Posts by Amanda Hughes37

What is this massive crowd of idiots gathered in front of this school in Cleveland... just give the guy some tear gas and disperse them🤦

rowdypanther12 said:Throughout my entire school years, my sister's schooling, my friends' kids, and now even my own, there was never any actual class on the first day.
I wonder who looked after the kids during June, July, and August—maybe even that first day.
But people are making such a huge drama about them being absent 😂

On a different note, how many of you actually received an email with updates, like how long classes would last or general organization stuff?
We didn't get anything at all 😂

Everything is posted exclusively on the school website. When things start, which classroom to go to, the first day schedule, subsequent days, COVID-19 protocols... oh, and another COVID-19 rule: no switching classrooms.

fadedranger162 said:Does that rule apply just to teachers, or are the kids stuck with it too?

Everyone.

I'm satisfied with how things are... masks are only required while walking through the elementary school hallways—once you're outside for recess, they're off.

👍

Reading this, where they say kids won't let you cuddle at twelve... fine, I'll stop pestering him out in public, but at home, I’ll do it as much as I want. It was the same way with the older ones.
Mind you, my version of affection involves a bit of wrestling—pulling, tickling, basically trying to kill the poor thing—and some growling too.🤣
And he’s totally fine with it... when he’s bored, he just yells from his room for me to come over and tear him apart.

When he pulls some teenage stunt, I usually just scowl and threaten that I can be just as difficult if he keeps it up—then he settles down.

What really gets to me, though, is that I don't even dare frown at him, otherwise he'll just hover and say, "You're being useless again."
Again??

velvetskipper11 said:Of course people do that.
The way you play—your card game follows the regulations, so I don't see why that would be an example. This other person hangs out with five or six friends—now *that* isn't following the rules, and that's what gets you penalized.
The restrictions just aren't normal.
Just because they're being enforced selectively or hardly anyone actually pays the fine doesn't mean things can't change at any second. Some idiot could report you while you're playing your cards, and then what? Would you really be fine with getting slapped with a couple thousand dollars in fines?
Kids aren't training properly, practical lessons aren't happening right, the rules change constantly—what's allowed today might be banned tomorrow—and yet this woman above is living in her own little universe, daring to lecture us about ignoring the measures. If the measures are so great, why isn't she following them? She acts like they don't even exist and then claims everything is fine because of it. Would she actually be okay if she had read this scandalous set of regulations and actually stuck to them?

Hanging out with 5 or 6 friends on a trip—there were 15 of us hiking a single trail in California the day before yesterday... since when is that forbidden? And along the way, I saw God knows how many groups of people singing and walking, all ending up at a patio in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Kids are training normally now, both indoors and outdoors.

I still have no idea what you're talking about.

For that matter, almost everyone I know has had COVID in the last few months...

velvetskipper11 said:HELLO???
How many people from different households were actually allowed to hang out during Christmas, for instance?
What are you even rambling about?
Is what you're doing actually legal under current restrictions? Do you even understand English? Go read the rules—socializing is limited to a maximum of two (TWO) households, not five or six. Good grief, what is your IQ?
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/guidance/recommendations/index.html

Look at everything that’s been shut down. Are your kids playing basketball or something, so everything is just fine? Is it? How long have all those kids who play organized sports been unable to attend practice? What about the gyms?

No, seriously—are you trying to make me look crazy? You, who aren't following the rules, are sitting here acting wise and claiming everything is perfectly fine. You're even insisting that in-person classes are running normally and at full capacity when that’s clearly not true. Just go check on the medical students over at Johns Hopkins.
Where do you find these lunatics? Have you completely lost touch with reality?

Please... since when were those the rules? As far as I know, up to 10 people from two households can gather, and kids don't count toward the limit... which damn rule did she actually break? I can't find one, other than maybe forgetting a mask once or twice—something even I do, and then I just put it on once I remember.

Drew Johnson2 said:So, you’re basically doing the exact opposite of everything the head coach has laid out... Look, I’m not judging your lifestyle choices, really, but the playbook is pretty straightforward: no yellow cards on the weekends and absolutely no messing around with those guys who have such massive egos...

What do you mean "exactly opposite"... I’m following every single guideline provided, and so are the kids. We’ve been playing cards with our godparents—there are four of us from two different households.

Everything is strictly by the book.

Given how she lives her life, you're better off just sticking to the rules if you want to keep your sanity intact...

Quote:>

Austin Garcia says: That many kids in one classroom without masks—or even close to social distancing? Impossible. Schools are clearly the epicenter here... maybe everyone was just asymptomatic.🤔 😁>

They’ve been "Model B" from day one, but that doesn't change the fact that half the school is basically living in the building... they have 24 students crammed into one room.
I honestly have no clue. All I know is that I am at my absolute breaking point—mentally and financially.

For him, the worst part is celebrating his second birthday in a row without any friends. It’s just wrong—they show up for the party, yet they spend every single day parading through the park or riding bikes together with their significant others.

Drew Johnson2 said:"

Amanda Hughes37 As stated by:
Well, thanks to you ladies for all the advice—now that we’ve finally managed to break through this fever and make it through the night... but regarding those masks, my boy was just a little kid last year so he didn't bother wearing one in class, though apparently, that hasn't changed even now that he's in fifth grade... they still make them wear them during computer lab because the seating isn't set up like a standard classroom, even though they sit shoulder-to-shoulder in their regular classes anyway, and he mentions that the teachers are actually wearing masks in the classroom too...

It seems, quite clearly, that it all just comes down to whoever happens to be in a mood for pulling someone's leg at any given moment...
I suppose I should feel some sense of satisfaction seeing them get mocked like this... though, on second thought, perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to celebrate such a spectacle...🤔

My kids only have to wear them during finals, though at their school, the policy shifts depending on the class size and how much breathing room there is between desks... In their case, there are only fifteen students in a massive classroom, so everyone basically has their own private island of a desk. They haven't dealt with any outbreaks or flu season spikes yet, so I’m honestly quite relieved they don't have to bother with them otherwise...

We had one case of the flu because a teacher tested positive and one student caught it... back in the first semester. There are 24 kids in the class.

Yeah, thanks for the advice, ladies. We managed to get through the fever and survived the night... but regarding the masks—my kid was in a lower grade last year, so he didn't bother wearing one in class. Apparently, things haven't changed now that he's in 5th grade; they still make them wear them during computer lab because the seating isn't set up like a standard classroom—even though they sit shoulder-to-shoulder in a regular room anyway. He says the teachers wear them too.

It’s pretty obvious it just comes down to whoever's in charge making a joke out of it.
I'm almost glad they got played this way... or maybe I shouldn't be.🤔

mellowskipper said:Ever since I started wearing a mask myself, I've broken out in a rash all over my chin.
Katherine, I take mine off when the fever is lower, and honestly, that seems like a decent enough option to me. Up to 38 degrees, I'll use Tylenol, but once it goes higher, I switch to Advil. If I just let him sit there and suffer until he hits 38.5 like they suggest, he'll be stuck in bed forever and the illness will just drag on.
Keep an eye on whether his breathing is shallow and watch the color of his fingernails. Also, check if he can move his neck, rotate, or touch his chin to his chest. And make sure there isn't a rash.

Everyone is obsessing over head injuries... meanwhile, even with three kids, I'm hardly an expert since they rarely get sick—or if they do, it's over in forty-eight hours.
I take mine off too, but even after Advil, the fever hit 101.8.

Anyway, we're drifting off-topic.

copperharbor59 said:I am genuinely curious to know if your children have experienced any actual issues after wearing masks in their classrooms?
Just speaking from experience... what are they telling you?

I asked around—at my fifth grader's school, they only wear them in the hallways and during computer lab.
Two older kids work part-time as servers for a few hours, and one girl hasn't been able to clear up a cold sore above her lip for a month... I don't know if the mask is making it worse, but I doubt it's helping.

Anyway, my little one was throwing up last night—headache, sore throat, the whole bit. The pediatrician sent me out for syrup and Biorell, $50 which is quite a list (if you catch my drift)😁... she even had me check the color of his throat with my phone flashlight and told me to call back if things didn't improve in three days.
As for the fever, she said only bother with meds if it hits 101.3...
She also checked if we’d tried home remedies, hit up an Urgent Care, or tested positive for COVID.

Now he’s sitting at 102.2 and I can't help but think about Gabriel from Memphis☕

It’s not always about what was said—it’s more about the delivery.

There’s a massive gulf between saying, "Look, kids need to wear masks because it's the mandate for indoor spaces; hopefully, these restrictions end soon," and some condescending remark paired with an emoji that makes your skin crawl.

And let’s be honest—no parent wants to hear a teacher basically say, "I couldn't care less about the curriculum or how you feel about remote learning; if we have to stay online to keep the school safe, fine, whatever."

Teachers should be the first ones to realize just how brutal these last two academic years have been. When you factor in the questionable living conditions kids face at home, or how parents are struggling with the pandemic, fluctuating incomes, and sheer exhaustion... you just want to hear from someone with a shred of empathy. Someone who won't turn everything into a middle finger to everyone else's life... It’s a shame things aren't handled with more grace.

On another note, over here, the finals that were supposed to happen before the break have been pushed back until after the holidays.

wanderingbadger44 might be a decent person, but her way of talking about her job is just grating... honestly, it’s hard to listen to.

A few months back, she messaged me here following a debate with others regarding remote learning—complaining quite loudly about how much it hurts her heart that my kid, or anyone else's, won't master fractions. As if the rest of us believe a child's entire existence hinges on a fraction.

All this, mind you, while we're in the middle of a deadly pandemic questioning what the last two school years have even meant for us.

Then there are those comments suggesting nobody should care if someone misses out on their dream college because they caught the flu or tested positive for... well, you know... bad luck. Apparently, it isn't their job to make sure that happens.

I think wanderingbadger44 and a handful of others are just trying to burst our bubble regarding the fairy tale that professors are deeply in love with their students and their subjects—that they're willing to go above and beyond for everything...

My daughter finished high school four years ago, and I can't even be certain how many field trips she actually went on back then.
I recall a quick two-day trip to Gardeland, then three days through Budapest-Vienna, a prague 4 day stint, and an eight-day cruise to Greece for graduation...

Kids these days really miss out.

hiddendriver34 said:Look, I’m not the testing coordinator, so I don't have to memorize every single line of the SAT handbook. My job is pretty straightforward: follow the directions handed down by the coordinator. And honestly? That specific instruction you're highlighting in red? It’s one I haven't seen once in all my years doing this. In fact, nobody else at my school has ever heard of it either.

Well, maybe your school just hasn't dealt with any unique circumstances.
I’m reading through the manual for the first time today, and frankly, everything written there seems perfectly standard... nothing out of the ordinary.
It’s baffling that you’ve lived this long believing that the SAT isn't adapted for students with disabilities—for various needs and accommodations.

And somehow, you thought that was normal.

hiddendriver34 said:Just to throw my two cents in—personally, I wouldn't blink if I had to pull an extra shift proctoring another SAT after someone finished their quarantine. It’s really not a big deal to me.

But we have to look at the math here. Running these makeup exams costs a fortune—we're talking millions when you factor in everything from drafting new test versions to shipping them out and paying security firms. Where is that money supposed to come from? And honestly, 🐔—why isn't that cash being funneled toward helping all the other patients in need? How is that even fair?

I assume you actually read what I wrote in the meantime, but I'm honestly stunned that an educator wouldn't realize there's a massive amount of accommodations available for students—including home visits and hospital testing...

hiddendriver34 said:Looking at the link you shared, those measures were actually put in place back in 2020 because of COVID-19. It's a different ballgame now. Which brings me right back to my original point: what about all the students who have been dealing with chronic illnesses throughout the years leading up to the pandemic? Why aren't they being given the option to take the test from home either?

So, you're saying they weren't even doing site visits—homes, hospitals, actual locations—until last year...?
Why would anyone suggest that COVID-19 is the reason a child ends up in the hospital or being treated at home—when it’s blindingly obvious they aren't there because of the virus, but because of a primary underlying condition...
So, just when COVID-19 hits... suddenly there's a sudden urge to go door-to-door visiting kids at home? Really...

There are so many accommodations made for specific cases during the SAT that a kid just wanting to go home is the least of anyone's concerns—really... Entire manuals exist just to figure out how to tweak materials, timing, and testing locations based on whatever individual struggle a student is facing.

The Department of Education is making some moves regarding the upcoming SATs—specifically looking at how they handle psychological testing and student assessment methodologies. It’s a complex web of data and standardized metrics that supposedly measures "readiness," though we all know how much nuance gets lost in those spreadsheets. There’s a lot of talk about how the National Center for Educational Assessment will oversee the process to ensure everything stays uniform across the country. They're digging deep into the psychometrics behind the tests—trying to make sure the results aren't just statistical noise. It’s an expensive, bureaucratic dance... always more layers of oversight for the sake of "accuracy." The goal, according to the Department, is to refine these tools so they actually reflect what students know. But in practice, it often feels like more paperwork and more high-stakes pressure for everyone involved. We'll see if these adjustments actually change anything or if it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic...

Over nine years of following the guidelines set by the National Center for Educational Assessment, more than 3,000 students have utilized adaptive testing technology for their SAT...

The summer session for this year's SAT kicked off a few days ago—over 35,000 students signed up... A significant number of those applicants are students with disabilities, who have benefited from much more accessible testing protocols since the National Center for Educational Assessment (NCVVO) rolled out specific guidelines back in 2008. Under these regulations, students with disabilities take their exams using adapted testing technology, all following the NCVVO standards approved by the Department...

The model is designed so that any adjustments won't have any negative impact on a student's college applications—or their rights... none at all. Neither the transcripts nor the official exam records show any indication that the student received accommodations. Sanja Horvatić, an advisor in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Education, points out that throughout the nine years since the SAT was implemented, the rights of students with disabilities have never been diminished...

Accommodations cover both the exam materials and the actual testing process—it’s about leveling the playing field. This could mean anything from switching to Braille or using large-print A3 sheets with high-contrast ink and tactile diagrams for math, to specific print adjustments for students with dyslexia. It also includes letting students with dysgraphia or motor impairments type their essays on a computer, providing printed instructions read aloud by a proctor for those with hearing impairments, assigning a dedicated aide for specialized support, or simply granting extra time... it's all part of it. To accommodate students facing health challenges—and because we need to ensure they actually have a shot at passing—arrangements have been made to allow exams to be taken at home or in a hospital. This applies to any student where testing won't jeopardize their recovery or ongoing treatment... provided they submit a doctor's note to verify the situation..

Take a look at the dates and the specific timeframes mentioned in the text—you might also want to dig into the official SAT regulations regarding what accommodations can actually be provided for students...

How on earth is it possible that you're only hearing about this for the first time today?

hiddendriver34 said:Everyone is fighting for those top-tier schools. Some get in, have a great time, and graduate successfully. Others get in, realize after freshman year that it's not their vibe, and pivot to something completely different. Then there are the ones who don't enroll at all for various reasons—maybe they missed an exam due to illness, or maybe they just fell a few points short of the cutoff. Some find their true calling in a second choice, while others spend a year regrouping and then try again for their original dream. Or, some decide to skip college entirely for a year to work as an au pair in England (and then they fall in love and stay there!). Or they just spend the whole year hitting the books. (I know people who fit every single one of these scenarios.) Life is a million different combinations, and you never really know where the road leads.
What I'm trying to say is that missing a year of college because you got sick isn't some massive life tragedy. It’s sad, sure, and it feels incredibly unfair—and to the kid going through it, it might feel like the end of the world. But it really isn't. Parents need to be the smart ones here and step up to help convince their kids of that.

Sorry, I must be a bit slow—are you pulling my leg?

There's no need—at least not from me right now—to lecture everyone on how life is unpredictable and that the SAT is just one day in a long existence.
The reality is simple... the SAT and university admissions are structured such that if you don't enroll during your freshman year, you could lose the chance to attend your preferred school.
Every stakeholder involved needs to do everything within their power to accommodate anyone who wants to take the exam during this window—regardless of location—and actually solve the problem.
There are always a limited number of such students; even if many are ill, not everyone is desperate to hit a specific deadline. But for those who refuse to miss out, we should make it possible for them to participate.

I’m seeing a lot of skepticism regarding taking the SAT outside of the main testing centers.

Taking exams at home. During home-based SAT administration, the proctors arriving at the
test-taker's residence wear surgical masks and hand sanitizer, maintaining a 2-meter distance from other
household members and the student. If the student is immunocompromised, the proctors conducting the
SAT at the home will also wear disposable gloves in addition to masks. The student himself
follows the recommendations of the specialist physician managing his primary condition. Taking the SAT
in a hospital setting follows the specific protocols of that facility.