Meanwhile, the local union, an affiliate of American Federation of Teachers, is not happy that staff and students now have the choice of whether or not to mask.
23 months. That’s how long it’s been since students and staff could legally show their full faces in a public school in New Mexico. Schools shut down in March 2020, and that was the end of the 2019-20 school year. Online school began in August 2020. Schools reopened in April 2021 with families given the option to have their child attend in-person masked or online via Google Meet, and teachers were expected to manage both the in-person and online students’ learning. We took the regular summer break starting at the end of May. In-person school resumed in August 2021, still masked, and this time with families who wanted an online option being directed to sign up for a separate program.
And then today, February 17, 2022, I was filling up my water bottle and absentmindedly browsing Instagram when I came across a post sharing that MLG had dropped the mask mandate. I didn’t even finish filling up my water bottle as I ran down the hall hollering to a colleague who I knew would be as excited as I was. I found myself kneeling on the floor in her classroom, overcome with emotion. My students have not seen faces at school in 23 months, but tomorrow, they will see mine, I will see many of theirs, and we can begin the process of helping students heal from the deep fear many have developed of showing their faces to the world.
And then today, February 17, 2022, I was filling up my water bottle and absentmindedly browsing Instagram when I came across a post sharing that MLG had dropped the mask mandate. I didn’t even finish filling up my water bottle as I ran down the hall hollering to a colleague who I knew would be as excited as I was. I found myself kneeling on the floor in her classroom, overcome with emotion. My students have not seen faces at school in 23 months, but tomorrow, they will see mine, I will see many of theirs, and we can begin the process of helping students heal from the deep fear many have developed of showing their faces to the world.
I think this is happening to a less obvious degree in many classrooms, including at my school. My students know they can unmask in my classroom because I don’t wear a mask, but I think many are scared to unmask in certain other classrooms if the teacher is more on the paranoid side.
https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/eldorado-hs-teacher-separates-masked-students-from-un-masked/amp/
https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/eldorado-hs-teacher-separates-masked-students-from-un-masked/amp/
We have been masks-optional since mid-February. Today my kids told me that my colleague is still making them pull up their masks if they are wearing one. I checked with my principal about this.
I let my students wear their masks on their chins. I think for many, the mask will come off in phases, with first the nose showing, then the whole face showing with the mask under their chin, and then finally no mask. While it’s hard to understand as an adult, I can see how suddenly removing the masks they’ve worn for two years is scary for preteens and young teens. We should allow them to transition, rather than requiring masks either completely on or completely off.
I let my students wear their masks on their chins. I think for many, the mask will come off in phases, with first the nose showing, then the whole face showing with the mask under their chin, and then finally no mask. While it’s hard to understand as an adult, I can see how suddenly removing the masks they’ve worn for two years is scary for preteens and young teens. We should allow them to transition, rather than requiring masks either completely on or completely off.
My team is planning a fun field trip at the end of the year for our 7th graders. The question of who should get to go was raised, and they suggested that any kids without a disciplinary referral should be eligible.
I proposed requiring the students to have no Fs to attend, but my colleague said that’s not fair to kids who are trying but just can’t pass.
This is 7th grade. Everyone can pass their classes if they have good attendance and do the work. Starting in high school (9th grade), students must pass their classes to get the credits needed to graduate.
I proposed requiring the students to have no Fs to attend, but my colleague said that’s not fair to kids who are trying but just can’t pass.
This is 7th grade. Everyone can pass their classes if they have good attendance and do the work. Starting in high school (9th grade), students must pass their classes to get the credits needed to graduate.
I submitted my grades for the third quarter this morning. Of my 71 7th grade math students, 22 finished with an A or B (80% or higher) and 28 with an F (under 60%). Regardless of performance in their classes this year, they will all go to 8th grade next year and then high school, and only when they reach 9th grade will they start having to retake failed classes to be able to graduate. I hope it won’t be too late by then.
A department I’m in has a big ceremony coming up for some of our 8th graders. The department head put out a vote, and staff in the department and students invited to the ceremony both voted for in-person with unlimited attendance! (Staff vote is the one with 12 people, and student vote is the one with 25.)
Visible in My Job Survey
The ATF Visible in My Job committee is inviting our fellow educators to complete the following survey to help determine the overall climate in APS around LGBTQIA+ educator visibility and support. We welcome all perspectives and opinions on this matter.
Given the sensitive nature of this survey, no identifying information will be collected, such as email addresses and employee ID numbers. Collective results will be used by our union committee to identify areas of concern in APS policy and practice.
The ATF Visible in My Job committee was created to advocate for and support the visibility of hidden identities in our schools, specifically LGBTQIA+. Our goal is to promote policy and practices that support educator rights and safety in our roles in APS. It is our belief that schools cannot be safe spaces for our youth until they are safe spaces for educators.
The ATF Visible in My Job committee is inviting our fellow educators to complete the following survey to help determine the overall climate in APS around LGBTQIA+ educator visibility and support. We welcome all perspectives and opinions on this matter.
Given the sensitive nature of this survey, no identifying information will be collected, such as email addresses and employee ID numbers. Collective results will be used by our union committee to identify areas of concern in APS policy and practice.
The ATF Visible in My Job committee was created to advocate for and support the visibility of hidden identities in our schools, specifically LGBTQIA+. Our goal is to promote policy and practices that support educator rights and safety in our roles in APS. It is our belief that schools cannot be safe spaces for our youth until they are safe spaces for educators.
I have no issue with families choosing to switch to charter school, private school, homeschool, or moving out of the district or even the state. My concern with these numbers is that I believe at least some of the “missing” students are not doing any type of school at all and are falling through the cracks because we are no longer enforcing truancy laws.
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/massive-enrollment-decline-creating-budget-issues-for-aps/6420896/?fbclid=IwAR0_TrkfdDVpyxPZ3TNPKU_ZxY7p8hsVJ9Fls5l3TPo46CF4EcQMUBVS9-Y
https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/massive-enrollment-decline-creating-budget-issues-for-aps/6420896/?fbclid=IwAR0_TrkfdDVpyxPZ3TNPKU_ZxY7p8hsVJ9Fls5l3TPo46CF4EcQMUBVS9-Y
KOB.com
Massive enrollment decline creating budget issues for APS
More than, 5,500 students are leaving Albuquerque Public Schools, creating a massive budget deficit for the district.
On March 14, I gave each of my 7th grade math students a little 50-cent pie that I’d bought at Walmart for Pi Day. (It’s a math thing; look it up. 😉) I had the kids go outside for this because they were definitely not going to be munching on pies in my portable, especially since the custodians are short staffed and my room doesn’t get the attention it needs.
I took group photos of each of my class periods with their pies and made them the cover photo of each class’s Google Classroom, which they seem to have enjoyed.
Upon showing my mom the photos, she started counting how many were wearing a mask. Keep in mind that we were outside eating and it’s been nearly a month since the end of the mask mandate.
Here are my counts:
54 of 55 7th graders pictured are wearing a mask.
21 of the 54 have the mask pulled down enough that at least their nose is visible.
14 of the 54 have the mask pulled down far enough that both their nose and mouth are showing.
Now that masks are optional in NM schools, the next task is going to be to convince students, as well as the majority of my colleagues, that’s it’s time to go mask-free.
I took group photos of each of my class periods with their pies and made them the cover photo of each class’s Google Classroom, which they seem to have enjoyed.
Upon showing my mom the photos, she started counting how many were wearing a mask. Keep in mind that we were outside eating and it’s been nearly a month since the end of the mask mandate.
Here are my counts:
54 of 55 7th graders pictured are wearing a mask.
21 of the 54 have the mask pulled down enough that at least their nose is visible.
14 of the 54 have the mask pulled down far enough that both their nose and mouth are showing.
Now that masks are optional in NM schools, the next task is going to be to convince students, as well as the majority of my colleagues, that’s it’s time to go mask-free.