COVID-19 infections are on the rise again, surging as 2022 begins and students across America are set to return to classrooms after a much-deserved winter break. The start of school for the spring yet again will require procedure and protocol changes as schools at every level respond to this new stage of the enduring pandemic. A growing number of districts have postponed the return to in-person learning or switched to remote learning, either for a set-but-temporary period or for the remainder of the year. That said, flexibility is the name of the game for everyone in education right now.
Schools across most of the United States had a relatively normal start to the school year, but are facing complications again. Though many schools have made attempts to reopen after the break as planned, the spread of COVID-19 (Omicron) has led to a growing number of disruptions. Many of the disruptions are due to illness amongst families, as well as educators; but some also are because people are worried about the health and safety of their children and because of teacher shortages. That said, the White House supports keeping schools open: President Biden has said that every effort should be made to keep students in classrooms.
Looking back at the widespread school closures and shifts to remote learning that occurred at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, school administrators and government leaders are attempting to navigate this latest surge more gracefully and more effectively. Their main goal is to avoid long-term school shutdowns, which have had devastating effects on academic learning and have caused tragic mental health outcomes for students in many cases as well.
Though many young people with COVID-19 have died in the United States during the pandemic, those cases have been few when compared to people in their 20s and up. (An increase beginning at about age 18 years has been shown in data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Nevertheless, the effects of the illness are cause for concern. So, to help keep as many students in school as possible, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Department of Education have worked together to come up with a plan. For example, in December, they endorsed a test-to-stay protocol as an alternative to the 10-day quarantines previously recommended by the CDC. Besides this new guidance, other resources also are being made available to support keeping academic institutions open and safe for American students as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Families are being forced to contend with instability in the education system resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and having to be flexible about how to ensure their children are receiving the education they need and deserve while also managing their physical and mental health and well-being. Whether or not there is in-person academic learning occurring, many families are considering professional tutoring as an option to support their students. Tots ‘N Tutors is a professional mobile tutoring company that offers support to students in pre-kindergarten through high school and college. Tots ‘N Tutors offers structured tutoring sessions that are tailored to each student, so he or she can face the challenges of learning during the pandemic and beyond. Caring and competent learning guides meet with students individually or in small groups, in person or virtually, to help students in their education journeys. Contact Tots ‘N Tutors today to learn more.