Image: istock/ninitta While people have been discussing graduation ceremonies, it is important to consider what school will look like next year. Below are some topics and strategies I have been reading about as schools around the world begin to reopen with a few thoughts of mine in (parentheses).
Schools are/will try and reopen in many areas that do not have adequate testing/tracing plans and/or in communities that may or may not be meeting local and national re-opening guidelines (Districts with testing/tracing are better positioned for smaller localized closures while other districts that open without these are at higher risk for early closure if outbreaks occur.)
Teachers will be wearing masks. Students will be wearing masks. Some schools will have teachers and students wearing face guards. (Districts that require full equipment will likely see fewer closures than districts that allow teachers and students to opt out of mask and other safety equipment requirements.)
School staff and students will likely have daily temperature checks in order to enter buildings/classrooms. (While this strategy may not catch asymptomatic staff/students, this health precaution will likely reduce illness in buildings.)
Schools may be operating at reduced capacity with opened classes distanced from each other. For example: Grade 5 and Ks may come in for a half day twice per week while Grades 4 and 1 coming in during the other half. School hours will be shorter and teachers will likely be teaching shorter repeated lessons to half or third sized classes. (Schools operating at full capacity are at greater risk for possible infection, and the hybrid schedule above allows for class tracing.)
Schools with cases will individually close if testing/tracing is robust enough. Teachers will likely rotate between teaching onsite and online if their classes become infected. (Inadequate testing/tracing will likely make localized single site closures impossible.)
There will be high rates of absenteeism during the first term. Evidence from previous pandemics indicates that many families are likely to not send their children to school during the pandemic. (Schools will need to run onsite and offsite options simultaneously with dedicated teachers/paraprofessionals supporting each model.)
While the weather is favourable, many classes will be held outside where air circulation is strongest. Physical education is a particularly good candidate for outdoor classes. (Having students dispersed and exercising outside might decrease transmission when compared to using the school's gym and other indoor spaces.)
Schools will likely be experimenting with 25%, 40%, 50% and 80% schedules with the rest of learning occurring at home. (Schools that start at 100% are at a higher risk of transmission and early closure than more cautious models.)
Low SES (socio economic status), students with exceptionalities, and English Language Learners will likely have targeted enrichment learning within the reduced schedule described above. This may mean additional time directly with their teachers while other students are learning at home. (The biggest lesson in our spring teaching block was the problem of inclusive education for all at-risk students.)
Schools will need to come up with plans to address serious illness by students and staff. Education Weekly reports that 1/3 of teachers at risk for serious health impacts from Covid-19. Recent studies on children illuminate additional risks as well. (School districts will likely need to run, possibly through lawsuits by resistant districts, offsite programs for these concerns.)
Finally, no matter your beliefs it is important to realize that early monitoring and tracing response mistakes were made (compared to other countries such as South Korea and New Zealand) that makes it more challenging for educational systems to successfully respond to this pandemic. However, until a vaccine is available (by Fall 2021), I believe that it will be important for schools to continue to do their best for students and staff.
As a Dually (a person living a life in two countries at the same time), I have tried to create this post for both Canada and the United States. Several provinces are trying to reopen schools including British Columbia for the month of June. Most public schools in the States (I wonder about the territories) are on summer vacation. The difference between Pandemic 1918 and Pandemic 2020 is that, as a society, we have access to much higher levels of health and safety information that previous pandemics. Despite these medical, scientific, and health advances, I am predicting that schools will struggle and there will continue to be large scale closures during the 2020-2021 academic year. However, that should not stop us from doing our best to create safe, inclusive, and empowering education for all students and staff in the coming year.
Feel free to share and post your comments below.
Schools are/will try and reopen in many areas that do not have adequate testing/tracing plans and/or in communities that may or may not be meeting local and national re-opening guidelines (Districts with testing/tracing are better positioned for smaller localized closures while other districts that open without these are at higher risk for early closure if outbreaks occur.)
Teachers will be wearing masks. Students will be wearing masks. Some schools will have teachers and students wearing face guards. (Districts that require full equipment will likely see fewer closures than districts that allow teachers and students to opt out of mask and other safety equipment requirements.)
School staff and students will likely have daily temperature checks in order to enter buildings/classrooms. (While this strategy may not catch asymptomatic staff/students, this health precaution will likely reduce illness in buildings.)
Schools may be operating at reduced capacity with opened classes distanced from each other. For example: Grade 5 and Ks may come in for a half day twice per week while Grades 4 and 1 coming in during the other half. School hours will be shorter and teachers will likely be teaching shorter repeated lessons to half or third sized classes. (Schools operating at full capacity are at greater risk for possible infection, and the hybrid schedule above allows for class tracing.)
Schools with cases will individually close if testing/tracing is robust enough. Teachers will likely rotate between teaching onsite and online if their classes become infected. (Inadequate testing/tracing will likely make localized single site closures impossible.)
There will be high rates of absenteeism during the first term. Evidence from previous pandemics indicates that many families are likely to not send their children to school during the pandemic. (Schools will need to run onsite and offsite options simultaneously with dedicated teachers/paraprofessionals supporting each model.)
While the weather is favourable, many classes will be held outside where air circulation is strongest. Physical education is a particularly good candidate for outdoor classes. (Having students dispersed and exercising outside might decrease transmission when compared to using the school's gym and other indoor spaces.)
Schools will likely be experimenting with 25%, 40%, 50% and 80% schedules with the rest of learning occurring at home. (Schools that start at 100% are at a higher risk of transmission and early closure than more cautious models.)
Low SES (socio economic status), students with exceptionalities, and English Language Learners will likely have targeted enrichment learning within the reduced schedule described above. This may mean additional time directly with their teachers while other students are learning at home. (The biggest lesson in our spring teaching block was the problem of inclusive education for all at-risk students.)
Schools will need to come up with plans to address serious illness by students and staff. Education Weekly reports that 1/3 of teachers at risk for serious health impacts from Covid-19. Recent studies on children illuminate additional risks as well. (School districts will likely need to run, possibly through lawsuits by resistant districts, offsite programs for these concerns.)
Finally, no matter your beliefs it is important to realize that early monitoring and tracing response mistakes were made (compared to other countries such as South Korea and New Zealand) that makes it more challenging for educational systems to successfully respond to this pandemic. However, until a vaccine is available (by Fall 2021), I believe that it will be important for schools to continue to do their best for students and staff.
As a Dually (a person living a life in two countries at the same time), I have tried to create this post for both Canada and the United States. Several provinces are trying to reopen schools including British Columbia for the month of June. Most public schools in the States (I wonder about the territories) are on summer vacation. The difference between Pandemic 1918 and Pandemic 2020 is that, as a society, we have access to much higher levels of health and safety information that previous pandemics. Despite these medical, scientific, and health advances, I am predicting that schools will struggle and there will continue to be large scale closures during the 2020-2021 academic year. However, that should not stop us from doing our best to create safe, inclusive, and empowering education for all students and staff in the coming year.
Feel free to share and post your comments below.
