California parents are forming 'pandemic pods,' 'micro-schools'

Jessica Mensch reports

AND MICRO SCHOOLS, THIS TOTEACH THEIR CHILDREN TOGETHERFOX 40'S JESSICA MENSCHEXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS.KERRY CONNECTS 4 YEAR-OLDSON HIS DESPERATELY MISSED HISFRIENDS SINCE THE PANDEMICBEGAN IT SEEMS REALLYIMPORTANT TAKE THE CHANCE TOHAVE KIDS THEIR OWN AGE TO BESILLY WITHIN MAKE THE JOKESTHAT ONLY OTHER 4 YEAR OLDSWILL REALLY UNDERSTAND SHEWORKS FULL-TIME HIM ALL DAYCARE IS BACK OPEN SHE DOESN'TFEEL SAFE SENDING THEIR KIDSTHERE HE WOULD BE MORECOMFORTABLE, A SMALLER NUMBEROF FAMILIES SO SHE STARTEDLOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES ANDCAME ACROSS THE CONCEPT OFPANDEMIC POTS FOR SMALL GROUPSOF FAMILIES WROTE A CARING FORTHEIR KIDS AGREEING TO THEIROWN SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND THATMEANS HAVING CONVERSATIONSTHAT FAMILIES DON'T NORMALLYHAVE ABOUT.

YOU KNOW WHERE DOYOU GO HOW DO YOU GET YOURGROCERIES.

SHE STARTED AFACEBOOK PAGE LOOKING FOROTHER FAMILIES TO SHARE THEBURDEN IT TOOK OFF MANYPARENTS ON THE PAGE ARE HOPINGTO SHARE CHILDCARE WHILEOTHERS WANT TO SPLIT THE COSTOF PRIVATE TEACHERS TO STARTMICRO SCHOOLS SINCE MOSTDISTRICTS WILL NOT BERETURNING FOR IN PERSONCLASSES IT'S A CONCEPT GAININGSTEAM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.IT'S JUST BEEN AN EXPLOSION OFINTEREST PARENTS ACROSS THEBORDER JUST LOOKING FOROPTIONS RIGHT NOW IN MANYCASES ARE JUST.IN A DESPERATE SITUATIONBECAUSE THEY HAVE TO WORK ANDTHEY NEED SUPPORT CHINA CAUSEDHIS COMPANY WEEKDAYS MIKE ORSCHOOL WORKS TO LINK NEIGHBORSOUT AND HELP THEM FIND THATTEACHERS SHE SAYS MOST TROOPSARE UNDER 10 KIDS OFTENROTATING BETWEEN PARENTSHOMES.

WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMSTHAT ARE ANYWHERE FROM.

$100 ATHE WAY UP TO 5 OR $600 A WEEKFOR FULL-TIME CARE, A CLEARBARRIER FOR LOW INCOMEFAMILIES ALREADY FACING ANEDUCATION GAP WITH DISTANCELEARNING.

TEACHERS AREOFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS ARESLIDING SCALE SPOTS SO WE WANTTO MAKE THIS IS ACCESSIBLE ASWE CAN FOR EVERYONE ASKED FORCONNECT SHE STILL LOOKING FORTHE RIGHT FOR THE FAMILIES FORHER POT HOPING TO KEEP OURKIDS LEARNING AND GROWINGWHILE STAYING SAFE IN THEIRNEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THE BIRDAND IT SHOWED A BOAT AND HAVESOME SOCIAL TIME INSACRAMENTO, JESSICA, MITCH FOX