Last Friday was kind of crazy. It was Homecoming Week. (I'm not sure when this happened, but now it's called HoCo, and there were all sorts of HoCo "promposals" happening all week.)
There were dress up days. The candidates for king and queen had signs up all over school. Then Friday was the game, and during school hours was the "rally" (read: assembly).
I hate assemblies. I have whined repeatedly on this here blog about how much I hate them. Now, you'd think considering everything that there would be no assembly, but the school has an outdoor football stadium. It was doable.
So, I was ready. I brought sunscreen. I had my sunglasses. I wore my walking shoes. (It's not that far, but it is a bit of a hike to get there.)
The classes were all shortened. We still had enough time for them to take their unit test with time left over. (And I had students who came to take the test and then leave as they had setting up to do and such.)
It was the end of fourth period. We were getting ready to go. I had my seating chart, so I told the class where our assigned seats were. (We were up high in the stadium.) I explained that they'd have to leave their backpacks in class (phones would be in pockets, I was sure), but the room would be locked, so their backpacks would be safe.
Then, the announcement came. "Wait." And then a bit later, it was all called off.
Minutes before things were to start, the school got word. Someone tested positive for Covid. And they were hurriedly contact tracing.
Considering who had been called out of class, it sounded like the positive case was a football player.
The game was cancelled, too. The dance? Postponed.
Deep sigh.
I mean, who thought it would be a good idea to hold an assembly during a global pandemic, anyway?
Fourth period was stuck in class for another hour. But they had phones and computers, so they kept themselves entertained. (They had already taken a test that day, and nothing else was planned. And they were seniors, so there was no need for crowd control.)
Disappointing (for them), but not surprising, really.
I am thinking that everyone is TRYING to get back to whatever normal is. But yes, that is a lot of folks put together at a bad time.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, we're striving for as much normalcy as possible.
Deleteoh, sorry... I am so sick of things getting canceled because of this virus
ReplyDeleteMe too.
DeleteWhat a mess all of this is. I really do feel for the kids who are supposed to be enjoying their school experience which includes socializing.
ReplyDeleteOh, they can socialize. But formal school activities aren't working quite as intended.
DeleteI guess this is going to be quite common for sometime in the near future: an event that was well-planned out getting cancelled because of the virus.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if people had gone into lockdown last year, this year they'd be able to have all their dances and games.
ReplyDeleteAustralia's plan this year was to focus on vaccinations so we can open for Christmas and 2022. We're on track for over 80% double vax'd nationally (the territory I live in should be at about 95% vax'd by then). It means lots of things cancelled and not happening, but at least it's because there is a plan. (At the moment we can only do 12+ but hoping 5+ will be approved soon for a vaccine).
ReplyDeleteI feel sorry for the kids, and the teachers. This pandemic is just crazy-making.
ReplyDeleteThat it is.
DeleteIt's a shame you still have cases so that things are cancelled but it's nice they were able to deal with the changed plans and not get too frustrated that their plans were cancelled!
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a lovely weekend :) We had a fun day at the playground yesterday.
Away From The Blue
If we had shut down entirely at the beginning... But too late to worry about that now.
DeleteOur state really don't do contact tracing. Scary
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Good for them for jumping on that so fast! Will the game and dance be rescheduled?
ReplyDeleteGame, no. The games are set early on, so there'd be no way to reschedule. Dance, yes. They're talking October.
DeleteUgh. That totally sucks! I'm with you, who thought this was a good idea in the middle of a pandemic??? I get everybody wanting their lives back. I want mine back too but geez o pete, can we just get thru this pandemic?
ReplyDeleteI know, right? But the activities people want to make things as close to normal as possible, so they're trying.
DeleteWhat a fiasco. I always hated assemblies as a student.
ReplyDeleteI hate them more as a teacher.
DeleteNo, not a surprise. Everyone is so eager to have things 'back to normal'. The Women's Hall of Fame (Seneca Falls, NY) annual induction ceremony was cancelled at the last moment (was supposed to be this weekend) when they realized it wouldn't be a great idea, and ditto the first in-person fundraising event since the pandemic for the non profit agency that provides housing to my developmentally disabled brother in law. Too soon....
ReplyDeleteI think normal isn't going to be what it once was.
DeleteHuh so frustrating. Everyone is pushing so hard for a back to normal.. but I don't think there will ever be a back to normal. We have to find our new normal and make peace with it..
ReplyDeleteIt is very frustrating.. especially for kids with milestone moments like prom.
So weird that they'd even plan it -it's like guaranteed disappointment, best case, or a superspreader event, ugh.
ReplyDeleteWell, it was supposed to be outside...
DeleteDoes it ever seem like we're STILL in the middle of a pandemic because people keep doing really dumb things?
ReplyDeleteYup, that's why we aren't on the other side of this yet.
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