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What are you hoping for from this book?

Another interesting story about The Camel Club!

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of plot Baldacci can pull out the hat for our misfits this time. I really bought into those characters last time.

I like the quirky characters of the Camel Club.

How all the different story lines will come together and Stone will be at the center to solve it with the help of Anabelle maybe...

I agree with everyone.

I must apologise. A rapidly developing situation re Coronavirus, so tonight had to watch the hour long press conference from the Prime Minister. Then had to speak to staff and see how few teachers I am likely to have once pregnant teachers and people with underlying conditions have to self isolate. Don’t know how the government expect me to keep a school open!!!

Anyway, enough of my issues, but it’s delayed me reading the next section, so I will have to do the questions tomorrow. Apologies for the delay but unique, and awful, circumstances.

>7 Andrew-theQM: Please don't worry about inconveniencing us when there are so many horrible things happening around the world. We will be here whenever you get back to us.

No worries. Do what you need to do.

>7 Andrew-theQM: It's becoming a minefield. I don't see why they won't close the schools - the kiddies might not be so much at risk from the virus, but the school staff are...

>7 Andrew-theQM: You take care of your responsibilities and yourself. None of us are going anywhere as there is no where to go. We'll be right here. >8 Olivermagnus: >9 bhabeck: >10 Sergeirocks: >2 EadieB: >5 jodiesohl: All of you stay safe...>8 Olivermagnus: that goes for our little furry guy too.

A very busy and very intense day at school today. Can’t understand how put in a policy of social distancing and stop gatherings, even advised not to go to pubs or restaurants, and then keep one of the biggest social gatherings, schools open. Start to hear schools closing because don’t have enough staff. Very real issue!

Hoping to read the book now. Keep an eye out for the questions in the next few hours, although may fall asleep as things going round and round in my mind all night about how to respond and what further controls to put in place. Another two page letter went out to everyone today. Will add questions as I go along.

>13 Andrew-theQM: I don't envy you your job. I do wish all the best for you and your staff and friends. Take care of yourself and don't worry about us. We will finish the book when you have your worries worked out.
Whoever would have thought the entire world would come to this? Almost all schools in the entire U.S. closed on Monday and will stay closed until at least April 6. Restaurants and bars closed at 3:00 yesterday. They can do carry=out but no one seated in the building. Events taking place from now to the end of April are being rescheduled or cancelled.

>14 Carol420: I don’t envy me either, and everyone looks at you as if you have all the answers. No experience we can fall back on with this one. No way I can see the US schools opening again in the next two months and most probably 3 or more. People in the UK at greatest risk - Over 70s, Underlying Health conditions and pregnant women have been told to self-isolate for 12 weeks from this weekend, and saying If schools closed would have to be closed for 13 - 16 weeks. I’m becoming an expert on this. An hour each night spent watching the day’s press conference, not helping the reading!

>13 Andrew-theQM: Andrew-theQM: No worries sort out the stuff you need to. I don't mind taking the book at a slower pace.

Hope everyone remains healthy.

Today’s update.

At 5.30 tonight announced schools closing at end of Friday. Two sentence later find out schools still need to stay open for children of care workers, health professionals, social worker children, people in food industry, food delivery drivers, children with high levels of special needs, children who have social workers. On top of that even lost Easter holiday (2 weeks) to be open to those same children. So situation not really changed and staff increasingly vulnerable to picking up the virus.

Also got to find a way to feed children on free school meals who aren’t in school. My head is reeling and somehow find staff who are not ill or self isolating for medical conditions to staff it! Total logistical nightmare and first heard about it was on the news tonight! No information at all to schools.

Oh and two days to sort it!

Forgive me if sections late. I guessed last week schools would shut this Friday but didn’t guess the other part.

Scottish leader hinted schools May stay shut until end of Summer Holiday, late August. PM not given any time indication.

All exams, tests, SATs, league tables cancelled! What a time we are living through. Knew I should have retired last year. 😂

>17 Andrew-theQM: Good luck. There just is no answer, easy or otherwise. Take care of yourself as much as you can. As we have said...we will all be here since none of us can go anywhere anyway. Wish I could help you.

>18 Carol420: You just have. 😊

Easter hols affected, too? If things stay the same, presumably this will have a knock-on effect for half-term and Summer hols also?
I don't think this has been particularly well-thought through: not good leaving the schools to sort out plans for themselves.
Human resources are definitely going to be stretched to the limit by this virus. It almost feels as though we're living under siege mentality, at the moment. Very anxious times...

>17 Andrew-theQM: sorry for all the stress and disorganization. The governments, companies and population are so out of sorts over this.

On Tuesday there was a Directive issued by the Health Department in the County where I work which was effectively a "shelter in place" allowing only essential workers out and about. We were already able to work remotely if we chose to but based on the Directive, we officially shut the office down and went to remote for all. However, by that night, a correction was posted by the County essentially saying that the "shelter in place" requirement really wasn't and had been issued in error...

>21 bhabeck: Such unique and strange times, a lot of our freedoms are disappearing by the day. Orders will be in place I’m sure around schools once been through Parliament and any free movement to other jobs will surely go. My job has effectively been taken away from me and now have a new job fir the foreseeable future.

>21 bhabeck: >22 Andrew-theQM: I wonder if any lessons are going to be learned from all this upheaval - governments have definitely been caught napping.

>23 Sergeirocks: Increasingly think they are comatose.

Apologies everyone. No chance to read a word today. Working non stop to work out how to put the government care ideas into place. Still waiting to hear from the government exactly what we have to do! Worked flat out since 8 am, now 10.30 pm and no end in sight.
All this needs to be in place for Monday morning. Never seen chaos like this. Did they have no long term plans in place, will catch up tomorrow and over the weekend. This has been one of the worst days I have ever known because no one knows what they should be doing. 😡

>25 Andrew-theQM: 🖖

>25 Andrew-theQM: As you can see we're all still here and so are the Camel Club guys. Do what you have to and for goodness sake...GET SOME SLEEP!

>27 Carol420: Sleep in short supply at the moment as we urgently put in place plans for caring for the children of key workers in the fight against Coronavirus starting next week. Sitting here punch drunk tonight after closing the school up to all children, don’t even know what to say about it! Can’t put it into words. 🤯

>28 Andrew-theQM: No one knows what to do or what to say. it changes day to day...hour to hour. Hang in there and you can always talk to us.

>28 Andrew-theQM: Spent all day in school writing letters to parents, and another one to the children, as well as organising everything. Repeat for Sunday.

>30 Andrew-theQM: You are such a caring and amazing person. Unbelievable! I’m sure they will like your thoughtfulness! Be careful, though, to take care and rest up so you don’t get run down.

>30 Andrew-theQM: Thanks, will do. Almost at the end of my part now. A few social media posts that show the letters made the parents cry - especially the ones to the children.

>32 Andrew-theQM: How touching! Shows what a remarkable and caring person you are and we are so lucky to know you too!

>32 Andrew-theQM: I agree with >33 EadieB:. You took your responsibility above and beyond...but that doesn't surprise me about you at all. I hope the educational system there realizes what a treasure they have in you. Be safe and stay well.

>32 Andrew-theQM: - You are one of those teachers that the child will remember all his/her life. In a way, you've achieved a bit of immortality. Couldn't happen to a better guy!

Finally all ready to go tomorrow, and looks like in a better place than most schools but taken four days solid work. Can’t praise Microsoft highly enough, without the Video Conferencing facility of Microsoft Teams with three leaders having to self isolate has allowed us to have regular leadership meetings and for me to spin their plates. Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement, just try to do our best.

Now thinking of what tasks we can do to keep teachers regularly engaging with families and children. All children will receive a good morning email on every morning at 9 am from their teachers giving them some challenges, daily competition with me - different year group every day, weekly letter to all the children from me, email where they can send work to their teachers and teachers responding. Sending daily websites for them to have a look at.

Delivering lunch to any children on Free school meals who are self isolating and rest can pick up packed lunch from school playground, phases of time depending on alphabet to keep social distancing. And still trying to think of new ides to engage with them and support email address set up which is monitored by me and three other leaders for parents and carers. Just sent my latest daily long email to staff and will be sending these daily. Doing everything possible to keep up morale and show that British grit. Thanks >31 EadieB: >35 Olivermagnus: >34 Carol420: >26 Sergeirocks: >21 bhabeck: 😊👍🥰

>36 Andrew-theQM: hope your homeschoolers do better than this one...

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/2020-03-23-boy-roasts-moms-homeschooling-in-jour...