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This is a little different than the updates I usually share, but it feels worth acknowledging: We had a system that was working pretty well for school for our boys (grades 2 and 5), but everything fell apart in the last couple of days.
Late Wednesday afternoon, we received word that my 10yo, who as doing in-person school four mornings a week, had been in contact with a student who had tested positive for COVID-19. He cannot return to school until 10/19 and the whole family must isolate.
My 7yo cannot be with his pod and nanny, so my husband and I are now working from home full time while suddenly overseeing distance learning for both boys. The younger one needs constant support for all assignments. The older one needs someone to keep him off YouTube.
We were able to get tested this morning at a drive-up site (for anyone local, North Memorial does a fantastic job) and are hoping to have results in the next few days. No one has symptoms, but we were all potentially exposed; the student is also a neighbor and a friend.
If this weren't enough, we got a message from the school last night that they are reconfiguring elementary teaching and there is NO SCHOOL October 19-23. On top of Oct 14-16 already being planned days off.
In the best possible outcome in which we all test negative, the 7yo return to his pod on 10/19 and the nanny will provide the boys with reading, writing, and math work each day.
But the 10yo will be home all week with no school and after that...
But the 10yo will be home all week with no school and after that...
Rather than being in school 4 mornings each week, he will be in school 2 mornings every 3 weeks. So he'll essentially be home with us full-time. It's unclear how instruction from his teacher will change, but I'm apprehensive about how much of the work will shift to parents.
And at the same time, I recognize we're lucky in so many ways and still have a lot of privilege in navigating all this. But it feels like we're starting from square one just 5 weeks after school began.
I know a lot of parents, kids, and educators are struggling right now, and I am wishing you all the strength and support you need to get through this. 
