets home first, about 2:20, followed by Weston and Savannah at 3:00, then Owen comes in about 3:15, and Jared is the last one (getting in sometime between 4 and 4:30pm or whenever cross country practice is done). I can't complain about the convenience of being within walking distance of two of the schools. That makes my life a lot easier!
(We laughed about Nathan trying to hold up 12 fingers this year for 12th grade! He and Jared are laughing about that in the photos below).
Weston drew this picture, which is exactly how I feel, except that he's still smiling through it. I just have a constant frowny face when I think about masks.
