Supporting Teachers and Staff During the Pandemic
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been talk of acclimating to a “new normal.” However, for schools in the U.S., the cyclic oscillation between remote and in-person learning has made for new chaos rather than a new normal. That said, teachers and staff have shown up and performed well beyond the standard of duty to ensure that students get the most out of their learning experience.
Now, more than ever, is the time for school boards and administrators to support teachers and staff as they work to navigate changing restrictions and modified teaching conditions. The best way to achieve this level of support is to implement policies and processes that strengthen safety standards for schools. This guide will give you all the information you need.
Reopening and Lockdown: The Dilemma
As the entire country faces COVID-19 spikes indicating mass community spread, lockdown, and community restrictions have increased. Leaders have been faced with the challenging task of deciding what policies and regulations need to be implemented. Whether schools should refrain from in-person learning has been a particularly difficult decision, as the data clearly suggests that remote learning doesn’t work. The key markers for successful online learning have not been met. As the Economic Policy Institute states:
“Research regarding online learning and teaching shows that they are effective only if students have consistent access to the internet and computers and if teachers have received targeted training and supports for online instruction. Because these needed requirements for effectiveness have been largely absent for many, remote education during the pandemic has impeded teaching and learning.”
We have the data remotel; learning doesn’t work in this context. Teachers need in-person instruction to teach most effectively. Students should be in classrooms with their peers to enhance social and emotional development and obtain an education.
Why It’s Crucial to Support Teachers and Staff
It’s easy to think of a school as a place of learning because that’s what it is. However, for teachers and staff members, it also doubles as a workplace. As a school administrator or board member, it’s your responsibility to maintain the school’s safety for children and ensure that it’s a safe environment for teachers and staff. Here are some of the most important reasons to support teachers and staff by establishing a safe workplace.
Avoiding the Continued Spread of the Virus
In 2020, over 300 school employees have been killed by the coronavirus, according to the Associated Press. Additionally, as many as 71 deaths occurred in children under 17 years old. Though harrowing, these statistics serve to remind and warn against the danger of the virus. Keeping the workplace safe is a matter of life and death, and should be treated as such.
Promote Effective Teaching
Forced shutdowns interrupt learning for both students and teachers. While teachers and staff have done their utmost to ensure that their students are getting a quality education, there’s no denying that the abrupt transitions from in-person learning made this an impossible feat. As explained earlier, remote learning just isn’t as effective as in-person learning in this context. As cases rise across the U.S., many schools are being forced back into remote learning, but it’s not a lasting solution.
Protect Students
However, there are other reasons why in-person learning is beneficial. In 2019, 13.6% of U.S. households with children faced food insecurity, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Many of these families relied on school meals to make up for a lack of food security.
Additionally, school reporting of child abuse accounts for 20% of claims across the country. In April 2020, child abuse reports went down by 40.6% from the following year according to NBC News. This drop coincided with lockdowns across the country. In-person schooling is a part of the foundational systems designed to keep children safe and nourished. Without it, children can suffer.
How to Promote a Safer Workplace in Schools
With each day, lockdowns and restrictions grow. The virus has now reached a peak of over 160,000 new confirmed cases and over 2,800 deaths a day, according to the New York Times.
Now is the time to act, and act swiftly. Not only to support teachers and staff by promoting a safer workplace, but to keep schools open and those inside them safe. It’s a big ask, but there are many options available that will help you create a comprehensive strategy that will enhance the safety of the workplace in a school setting.
Implementing Advanced Disinfection Methods
Traditional disinfection methods involving the heavy and repeated use of chemical disinfectants, such as hypochlorites (bleach), is a great foundation. To bolster your disinfection strategy, you’ll have to consider more advanced disinfection methods.
UVC disinfection can work in conjunction with traditional cleaning methods as a last defense against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. It has been proven to render the COVID-19 ineffective with a 90% kill rate of viral aerosols and surface pathogens. In short, UVC disinfection is an effective long-term solution.
Contact Tracing and Reporting
If the novel virus makes its way into the school, you must be prepared to act to reduce the risk of transmission among teachers, staff, and students. This requires a strong contact tracing and reporting solution that complies with privacy law, such as FERPA.
Utilizing digital technologies can help you identify and report all potential individuals that the infected person may have come in contact with. This way, you can avoid a school-wide shutdown igniting mass panic.
Promote Social Distancing and PPE Use
Social distancing measures work, but they can be difficult to execute in a school setting. However, difficult does not mean impossible. The first and most important of the policies you should promote include wearing a mask, encouraging students to remain 6ft away from one another, and routine hand-washing.
Within classrooms, ensure that desks are arranged 6ft apart in accordance with CDC guidelines. Break students into smaller class sizes that are permanent and avoid mixing groups. Have students and teachers eat in their classrooms, close off the staff room, and leverage outdoor spaces whenever possible.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
Understanding how teachers and staff are feeling about the situation is the best way to avoid problems in the future and mitigate any issues as they arise. However, this is only possible when teachers and staff feel comfortable addressing administrators and the school board.
Work to promote an environment that encourages communication and facilitate conversations regarding new policies with teachers and staff. Keeping them in the loop and hearing their concerns can go a long way to ensuring that they are both safe and comfortable, which will enable them to do their best work.
The Elevant Solution
Elevant works with schools across the country to help provide powerful and comprehensive disinfection solutions. With a combination of modular UVC disinfection, powerful contact tracing, reporting solutions, and policy compliance regulations, Elevant takes a holistic approach to help schools stay safe.
What other actions can school boards and administrators take to support teachers and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic and well into the future?