As school years start amid the pandemic, leadership at school districts want to instill confidence among students and families that they have put significant thought into confronting different situations and are prepared as possible. The situation is difficult, but school leadership should provide clear plans. This is not the time to hesitate to hold discussions. Transparency is paramount and offering a lack of specifics might lead to anger.
Be prepared for the news media and families to ask a long list of tough questions. First and foremost, schools should regularly do their homework by keeping up-to-date with the latest COVID-19 data and guidelines and closely follow situations at other school districts nationwide.
Generally speaking, acknowledge the challenges and reiterate how you are changing protocols and attempting to create an environment as safe as possible. You are listening and discussing the importance with teachers and staff of wearing masks, social distancing and making good and responsible decisions in and out of school to limit COVID-19.
We can’t provide specific answers to all the questions you might receive because responses often will depend on a variety of local factors and differing approaches by school districts. (Read an Arizona school superintendent’s story.) However, you can plan ahead of time and get ready. Below is a list of questions we suggest you prepare for.
- What challenges are you facing with COVID? What is the biggest hurdle?
- What messages are you sharing with your teachers and staff?
- Have any teachers and staff explained they do not want to return to the classroom under these circumstances?
- What are you learning from the experiences from other schools?
- What is the current plan with online teaching versus in-class instruction?
- What are the biggest changes you’ve made in the buildings themselves?
- What kind of cleaning will you be doing?
- Will you check symptoms and temperatures?
- Will you place limits on class sizes?
- What is the plan if a student or teacher gets COVID-19?
- What will happen to the remainder of the class and school if a student or teacher tests positive?
- At what point will you decide to shutdown the entire school?
- Is it even safe to reopen schools?
