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While summer is just getting started for many families across the country, the uncertainty of schools reopening has left parents stressed and confused. The questions of whether or not schools will fully reopen, follow a hybrid model, or go virtual loom overhead. Parents, teachers, and students remain in a holding pattern as officials figure out the next steps.
In the meantime, as you continue to order your groceries online for that staycation campout, you may be wondering what fall school reopenings might look like. Here are some ideas on what COVID-19-fighting items to pack in your child’s school backpack as they wade through this unfamiliar territory.
Back-to-school shopping is on everyone’s radar. With it comes the added element of ensuring safety and offering protection against the coronavirus. Gathering school supplies this year means stocking up on items typically outside the normal realm of back to school.
School reopening concerns and safety guidelines
Some students across the country may be returning to school on a staggered schedule. Others may be participating in hybrid classes that include a mix of in-person classroom time and online learning from home. Students like Anitra Allen’s three teens have no choice but to attend school in person.
“With a college student, a high school performing arts major, and a state champion athlete, being in the building for school will be required. I will not, however, have them ride the bus to school,” the mom of three explained to us.
Jennifer Auer, a substitute teacher in New Jersey, is concerned about schools reopening during COVID-19. “As a parent and a substitute teacher, I feel apprehensive. I know we all want to do the best for our kids and teachers, but the logistics required to keep everyone safe don’t seem possible without impacting the quality of education,” she told Mom.com.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides guidance on how to best return to school during COVID-19 on their website. Wearing cloth face coverings and maintaining social distance are still recommended.
Parents: Be proactive with safety measures
Good hygiene and cleanliness are at the forefront of the fight against slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Schools, parents, and teachers are well aware of the importance of handwashing, cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining physical distance. The AAP has suggested staggering schedules that make for fewer students and staff in school at a given time.
But parents need to be proactive in their approach as schools reopen. Dr. Dyan Hes, a pediatrician in New York City, has valuable advice for parents who will be sending their children back to school. In addition to wearing masks, Hes advises supplying your kids with sanitizing supplies and teaching them how to use them. “I really think that you should send your child to school with Clorox wipes or Wet Ones and teach them how they can clean their desk,” she told CBS News.
Anitra already has a handle on how she’ll be equipping her family. “I’ll be sending my teens to school with a mask, hand sanitizer, antibacterial soap, Q-tips, and alcohol to swab their ears, nose, and mouth after lunch. They already have personal hygiene kits, and we’ll be enhancing them for COVID.”
COVID-19 backpack essentials
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers school reopening suggestions for supplies that parents can either pack in their child’s backpack or provide to the classroom. The CDC has suggested providing classrooms with no-touch trash bins and soap dispensers to help minimize contact. In addition to the usual classroom supplies like glue sticks and pencils, the supply list might also include supplies to help slow the spread of COVID-19:
- Antibacterial soap
- Hand sanitizer
- Disinfectant wipes
- Disposable face masks
Jennifer Auer’s sons recently had the chance to try out full-face shields. She told Mom.com she may consider making part of her boys’ backpack essentials. “I like them because so much of how we communicate with teachers, fellow students, and each other comes through facial expressions and eye contact. Wearing masks, while important, make that harder,” the mom of two told Mom.com. Auer intends to use a face shield herself so that she can easily communicate with her own students.
