After a much needed week long break from work and school, we are buckling up for the next covid wave! I shared some concerns with my teacher council representative, after unknowingly walking into a school that had almost an entire grade level out, along with all front office staff! The updates that our county said […]
Buckle Up! — Army of Angels: Part 2
It happened…..we lost a public school employee to Covid-19. He went home one day with Covid-19, and passed away soon after. Schools have been in session for about seven weeks. We currently have 41 adults out with Covid-19, and 32 students. Many more are quarantined as “close contacts”. Our employee worked at two of the […]
We Lost Someone — Army of Angels: Part 2
The teacher anxiety is real. This week, it finally got to me. I have been sucking it up to, “mask up and go in”, as we are told to do. I travel to different schools, and see about ten kids in person a week. The rest of my students are remote. Of the ten in […]
Teacher Anxiety Increasing — Army of Angels: Part 2
One of our main high schools had to close for a 14 day quarantine. Each day, our county updates on which schools have had to send students home to quarantine. No one seems to connect the fact that if students were exposed here, there is a good chance that siblings at other schools are at […]
Pandemic Anxiety and the birthday cake — Army of Angels: Part 2
Schools have been open in my county for a full month now. I don’t think parents or other stakeholders really thought in advance, what that would look like in this pandemic. Many people where I live, still think it’s a “hoax”, and only the “scared” should wear face coverings. So no one is required to […]
The Ripple — Army of Angels: Part 2
Little AoA found joy this weekend in a Walmart. We knew that there was a new line of greeting cards featuring our favorite, Dolly Parton. We looked for them every time we went to the store, and finally, we found them! It was a little treasure in these challenging times. I’ll take it! Our schools […]
The Little Things — Army of Angels: Part 2
Here in my county in Tennessee, we have just completed two weeks of school with kids in person. Our state seems to be in complete denial that the pandemic is serious. Our state sat at 17th most cases in the country not so long ago. The cases have not been decreasing here, and we have […]
Mass Confusion and Frequent Pivoting — Army of Angels: Part 2
Teachers in my county became “essential workers” last week. I learned today, that someone I was in a room with on Thursday, was actually contact traced or had a loved one at home with Covid. He was at work because that is what we were told to do. Luckily, we were both wearing masks, and […]
Let’s Do This! — Army of Angels: Part 2
Teachers have been back to work for three weeks now. The students have been back for one week. There have been 16 positive Covid cases in the schools so far, all adults. I had my own Covid crash this week. One of my work friends spiked a high fever on Monday night. I had been […]
Three Weeks — Army of Angels: Part 2
Today was our first day of school with kids. It went very smoothly at my school, mostly because our administrators are logistics superstars! Classes on my side of the building, with 5th and 6th grade, were at a little less than half capacity. The kids were mostly not wearing masks in the classroom, and neither […]
Mask Up And Go In! — Army of Angels: Part 2
I went to my classroom one last time today, to get ready for Monday, the first day for kids. I couldn’t resist taking this picture of the items given to each teacher, by our school. The cleaner is some sort of “natural cleaner” from a local company. One face shield and one mask, along with […]
Protection! — Army of Angels: Part 2
School systems around us have been starting to open this week. Many are having to close and switch to all remote learning within days, due to transmission of Covid-19. A six year old child in our state died today from Covid-19. Kids are showing up to school with it. Schools in my county open in […]
Open and Close! — Army of Angels: Part 2
Teachers have been preparing their rooms and lessons to be ready to receive students! As the time draws near, my teacher friends with compromised health conditions grow more nervous. One of my friends is “getting her affairs in order”. My own parents are scared that I will unknowingly bring this virus home. All while one […]
Ready to Go! — Army of Angels: Part 2
Everyone needs to wash their hands, because our school board voted tonight, not to require students or teachers to wear masks at school! Correct me if I’m wrong- I am not a doctor… but I thought we knew our special virus was airborne. Three school board members, the school attorney, and superintendent (he is BRAND […]
The Vote Against Masks — Army of Angels: Part 2
Some kids in our state will start back to in person learning tomorrow. My county starts next week. Today was the deadline for families to register for remote learning if that is what they choose. I am very curious about how many students will be remote. We will know tomorrow. I am looking forward to […]
Here They Come — Army of Angels: Part 2
This news article came out today. Schools open for in person instruction in just one week….oh, and masks are optional. I had the pleasure of being able to participate in a teacher’s union zoom call tonight. They had a panel of doctors who have been trying to help guide the safe opening of schools. What […]
Open Them Up! — Army of Angels: Part 2
Today was the third day of professional development for teachers, pandemic style. Everyone has to have their temperature taken at the front door, and log their answers to the Covid-19 questions on a google form. Then it is each teacher to his or her classroom to log on to distanced training. I never realized how […]
Pivot! — Army of Angels: Part 2
Teachers in my state waited anxiously for our governor to address the state today about the opening of schools. Yesterday, Dr. Birx visited our state because our transmission rate is so high, and many of our citizens either don’t understand, or disagree with Covid-19 being real and in need of mitigation. She urged so many […]
“Good Luck Ya’ll” — Army of Angels: Part 2
Today was the first day back to work for teachers in my county. We all went to our rooms, and met remotely as a faculty. Three of my peers were remote from home, in quarantine due to having been exposed, or waiting for test results. Another school had an administrator test positive, and much of […]
Lift Off- First Day — Army of Angels: Part 2
I am as ready as I can be for the re-entry into the schools tomorrow morning. We have two weeks to work on professional development to learn some new skills and prepare for the combination of in person and remote learning. Everyone will do an on site temperature check and COVID-19 checklist upon entry to […]
7 Hours to Re-Entry — Army of Angels: Part 2
Teachers return to schools in one day! The students will return two weeks later. The school system is providing teachers with two weeks worth of training on distance learning. It is important to mention how it will be done. Teachers will report to their schools, do the COVID-19 check in with temperature check, and then […]
1 Day- Countdown to Re-entry — Army of Angels: Part 2
Tension rises as the day to re-enter our public schools gets closer. While I am ready to get back to the routine of going to work and interacting with others, I am terribly afraid that it won’t be safe. I need to keep my mind sharp and critical, so that I can pull out and […]
8 Days- Countdown to Re-entry — Army of Angels: Part 2
It is time to begin the countdown to return to our public schools for the professional development activities that occur the week before students return to school! In reality, we won’t even know what this might look like for another three days, when our school board meets to decide. The main things that we know […]
9 Days- Countdown to Re-Entry — Army of Angels: Part 2
Our kids are set to return to school on August 3rd! Of course, this could change at any time. The only thing we really know is that each school is being given a thermometer gun for each 40 kids. One school I serve at is providing face shields for anyone who wants one. Do you […]
Who’s Going To Do That? — Army of Angels: Part 2
Last week, our governor decided that local county mayors could mandate mask wearing in public if they thought that was best for their counties. Guess whose county DID NOT get a mask mandate? Mine…..Our county mayor decided that individual freedom was more important than wearing masks and saving lives for a short time during a […]
Processing New Mandates — Army of Angels: Part 2
I can’t believe we are three weeks from teachers’ return to the public schools! The schools are starting to put out their plans for returning. Each school has its own plan. Masks? Wear them if you want to….. To say the least, I am already concerned. I go to seven different schools each week. I […]
The Plan is to Pivot? — Army of Angels: Part 2
Pandemic holidays are really something. I usually love seeing the fireworks, and shooting some off at home. This year, we all decided to just watch the celebrations on the television, while listening to all the neighbors shoot off fireworks in their yards. We had some nice steaks and salad for supper, and a cherry pie- […]
Independence Day Pandemic — Army of Angels: Part 2
Covid has hit close to home now. My oldest daughter, a nurse at a local nursing home, is working amidst a new outbreak. She has had to ask a family member to keep her daughter for at least a month, as the outbreak makes its way through her workplace. As the facility becomes short of […]
Every Man for Himself — Army of Angels: Part 2
Is it over yet? I was blogging daily while our state was under a stay at home order. Right after that ended, teachers were called back to work. We had to complete all of the IEP meetings that had come due during the stay at home order. We then had to go back into the […]
Is 2020 Over Yet? — Army of Angels: Part 2
The people where I live emerged from their places of quarantine by the middle of May. The teachers at the school where I have my classroom, returned to work to clean out classrooms and do a drive by pick up for students to retrieve their things. We were all wearing masks and gloves, and practicing […]
They Emerged — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 55…… Tomorrow I venture back into my school building to pack up my classroom for the summer. My room is mostly cluttered with books that I inherited from a retired teacher. Every year when I try to get rid of some, I get interested in them, and they stay in my room. Maybe this […]
Quarantine Day 55 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 53…… I missed writing the last couple of days. I had spread myself too thin. I had signed up for a group book study with some other teachers. The schedule was fine when I signed up for it several weeks ago. It was to meet on four different mornings for two to three hours […]
Quarantine Day 53 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 50….. we are getting back on track after our powerless stretch of time Sunday night. Today we tried to do a supervised phone visit between the kids and their dad. Both kids were very upset about it. The supervisor called me first, and heard me pleading with the kids to participate. In the end, […]
Quarantine Day 50 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 48…… well, actually today is day 49, but last night we lost power, and I wasn’t able to post anything. The day was like any other day during our pandemic. We knew that there were thunderstorms coming in the evening, which is not uncommon. Once it hit 4:30 pm, the wind started picking up […]
Quarantine Day 48 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 47…… our bird nest is now empty. It was quite a day. It started with picking up my truck from the shop after being fixed. After that, I did some computer work with my dad. While I was finishing up the computer work, my mom started stumbling over her own feet while walking. My […]
Quarantine Day 47 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 46 is in the books. Our county opened gyms today, retail two days ago, and dining in restaurants 5 days ago. Less than half the people are taking precautions of wearing masks and social distancing. My school system has called teachers in to work for one week, even though the guidelines still call for […]
Quarantine Day 46 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 45….. hair salons will open soon, and everyone can get fixed up. I don’t think I ever realized how much importance people put into hair and nail salons. I hardly ever get my nails done, and I only get my hair cut when it starts to get too long and hot. People are so […]
Quarantine Day 45 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 44…..I saw this sign on my journey to pick up my groceries curbside today. I had Little AoA with me for the ride, and we started a little game where we count the people with and without masks on, going into stores. We counted less than half with masks. Our state allowed dine in […]
Quarantine Day 44 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 43… my mom is starting to get an infection that is not good for her sweet age of 77. She does not want to go to a doctor. I am doing my best to make sure she drinks and eats to stay hydrated. I will go against her wishes and call her doctor. The […]
Quarantine Day 43 — Army of Angels: Part 2
I can’t believe it has been 42 days! Our state started opening back up today with restaurant dining rooms opening at 50% capacity and no more than six to a group. I drove by a restaurant on my way to the grocery store and saw the people dining. There is no six foot social distancing […]
Quarantine Day 42 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 41….I was so lazy…. I made myself a goal for today to bless others, and that is about all I did. I watched virtual church from my bed, in my pajamas of course. Then I found another church message to watch from bed. I struggled to get up today. I finally did get up […]
Quarantine Day 41 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 40 of quarantine, and our world is preparing to open back up. I had to pick up medicine for my mom today, and it was crazy out there! People are back to how they were before the stay at home order was in place! Whole families were out shopping together, and not wearing masks. […]
Quarantine Day 40 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Another day…..day 38. Today was my aunt’s 74th birthday! She lives in a local nursing home, so we couldn’t go in to visit and celebrate with her. My mom and I went there in the morning and dropped off presents, cake and ice cream for everyone on her hall, and some treat bags for some […]
Quarantine Day 39 — Army of Angels: Part 2
38 days…..this has become my new normal. I actually did real “work from home” activities today. It really felt like work. If this is continuing, I need to set up my “work area” so that it is more functional. I was originally set up to work in our living room. That had its challenges. Anytime […]
Quarantine Day 38 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 37 was Earth Day! I think the earth is resting while the people stay home. We did a lot of planting yesterday. Today was a big day for zooming. I met with two of my students, Little AoA met with her tutor, and I met with my counselor. I am glad we are getting […]
Quarantine Day 37 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 36 couldn’t have been more beautiful! I started my day by going to the Harbor Freight store for some lawnmower parts. My mom and I planted some vegetable plants in our little garden. It still needs a little work, but my body wouldn’t do much more today. I had a zoom meeting with my […]
Quarantine Day 36 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 35 was a little more interesting than most. My school had our first zoom faculty meeting, which was interesting. One feature that makes these meeting more productive, is the mute feature. Side conversations do not interrupt the main speaker. Our administrator had sent out a group document earlier, for any questions we had. Before […]
Quarantine Day 35 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 34 and Little AoA is going stir crazy! We went for a ride today, just to get out of the house. We are really missing going to places where there are people. To top off our day, it was cloudy and raining. I watched online church this morning from my bed. I had stayed […]
Quarantine Day 34 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 33 was a little more productive for me than days past. I started the day by making the run to the store for groceries, and dropping off treats at the nursing home for my aunt, who lives there. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I was really excited about buying a new […]
Quarantine Day 33 — Army of Angels: Part 2
Day 32 and it seems like sleeping too much has become a way to pass the time. I woke up really early, watched the morning news, and fell back asleep! My sleep time has been riddled with nightmares almost every night since our state shut down. I know the dreams are anxiety dreams. They usually […]
Quarantine Day 32 — Army of Angels: Part 2
