eopening to the related Whole Child framework concepts.
Free Back-to-School Templates for Teachers and Families: Provides a set of customizable templates intended to support teachers, students and their families during the transition back to in-person learning. Common Sense Education observes that, with distance learning, many routines may have fallen by the wayside… but that doesn't mean you can't bring them back this year.” This collection offers customizable templates to help teachers (re-)establish norms and expectations for in-person learning, provide families with an overview of class goals for the 2021-22 year, and provide families some support in the transition back to in-person learning.
Five Ways to Talk with Students Returning After Pandemic Closures: Presents five common situations educators may see more of due to the stresses of the pandemic, as well as five ways to spark critical conversations with students. This guide hopes to encourage effective conversation in stressful situations through building a trusting relationship.
An Initial Guide to Leveraging the Power of Social and Emotional Learning as You Prepare to Reopen and Renew Your School Community: Shares actionable recommendations to help school leadership teams plan for the social emotional learning [SEL] needs of all students and adults during the upcoming transition into summer and the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. This guide positions SEL as a critical underpinning to the success of overall transition planning, recognizing school leaders have multiple other considerations for reopening schools, including academics, operations, access to technology, and physical health.
Analysis of School Reopening Plans: Explores education recovery plans put forth by states, territories, and national organizations, to examine the ways these plans are designed to support students and teachers. This tracker, a product of Johns Hopkins University’s eSchool+ Initiative, notes only whether provisions addressing each of 12 criteria are/are not present. (As reopening plans are currently dynamic, this ongoing analysis offers a view of state recovery plans as a snapshot in time; there may have been changes or updates to these plans since this analysis was conducted.)
Strategies for Using American Rescue Plan Funding to Address the Impact of Lost Instructional Time: Offers strategies to support state and local efforts in effectively using ARP ESSER funds to address the impact of lost instructional time on underserved and disproportionately impacted students. This resource was issued by the US Department of Education (August 2021) to complement its COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs. Three focal strategies include: 1. Reengaging students in their learning including by meeting the social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students and through such approaches as tutoring and creative staffing; 2. Providing information and assistance to families as they support students, including through home visits and information sharing; and 3. Using high-quality assessments to inform teaching and learning, including acceleration, and target resources and supports.
Addressing Learning Loss through Mental Health Supports: Compiles recommendations from experts in the field on why and how to address the mental health needs of students as schools reopen. The best way schools can help students catch up academically after a year of distance learning is to ensure they feel relaxed, safe, and connected to their friends and teachers as they return to the classroom.
Planning for a Pivotal School Year - A K-12 Leader's Guide to Get Ready for 2021-22: Provides a four-part series of selected contributions by Education Week journalists to help educators address uncertainties in the 2021-22 academic year ahead. How hard will it be for students to re-acclimate to full-time, in-person learning? How must teachers adapt instruction for the moment we are in? How can schools be ready to address the widening social-emotional and menta