We need an official back-to-school plan sooner, not later

If there’s one thing we can be certain of in the time of COVID-19, it’s that nothing is certain. Everything changes by the day, if not the hour, and planning ahead is akin to Sisyphus rolling his boulder up a hill for eternity — ultimately futile. We understand that, and we understand we have to plan ahead anyway, especially as the start of the school year swiftly approaches.

But it isn’t fair to add one more layer of uncertainty to parents’, students’ and teachers’ lives by waiting until the week before school is meant to start to announce a reopening plan. Gov. Jim Justice set Sept. 1 as the date he will make his official announcement regarding schools.

As the saying goes, no plan survives first contact with the enemy — in this case, a still-prevalent pandemic. We know things are going to change almost immediately. But announcing reopening guidelines one week before classes start gives parents, students and teachers an extremely limited timeframe to get their own plans in place before Sept. 8. And then, when the approach to K-12 schooling ultimately changes again several weeks in, people will have to scramble to adjust yet again.

We understand that different areas are facing different obstacles to education this year, and a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t what we need. By that same token, different families are facing different obstacles to education this year. Many are concerned about not having anyone to supervise their children if distance learning is necessary. Others are concerned about kids bringing a potentially deadly virus into their homes if that child attends in-person classes. Which is why we need the options for school to be announced sooner rather than later.

If remote learning becomes the standard, parents and guardians are going to need to find childcare. This might mean ensuring they don’t lose the spot they already have at an open day care; beginning the process of hiring a babysitter or tutor; or negotiating work-from-home options with their employer. Caregivers are also going to have to contend with finding an option that doesn’t just guarantee their children have supervision while they are at work; they’ll need to consider what kind of service will keep their kids working on school assignments.

If we’re going to have in-person classes five days a week, families need to start figuring out what precautions they are going to put in place to keep themselves safe. Will students have to leave their school clothes at the front door and jump straight into the shower? Will backpacks and books have to be sanitized before they come into the house? Will the student have to avoid contact with a particular family member who is more vulnerable to coronavirus’ complications?

And if there’s a hybrid approach to school this year, families will have to make arrangements for all of the above.

There is so much to consider, and back-to-school plans are likely going to change. But if the governor and county school boards announce their plans sooner rather than later, families can start making adjustments now based on the current plan and can start preparing any contingencies they might need if/when the plan changes.