School Leaders’ Toolkit for Responding to COVID-19
Thank you for visiting Corwin’s online toolkit for school leaders! We hope that this page will be helpful for school leaders who are experiencing shut downs and/or moving learning to an online environment during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Scroll or click to navigate:
- Leading During COVID-19
- Responding to COVID-19
- Communicating With Teachers, Staff, Families, and the Community
- Partnering With Local Businesses and Organizations
- Preparing Teachers and Students for Online Learning
- Supporting Online Instruction
- Connecting With Other School Leaders Online
Leading During COVID-19
Taking care of yourself as a school leader
It’s tempting (and perhaps necessary) to work long hours and put the wellbeing of your students, teachers, and staff above your own. But consider what would happen if you were not available to support them. It’s important to remember that you need to take care of yourself during these critical times. Your school(s) need you to show up as the best version of yourself – physically, emotionally, and mentally!
- “The Well-Focused School Leader” - Excerpt, The Mindful School Leader
- “Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence” - Excerpt, The Mindful School Leader
- “Leading From the Center: Embodying Leadership Presence” - Valerie Brown
- “Mindful Leaders are Key for Transforming School” - Valerie Brown
- “Just Three Breaths” - Caitlin Krause
- [Webinar] EdElements: “Leading Through Uncertainty: Decision-Making"
Managing and Leading Effectively
Times of crisis demand more of a leader. The following resources offer advice and principles for making decisions and communicating effectively during times of uncertainty:
- Harvard Business Publishing: “Resources to Effectively Lead Amid COVID-19"
- [Webinar] EdElements: “Leading Through Uncertainty: Decision-Making"
- Deloitte: “The Heart of Resilient Leadership: Responding to COVID-19"
Responding to COVID-19
What is your pandemic response plan?
If you have a plan for responding to pandemics, you’re already on the right track! Take a look at your plan and update it in response to current information, and then share the plan with stakeholders (see below).
If don’t have a plan, here are some resources and examples from districts and agencies across the country. While most address pandemic flu, many of the action steps for responding to coronavirus will be the same.
- Pandemic Response Plan Protocol
- CDC: “Get Your School Ready for Pandemic Flu”
- Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency: “All-Hazards School Planning Toolkit”
- Williamsburg James City County Public Schools: “Pandemic Flu Response Plan”
- Hitchcock Independent School District: “Pandemic Flu Plan”
- Franklin Public Schools: “Pandemic Plan”
- Sacred Heart Schools: “Flexible Plan for Instructional Continuity”
Stay up-to-date on accurate Coronavirus and COVID-19 information.
Misinformation is spreading just as fast as COVID-19, and many organizations and media are working hard to make sure companies and organizations receive accurate updates. Make sure that you are only passing on accurate information regarding the pandemic. Here are some resources where you can find up-to-date and accurate information:
- USDOE: “Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children With Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak”
- CDC: “Interim Guidance for Administrators of US K-12 Schools and Childcare Programs”
- New York Times: “Coronavirus Map: Tracking the Spread of the Outbreak”
- SAGE: Social Science Space
- McKinsey & Company: “COVID-19: Briefing Note”
- Consult your state Department of Health and/or Department of Education for guidance
Make sure that your plan is accessible to parents who don’t speak English.
Consider translating your plan and making it available in your students’ home languages.
Communicating With Teachers, Staff, Families, and the Community
Sharing Your Plan
As soon as you have a response plan in place (with support from your school board), share it with stakeholders, including teachers, staff, families, and the broader community. Some ideas include:
- Set up a landing page on your district/school website. The Pennsylvania Department of Health website is a good example: “Coronavirus Information for Education”
- Send an email with a link to your school’s landing page and/or attach your pandemic response plan to the email.
- Use your phone tree to share updates and news with stakeholders, including where they can find the pandemic response plan.
- Use your school or district’s social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook) to share links to your plan.
Again, for students and families whose at-home language is not English, make sure that communication is accessible in their home language.
Family and Community Engagement
Many of our authors offer resources to help with community and family engagement during times of crisis. Please see the following free resources:
- [Webinars] Dr. Steve Constantino: Family Engagement (various webinars available)
- [Masterclass] Dr. Steve Constantino: “How to Engage When No One Is There”
- [Webinar] EdElements: “Why Psychological Safety is More Important Than Ever for a Staff Navigating a Crisis”
What to say about coronavirus and COVID-19
Several organizations are providing good guidance to school leaders and parents about how to talk to their children (and others) about coronavirus. Do NOT be tempted by some of the “fake news” being shared on social media!
- National Association of School Psychologists: “Talking to Parents About COVID-19 (Coronavirus)”
- Child Mind Institute: “Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus”
- CDC: “Talking With Children About Coronavirus Disease 2019”
- WHO: “Helping Children Cope With Stress During the 2019 n-CoV Outbreak”
- WHO: “Mental Health Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak”
Partnering With Local Businesses and Organizations
Providing Food to Students Who Qualify for Free and Reduced Lunch
One of the most pressing concerns due to the outbreak is how to continue providing food to students who rely on school for daily meals. Here are some examples of how school districts around the country are doing it:
- Howard County Public School System is providing free “Grab-N-Go" lunches to anyone under the age of 18
- Memphis is receiving help from a variety of local organizations
- School systems all over Georgia have plans in place to deliver or provide free meals to students.
- Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee has provided pick up locations where anyone under the age of 18 can get both breakfast and lunch, March 17-20.
Additional Resources:
- “School – Family – Community Partnership Solutions” - Excerpt, 101 Solutions for School Counselors and Leaders in Challenging Times
- “Teacher’s Trauma-Informed Toolkit” - Excerpt, Building Resilience in Students Impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences
Preparing Teachers and Students for Online Learning
Conducting a Technology Audit of Schools and Classrooms
Assign a staff member to conduct a technology audit of processes and systems that the whole school uses. These resources provide helpful guides to conducting a technology audit:
- TCEA: “Technology Audit: Planning for Growth”
- District Administration: “How to Conduct a Successful EdTech Audit”
- EdSurge: “Preparing to Take School Online? Here Are 10 Tips to Make It Work”
- EdElements: “Amid COVID-19 Concerns, Planning for Learning as Schools Close”
- National Center for Technology Planning: “Technology Audit Survivor’s Guide”
- EdSurge: “Preparing to Take School Online? Here Are 10 Tips to Make It Work”
Conducting an Equity Audit of At-Home Technology
Ensuring your students have access to technology is vital to the success of moving teaching and learning online. Some school districts have decided that, if a significant number of students do not have access to at-home technology, they will not conduct any online instruction. Work with your teachers to conduct an audit of the technology your students have at home..
Supporting Students With Low Tech or No Tech
Once you understand which of your students might encounter challenges accessing technology, look into the following resources:
- Comcast is providing two months of free Internet for new customers who qualify. See their website, Internet Essentials, for details.
- Videconferencing tool Zoom is providing its services to teachers and students for free. Fill out their K-12 School Verification Form to receive access.
- Google has made their Hangouts Meet videoconferencing also available for free to G Suite for Education customers through July 1, 2020.
- Beginning Monday, March 16, Spectrum is providing Internet services for new customers with K-12 or college students in the household.
Preparing Teachers to Teach Online
Teachers will likely have various reactions to the shift to teaching online during school closures. Some may be excited, some dreading it, and others somewhere in between. No matter what their level of readiness, here are some resources that can help lead this shift.
- “Preparing Teachers for Blended Instruction” - Excerpt, Blended Learning in Action
- “Teacher Collaboration: Online Professional Learning Communities” - Excerpt, Deeper Learning Through Technology
Supporting Online Instruction
For many teachers, the outbreak will be the first time they have encountered teaching in an online environment. To support teachers, we have created a collection of Resources for Teaching Online. For leaders, here are a few additional items to consider when leading instruction:
- “Onboarding and Supporting Students” - Excerpt, Blended Learning in Action
- “Storing and Sharing in the Cloud” - Excerpt, Deeper Learning Through Technology
- “Assessment in a Blended Environment” - Excerpt, Blended Learning in Action
- EdElements: “Four Ways to Facilitate Virtual Learning If Schools Close”
- EdElements: “Essentials for Playlist Building 101”
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[Webinar] EdElements: “Virtual Learning for Unplanned School Closures”
Please see our Resources for Teaching Online for more resources to support teachers.
Connecting With Other School Leaders Online
Finally, it’s important to remember that YOU ARE NOT ALONE during this time! You can find new resources and support from fellow school leaders online with the following resources:
Twitter/Social Media Hashtags
Facebook Groups
Other Online Resources
- Google Spreadsheet: “Amazing Educational Resources”
- [Podcasts] “Getting Unstuck: Shift for Impact” is hosting 15-minute interviews with educators, discussing how they are responding to the pandemic
Excerpts
- “Building a Professional Learning Network” - Excerpt, Uncommon Learning