Recommendations from Education Week Articles Regarding Coronavirus:
- The National School Board Association recommends that school boards make leave policy decisions based on the severity of the outbreak in their communities, and consider offering “sick leave pools,” allowing employees with an overabundance of sick leave to donate some to those with fewer available days.
- Have school nurses play the essential public health role including:
- Promoting the flu vaccine;
- Have nurses keep current on developments from reputable sources like the CDC and local health agencies;
- Create accurate, up-to-date materials to share with families;
- Being a part of developing a district communicable and infectious disease plan;
- and Run demonstrations, particularly for young students, to show them how to wash their hands properly, cough into their elbows, and take other preventative steps.
- School officials should discuss with local public health officials about how to support students in vulnerable groups, including those who are homeless or who live with elderly or immune-compromised relatives.
- Ask students to sit with their hands clasped together or holding something when they are not actively doing work. This makes it easier to remember not to touch their face or will use the tip of a pencil to scratch an itch rather than their hand.
- Look into free, online learning opportunities. Kahoot!, a provider of game-based learning, is offering free access to Kahoot! Premium for schools and colleges affected by the virus.
- Consult the National School Boards Association’s legal guide for school districts for guidance on developing plans for district learning, how to review insurance policies and more.
- If you are able to offer distance learning:
- Make sure everyone can log on to the tools you are using like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Classroom.
- Keep parents informed and communicate to them how to use the distance learning tools and help them understand what is expected of students.
