Miesbach - Not only Corona rules, but also personnel concerns occupy the Miesbach school authority.
The problem: Pregnant teachers are not allowed to teach face-to-face.
“We want to at least maintain the new normal,” says Jürgen Heiss at the start of the new school year.
During a press conference, the technical director of the State Education Authority Miesbach and his deputy Andrea Pelters-Mönkemeier gave an overview of the issues of Corona, a lack of reserve teachers, but also positive developments for primary and secondary schools in the district.
According to Heiß, the school year 2021/2022 will again be under the big topic of Corona.
The goal of the Bavarian state government is clear: face-to-face lessons with extensive hygiene measures.
"Teachers, headmasters and students are very much looking forward to a regular school start with school attendance," explains Pelters-Mönkemeier.
Enrollments as well as parents' evenings, school events and class trips can take place - of course, always in compliance with strict hygiene measures.
Ventilation and AHA rules
But it also means: Other forms of teaching such as distance or alternating lessons are not up for debate as plan B in the event of rising corona infection numbers.
He said it was good that around half of the rooms at the elementary and middle schools were equipped with ventilation devices.
"These are just one of the many pieces of the mosaic and are therefore not the only means for more security," the director of the education office makes clear.
Regular ventilation and the known hygiene measures remain in place.
In addition, all students, initially until October 1st, must always wear a mask in all interior rooms - including the seat.
At least medical masks in middle schools and so-called community masks in grades 1 to 4.
Pool tests with lollipop tests
There are new developments in the area of tests: In secondary schools, recognized evidence of a negative test must still be submitted three times a week or this must be done directly at school under supervision.
Primary and special school students are also subject to this regulation, but only until the end of the week.
Because from September 20, so-called pool tests with lollipop tests will take place twice a week for first to fourth graders.
Each child has to take two oral tests.
Both are sealed individually.
One is then anonymized and goes into the class pool.
These collective tests are picked up and taken to the laboratory.
Every evening by 7 p.m. at the latest it is then certain whether there is a positive test in this class pool.
Compulsory test for teachers
If this occurs, the second batches of the class concerned are checked overnight.
In this way, the laboratory can - in the best case before school starts - identify the affected child and inform the school and parents.
"This means that the rest of the class can go to school normally the next day and the health department can check to what extent other close contacts need to be in quarantine," explains Heiss.
If two positive tests appear in the pool collections, this is considered an outbreak and a class quarantine is usually imposed.
All teachers are still subject to compulsory tests.
For them as well as for all students, the exception to the test requirement continues to apply with full vaccination status or proof of recovery.
Pregnant teachers problematic
However, the head of the education department is more worried about the personnel situation.
With 18 new teachers, at least the 14 transfers to other government districts are covered and 13 newly assigned teacher trainees will also be in the district at the start of school.
However, the mobile reserves of 41 additional teachers, which are so important - especially in view of the pandemic - could lead to bottlenecks in schools.
Because what was never actually a problem under normal circumstances is now one thing: a total of eleven women from the teaching line are expecting offspring and, according to the Infection and Occupational Safety and Health Act, are not allowed to take part in face-to-face classes during the corona pandemic.
"Up to now, this has not been a problem in distance learning, since the women could still work until they were on maternity leave," he explains.
Positive after and before the Corona school year
Since, however, the focus is now on face-to-face teaching, which those in charge of the education authorities generally welcome, forces from the mobile reserves would have to fill the gaps.
If there are also normal absenteeism of teachers, there could be gaps in the available hours, according to the director of the education authority.
That is why we are constantly striving for so-called team teachers and successors, says Heiß.
There are also many positive things that can be said after and before a Corona school year: The support program “zusammen.Bbrücken.bauen”, better known as the summer school, was a success and is entering the third phase.
As Pelters-Mönkemeier explains, the government of Upper Bavaria has set a budget for each school.
They can now conclude contracts themselves with external providers or service providers in order to deal with the deficits in the school and social areas - as a result of the corona pandemic - with individual support for the students.
In addition, the student numbers are solid:
The education authority for the elementary schools in the Miesbach district has 29 pupils and thus two more classes.
The decline in 13 middle school students is a shame, but according to Heiss this is a trend across Bavaria.
With an average of 21 students in elementary schools and 19 students in secondary schools, the classes would be manageable, which is also an advantage with regard to the rules of distance and the individual support of the children.
The offers of the four flexible elementary schools, 15 linked all-day classes and five open all-day classes are well received, according to Heiß, including the German class in Hausham with 20 full places and even a waiting list.
In addition, 137 hours per week are available to the district especially for German language training and preliminary courses.
With a certain caution, but also with a positive feeling, Heiß and Pelters-Mönkemeier face the school year 2021/2022.
"Despite Corona we try to get through the year well," says the school authority director.
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