Five Concerns I Already Have About Next School Year

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As we approach another school year, it’s hard not to feel a sense of anxiety that’s unlike anything we’ve dealt with before. This past year has been a whirlwind, juggling our own work meetings while our kids navigated their own online classes. The uncertainty of hybrid learning models and the looming threat of COVID-19 have kept us all on edge.

In our family, we started the year with fully remote learning. As the COVID-19 infection rates in our community decreased, we made the tough decision to send our kids back to school. The dining room just wasn’t providing the best learning environment for them. Initially, they returned with a hybrid schedule—two days in school and three days at home. With some parents opting for remote learning, my children benefited from smaller class sizes, allowing for more individualized attention.

Now, all three of my kids are attending school four days a week, and it’s a relief for both them and me. However, as we near the end of this school year, I can’t shake off my worries about what next year will bring. I want to ensure that my kids continue to have a safe and enriching school experience.

I can already anticipate that I will be sending my partner reminders about “don’t forget their masks” and “make sure to pack their water bottles.” This has become our new normal. Our kids are equipped with face masks and reusable bottles since drinking from the school fountains isn’t considered safe. The uncertainty around children getting sick and the timeline for vaccinations makes many parents, including myself, anxious about the upcoming school year.

For instance, Jenna Ramirez, a parent from a suburb near Seattle, expressed her fears in a recent interview. “I’m still really apprehensive about sending my child back to school full-time. We don’t have all the answers about how this virus affects kids. I’m worried but we will be going back,” she noted. Ultimately, we all need to make the best decisions for our families.

The landscape of education has changed drastically, and while I believe in the resilience of children, we must all adapt. This year’s school supply list will look a bit different for me; I’ve already started stocking up on additional masks and water bottles, fearing we might face shortages like we did last spring with toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

As we look ahead to next school year, I find myself concerned about five major issues:

1. My children’s social and emotional health as they continue to grow and develop their identities as learners.
2. The potential for their teachers to struggle in getting to know them, given their own challenges with COVID-19.
3. The risks of my kids potentially contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
4. The likelihood that their experiences of school—sharing tables, eating lunch closely together, and freely accessing the library—may not return to normal for a long time.
5. My own mental well-being as I balance work responsibilities and support my kids’ education while feeling the pressure of failing at both.

Navigating these concerns is far from easy, and the CDC doesn’t exactly ease my worries. They state that “the true incidence of COVID-19 in children is not known due to lack of widespread testing.” This uncertainty leaves many parents in a state of limbo. As we head into the new school year, it’s crucial to consider various factors like transportation safety and the possibility of mask-free recesses. We have many unanswered questions, but what remains clear is the need for a safe educational environment for our children.

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Summary

As we approach the next school year, many parents, including myself, are grappling with numerous concerns about our children’s safety and well-being in the ongoing pandemic. From social and emotional health to the practicality of school supplies, the challenges are vast. It’s vital that we prioritize our children’s needs while navigating the complexities of education during these uncertain times.

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