He is a growing thread of questions that @kmoorespps (and I know, so many others) has (have) right now. We are hoping to hear answers to these questions and more today.

Minnesota Schools Reopening Plan

Will proper PPE be provided, at no cost, to teachers?

Will PPE be provided to students? What happens if students arrive without a mask?

Who will be cleaning classroom surfaces and materials? This is typically the job of the teacher.

Will proper cleaning products and sanitation materials (i.e. real paper towels??) be provided, at no cost, to teachers? Typically if we would like our surfaces/materials cleaned, we are responsible for providing the cleaning products.

If one student in a class gets sick, does the entire class quarantine and switch to distant learning? The whole grade? The whole school? Lunch staff?

If a teacher gets sick, or someone in their household tests positive, will a substitute come in? Will the class quarantine? Other teachers who teach nearby?

Last year there was a huge shortage of substitute teachers and bus drivers, how do we anticipate this will impact the upcoming school year?

What will students be able to do at school? Work in small groups with masks? Walk in a line to lunch with masks? Eat lunch?? Will students be able to fully participate in recess?

Many hybrid models have noted “no new learning” while in person at school. New learning will be during distance learning days, in person will focus on SEL. Who will be providing days of SEL activities that are manageable with safety guidelines?

If teachers are not providing new learning at school, are we babysitting/providing childcare?

When providing both distance learning academic work AND in person activities/review/etc., aren’t we doing two full time jobs? When will I have time to create, post, grade, engage, with students online if I’m at school all day?

Typically our “breaks” during the day are when students are at lunch and are with a specialist teacher? Will these contracted planning times still be provided?

Many parents are discussing hosting pods of students at their home to help with distance learning. How can we make sure this is equitable?

Assuming students cannot share classroom materials, manipulatives, etc., will teachers be given time and money to prepare for this huge change?

How will we manage student materials to make sure we can send students at home, to be successful, at any moment? Bring in minimal supplies in the first place? Have two sets of supplies for each student? If so, who is paying for those?

If my student has a sibling at a different school and that sibling’s class has to quarantine, does my student also quarantine?

How often will teachers be tested? Will this be convenient given our inability to take off work for an appointment? How quickly do we anticipate results?

Like @mcricker just mentioned, educators were given less than 10 days to completely change the way they teach. Completely. Can we have faith that they will go above and beyond to provide improved distance learning this fall?

Is there a plan for what to do if more teachers choose to stay home than expected? Will we have to require more students to stay home, even if they don’t choose to?

Will distance learning be asynchronous again this fall to allow flexibility for families?

Again, these are the questions that @kmoorespps is asking right now during the Minnesota School Reopening press conference. Feel free to follow her. She is a tremendous educator, a mentor, a motivator and most importantly to me... an amazing friend!

Will teachers be allowed to be in their school buildings when we are in full distance learning mode? In the spring we were locked out. Being in our classrooms, with all our materials, will allow us to be better educators.

(2 part statement coming)
Having taught both elementary and secondary, I understand the differences in the two. However, during our spring distance learning, as an upper elementary teacher, I was providing a live morning meeting and at least FIVE lessons/activities per day....

(Part 2 of the statement)
Again I understand grading, number of students, etc. is different but secondary teachers were typically asked to provided TWO lessons a WEEK. Will our plan this fall address this discrepancy?

Will schools set (and follow) their own expectations for teachers? Live meetings, amount of work for students, etc.? I noticed a big difference in those things between the five teachers in my grade level (all at the same school).

As we get closer to the question & answer period (and I already know reporters have a host of questions) but I ask that they consider wrapping some of these questions in the thread too.

@WCCO @MPRnews @KSTP @kare11 @StarTribune @PioneerPress

I have read that masks should still be worn with face shields. Will this be the expectation at schools? Will the face shields be replacing masks for teachers?

The concerns about the social and emotional needs of students are real. No one will argue that. Is there a plan for what schools will do if/when someone in a school loses their life to COVID-19? Will additional counselors, social workers, etc. be brought in?

Will districts be providing signs, lesson plans, etc. for how to teach students about washing hands, wear masks, blowing their nose, using the restroom, etc. Not just signs all over the school. What is the plan for teaching and enforcing the expectations?

(Districts pay for it?)

Who will be responsible for informing families of positive cases, outbreaks, etc.? Will teachers be required to ask parents/students to get tested, stay home?

What if my students refuse to wear a mask or stay distant? There needs to be a plan in place for this. It needs to be equitable.

(Is it up to a school to enforce? Does MDE have suggestions/recommendations/guidelines that can be "enforced"? What is the recourse?)

Will Minnesota be watching other states that begin school before us? Could this change anything?

Will schools be able to rollover funding that would have gone toward things like field trips to the 21-22 school year?

Who will be holding schools accountable? If our school is not following guidelines, what do we as teachers do if we see a problem?

Teachers need to prepare. Are we expected to prepare for the beginning of the year for BOTH options? The beginning of the year is an incredible amount of work during a typical school year. When will we know for sure(!) how our district will start the year?

Can we shift the language being used around schools? Schools will be open no matter what. School buildings may be closed to keep us safe. Teachers will be doing their jobs no matter what. Parents may be at home supporting distance learning but they are not being asked to teach.

Are teachers allowed to use their personal days/sick leave for things other than COVID-19? Will we be required to use our personal days/sick days if we contract COVID? Will there be substitutes available?