We are new to the school so know no one, but I would like to know if there is any organized parent response to the information-light new "plan" announced yesterday?
Anonymous
Aug 19, 2020
I am new to the school, too, and dying to know this as well.
We are a long time ECFS family. I don't know of any organized response, but I am sending an email to Bagby, the head of our division and the head of the board. I encourage anyone who is upset to make sure their voice is heard. They are not following the science. Their original plan DID follow the science. This bait and switch is unacceptable
they are hiring for a lot of teachers so it's obvious that the teachers are backing out , thus them having to change their entire plan based on the teachers who are directing the show
Anonymous
Aug 19, 2020
I can’t tell you how upset I am about this. If you are a longtime ECFS family, do you know others who will complain?
They are hiring a lot of new teachers but I think this is a good thing. Some teachers have legitimate health issues and others are taking leaves. Also, because of the sizes of the pods, more teachers will be required. At least for the lower school, if it does open on 9/29, I'll be happy.
@Anonymous many families are complaining but complaining to the head of school won't do much. it needs to be a public plea sent to the board and faculty. remember that petition signed by teachers? parents need to follow the example
I don't understand what is going on at this point. Many other countries have successfully opened their schools. The infection rate in NYC is low. We need to move on with life.
Anonymous
Aug 19, 2020
Correct. It’s preposterous. Please write to Bagby!!
I have written to Bagby and head of our division. I encourage you all to do the same. If anyone hears of a petition or more organized response, please let us all know. The parents need to unionize too!!!!
To the poster who mentioned they are hiring a lot-- where? Do you have more color on this? Isn't it kind of late to be scrambling now? What was the point of all those committees?????
I am not that poster but at NYAIS you can see all the independent schools that are hiring. ECFS doesn’t seem to be hiring more than others. In fact Sacred Heart, Ramaz and Bank Street seem to be hiring the most. And several of the Ecfs listings are for subs.
I am totally lost by now. I am from Germany where everything is pretty much back to normal. Kids go to school, play after school sports etc. Meanwhile many of my friends here are still in full quarantine, furiously wiping down their groceries, not allowing playdates. What gives? Why are we still in full blown hysteria?
@Anonymous But people will start coming back freely from other states, I doubt they will quarantine. Compliance here is much lower than in Germany. So we will have an outbreak very fast.
Parents need to organize. One off conversations and emails will do nothing. You need a public petition just as the teachers did. You need to state clearly why school should be in person and outline all the science that says 1) Kids need to be in school for their overall wellbeing and development and 2) the time to open is now. Stop waiting for someone to do this for you. Start it, send to one other parent, get it out there and then to the Board and the Faculty
Longtime EC parent. The rooms in EC don't have air conditioning and the windows barely open. My children are so overheated for the first two weeks of school and the last two weeks every year. I don't have a lot of confidence in the air purifiers they say they are installing. I think it is risky to open with the way the school is currently laid out. BUT....they have had all summer to try to figure this out. I agree with the above poster regarding Bagby not knowing what she was getting into.
Anonymous
Aug 21, 2020
Spend half the day in Central Park. Kids eat lunch in the park, picnic style. That school’s location is excellent. Problem solved.
Anonymous
Aug 25, 2020
When we toured the rooftop was a centerpiece of the building is that not the case any more?
I am that poster and my kids went to FL, so I can't comment on the EC building, but even if there are issues with that building, it should not prevent the other 3 divisions, which are in Riverdale, from opening. Also, I would think they would have figured out over the summer how to open the windows!
yes, and ironically EC is opening weeks before Fieldston Middle (AC much more space, older kids who can follow rules more) and Upper!! I feel for the HOS but the board needs to get control of the situation
Anonymous
Aug 25, 2020
@Anonymous Too busy planning diversity workshops and community building actually to help the underserved people in their own schools.
I agree that they could be creative and open the Fieldston campus. Other hill schools are erecting tents with space heaters. I don't see why they are not doing that unless it truly is a shortage of teachers. The EC building is old and I think the windows are what they are. It has been a problem for years. My main problem with the school is the way they are handling it. I don't feel like there is any transparency and the emails are very muddied. I really wish they would be open and get to the point!
Agreed. Just come out and say "the teachers are refusing to come in." And, btw, if that is the case, I would rather my kids (who are older) come in and have the teacher on the smart board instead of learning from home.
That is basically the Dalton plan, right? I always thought that was a good solution but people hated it. I think that bypasses all of this 'phased in' or 'delayed opening' nonsense that some of these schools are saying. They were up front from the get go.
It's different than the Dalton plan. In the Dalton plan, the kids are all on individual devices with headphones. So basically like a study hall. What I want is for the high school kids to be able to be in each of their classes, with the teacher on the smart board. That way there is better interaction among the students and more of a community feel for the kids.
@Anonymous Dalton said they would stream teachers on smart boards, since it was suggested by a parent. But Dalton has changed again. Only children of essential workers are allowed in September.
@Anonymous I think everything is going to keep on changing. That is the only thing we can count on. At least be upfront with how fluid things are and the rationale behind the decision making process. I think that will head off a lot of parent anger and resentment. People appreciate honesty!
I wrote an email to Jessica and got a response right away from her assistant saying the heads of school were releasing videos soon explaining the thinking behind the decision and that after that if I wanted to set up a call to reach back out. I'm furious. All the other campus schools are opening.
ECFS spent many weeks/months developing very good plans. Brought in many perspectives, expertise, resources. Then the faculty trashed them. Now they are "phasing in" to the plan but somehow it will take till November to get there, coincidentally when experts expect the second wave. So, they are proposing the opposite of what medical experts and the AAP recommend in the hopes that they don't have to show up for work.
Anonymous
Aug 25, 2020
@Anonymous We know some teachers who moved to Fieldston from other schools...the worst.
Anonymous
Aug 25, 2020
You mean these teachers are the worst? Great. My kid is st the school. Is this middle or upper school?
echoing the poster from germany - i am from the uk and schools are just opening there (not even doing masks, which actually seems v dumb but my point is opposite extreme). understandable in parts of the country where it's surging and understandable to have hybrid out of abundance of caution but confusing for any nyc school to be fully remote at this stage unless they literally have no plan.
I am new to the school, too, and dying to know this as well.
Want to add I am so upset about it!!’
We are a long time ECFS family. I don't know of any organized response, but I am sending an email to Bagby, the head of our division and the head of the board. I encourage anyone who is upset to make sure their voice is heard. They are not following the science. Their original plan DID follow the science. This bait and switch is unacceptable
I will do this as well. Thanks.
they are hiring for a lot of teachers so it's obvious that the teachers are backing out , thus them having to change their entire plan based on the teachers who are directing the show
I can’t tell you how upset I am about this. If you are a longtime ECFS family, do you know others who will complain?
They are hiring a lot of new teachers but I think this is a good thing. Some teachers have legitimate health issues and others are taking leaves. Also, because of the sizes of the pods, more teachers will be required. At least for the lower school, if it does open on 9/29, I'll be happy.
@Anonymous many families are complaining but complaining to the head of school won't do much. it needs to be a public plea sent to the board and faculty. remember that petition signed by teachers? parents need to follow the example
I am a parent there and I hope they fire those teachers. So shocked. They have all the resources to be safe.
Are you going to complain?
@Anonymous I did already. This is not right! I have been called back to my office already. I need to move on.
Did you get any response?
What is going on?
I don't understand what is going on at this point. Many other countries have successfully opened their schools. The infection rate in NYC is low. We need to move on with life.
Correct. It’s preposterous. Please write to Bagby!!
I have written to Bagby and head of our division. I encourage you all to do the same. If anyone hears of a petition or more organized response, please let us all know. The parents need to unionize too!!!!
To the poster who mentioned they are hiring a lot-- where? Do you have more color on this? Isn't it kind of late to be scrambling now? What was the point of all those committees?????
I will write tonight!!
I am not that poster but at NYAIS you can see all the independent schools that are hiring. ECFS doesn’t seem to be hiring more than others. In fact Sacred Heart, Ramaz and Bank Street seem to be hiring the most. And several of the Ecfs listings are for subs.
I am totally lost by now. I am from Germany where everything is pretty much back to normal. Kids go to school, play after school sports etc. Meanwhile many of my friends here are still in full quarantine, furiously wiping down their groceries, not allowing playdates. What gives? Why are we still in full blown hysteria?
Well have you watched the news?
@anonymous Yes, as a matter of fact I have. NYC is in great shape!
@Anonymous But people will start coming back freely from other states, I doubt they will quarantine. Compliance here is much lower than in Germany. So we will have an outbreak very fast.
Many schools will probably follow ecfs
No one will follow ECFS - dream on!
Parents need to organize. One off conversations and emails will do nothing. You need a public petition just as the teachers did. You need to state clearly why school should be in person and outline all the science that says 1) Kids need to be in school for their overall wellbeing and development and 2) the time to open is now. Stop waiting for someone to do this for you. Start it, send to one other parent, get it out there and then to the Board and the Faculty
Longtime EC parent. The rooms in EC don't have air conditioning and the windows barely open. My children are so overheated for the first two weeks of school and the last two weeks every year. I don't have a lot of confidence in the air purifiers they say they are installing. I think it is risky to open with the way the school is currently laid out. BUT....they have had all summer to try to figure this out. I agree with the above poster regarding Bagby not knowing what she was getting into.
Spend half the day in Central Park. Kids eat lunch in the park, picnic style. That school’s location is excellent. Problem solved.
When we toured the rooftop was a centerpiece of the building is that not the case any more?
I am that poster and my kids went to FL, so I can't comment on the EC building, but even if there are issues with that building, it should not prevent the other 3 divisions, which are in Riverdale, from opening. Also, I would think they would have figured out over the summer how to open the windows!
yes, and ironically EC is opening weeks before Fieldston Middle (AC much more space, older kids who can follow rules more) and Upper!! I feel for the HOS but the board needs to get control of the situation
@Anonymous Too busy planning diversity workshops and community building actually to help the underserved people in their own schools.
I agree that they could be creative and open the Fieldston campus. Other hill schools are erecting tents with space heaters. I don't see why they are not doing that unless it truly is a shortage of teachers. The EC building is old and I think the windows are what they are. It has been a problem for years. My main problem with the school is the way they are handling it. I don't feel like there is any transparency and the emails are very muddied. I really wish they would be open and get to the point!
Agreed. Just come out and say "the teachers are refusing to come in." And, btw, if that is the case, I would rather my kids (who are older) come in and have the teacher on the smart board instead of learning from home.
That is basically the Dalton plan, right? I always thought that was a good solution but people hated it. I think that bypasses all of this 'phased in' or 'delayed opening' nonsense that some of these schools are saying. They were up front from the get go.
It's different than the Dalton plan. In the Dalton plan, the kids are all on individual devices with headphones. So basically like a study hall. What I want is for the high school kids to be able to be in each of their classes, with the teacher on the smart board. That way there is better interaction among the students and more of a community feel for the kids.
@Anonymous Dalton said they would stream teachers on smart boards, since it was suggested by a parent. But Dalton has changed again. Only children of essential workers are allowed in September.
@Anonymous I think everything is going to keep on changing. That is the only thing we can count on. At least be upfront with how fluid things are and the rationale behind the decision making process. I think that will head off a lot of parent anger and resentment. People appreciate honesty!
I wrote an email to Jessica and got a response right away from her assistant saying the heads of school were releasing videos soon explaining the thinking behind the decision and that after that if I wanted to set up a call to reach back out. I'm furious. All the other campus schools are opening.
Those videos are ridiculous. They need to be held accountable in the moment and answer people's questions! Also be up front!
what happened with ecfs?
ECFS spent many weeks/months developing very good plans. Brought in many perspectives, expertise, resources. Then the faculty trashed them. Now they are "phasing in" to the plan but somehow it will take till November to get there, coincidentally when experts expect the second wave. So, they are proposing the opposite of what medical experts and the AAP recommend in the hopes that they don't have to show up for work.
@Anonymous We know some teachers who moved to Fieldston from other schools...the worst.
You mean these teachers are the worst? Great. My kid is st the school. Is this middle or upper school?
echoing the poster from germany - i am from the uk and schools are just opening there (not even doing masks, which actually seems v dumb but my point is opposite extreme). understandable in parts of the country where it's surging and understandable to have hybrid out of abundance of caution but confusing for any nyc school to be fully remote at this stage unless they literally have no plan.
Yes, and some UK schools went back in June! And most of Europe opened with little problem. ECFS had a great plan... so disappointing