Socially distanced, masked and with freshly sanitized hands, the kids were playing a math game, “Spin and Round”, along the periphery of the room. I’d just checked in with the last group and headed past my desk where my phone was lying out. It’s become an integral part of the day since we spend lots of time outside and I have no time to access my computer after about 11:00 am. I’ve gotten used to glancing at it to check for important e-mails, and did this as I walked by, noticing a notification of an incoming district e-mail.
“Positive Case of Covid-19….”
I stopped in my tracks.
What!?
I grabbed my phone, quickly clicked on the notification, and read.
The details were deliberately vague, but someone with contact at our district’s middle school had tested positive for Covid. My heart sank.
About fifteen minutes later, at recess, the kids played and the adults huddled, checking in with each other.
“Did you see the e-mail?”
“Do you know anything?”
“You know our kids practice sports at the middle school, right?”
We reassured ourselves that this was bound to happen. It wasn’t unexpected. And it was just one case. Hopefully our precautions would serve us well and this could be contained.
We headed back into school, slightly uneasy. But at least there weren’t any cases at our school.
About an hour and a half later, as the kids packed up, I quickly checked e-mails.
Oh, no.
Sure enough, there was another district e-mail.
“Three More Probable Cases of Covid-19.”
My head spun. I hadn’t expected this notice so quickly after the first one. I skimmed the text. Three cases. One more at the middle school, one at the high school and one at a 3-5 school. None at our school. At least not yet.
Still. This is beginning to feel like a runaway train heading down the tracks.
Nix the comfort zone 
Gaw
Even knowing that might be where all of us are going, it’s still a shock to be confronted with it. Hang in there. Head for the marsh!
Kevin
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It did feel like a shock. And your advice is spot on–There’s always solace at the marsh!
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It’s happened in our district a few times and it takes my breath away every time. Stay safe.
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Well, no new cases today, so that’s something. Fingers crossed!
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You know it’s possible, but when it happens it’s shocking. Probably inevitable. Now is the time we learn whether the parents and teachers have confidence in the administration. To me, I have no obvious answer. Those that were leary of returning to in-class teaching must be having such doubts. Just rambling and wishing you all well.
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Thanks for the good wishes, Dan. I’ll take every one of them! It’s all so disconcerting to say the least…
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Oh, Molly – how well you capture the clutch of fear… my thoughts are with you for safety and wellness, and a wise engineers on that runaway train…
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I’m so glad I’m not one of those engineers! I can’t imagine trying to balance all the different demands and make those all-important weighty decisions.
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You are right. It was bound to happen, but so soon? Argh! We haven’t had any cases yet that I know of, but I worry that our district doesn’t communicate as well. Hold your horses. I fear more are coming.
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I do appreciate the immediate communication from our district. They’ve done well with that.
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Yikes! Intellectually I know it’s possible—but that feels scary. Hang in there, and keep washing those hands!
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Thanks!
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Molly, everyone in education that I know are hoping and praying that COVID-19 does not surface in their school districts. It must be shocking to read an email stating it has happened. I was shocked when my grad students who are teachers were talking about relatives with COVID. Of 7 students 3 had relatives who were seriously affecting and one who passed away on the 3rd day of our 4-day intensive institute. When it is someone you know or a relative of a person you know, the dreadful disease becomes more of a reality. Stay grounded and SAFE!
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Covid really has redefined our reality. I’m so impressed with the resilience of our students but so sad at the same time.
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Molly–shocking and scary indeed. And yes, bound to happen. I wish well to those people with positive tests and safety for you and yours.
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Thanks, Heidi. So far it seems like the illness was contained within one family and they acted quickly and responsibly to contain it. Fingers crossed!
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