BY DANIELLE FILASI am not here to tell you that 2020 and the

COVID-19 pandemic have been great giftsto education if you just look at them right.That kind of toxic positivity drives mebonkers, truth be told. Instead, I want toshare some strategies I’ve been using to nav-igate this wild era based on strategies frommy time prior to teaching, back when I per-formed as an improv artist in Chicago (yes,you read that right).

There are three strategies in particular thathave helped me and my students to powerthrough this roller coaster of a year, and I

Inside This Issue

Technology News & Innovation in K-12 EducationOctober–December 2020Vol. 23, No. 4 eSchoolNews.com

BY DANIEL NOYES AND THEODORA HANNA

As we enter into a new school year, twothings are certain. First, the experience forevery member of the extended school com-munity – students, educators, families, schoolofficials, and staff – will be profoundlychanged this fall. Second, learning for manystudents will take the form of full-time orpart-time virtual learning outside of the class-room.

As learners and their families tackle theseunprecedented challenges, it is incumbent onschool districts, state and local officials, and

VIrtual, page 3Tips, page 4

3 tips to help navigate yourclassroom, froman ex-improv artist

Virtual learningcan’t succeedwithout digitalskills training

How school librarians are getting creative in apandemic 5

10 SEL activities for students 6

10 SEL activities for teachers 7

5 practices of educatorswho prioritize equity 8

3 ways online STEM education combats theCOVID slide 9

How SEL and achievementlead to academic equity 10

Keeping COVID innovations even after the pandemic passes 12

How IT leaders can thrivein the post-COVID era 13

BY LAUREN GEHR, ENGLISH TEACHER,DUTCH FORK HIGH SCHOOL

These days, it seems my students can’t let aminute go by without checking TikTok andInstagram or responding to their friend’s latestpost on Snapchat. Teens’ widespread access tosmartphones for the last decade has fed this fasci-nation with social media and texting. Accordingto Pew Research, 95 percent of teenagers haveaccess to a smartphone, and 45 percent admit tobeing online ‘almost constantly.’

Though social media platforms can presenta wide array of challenges both in and out ofthe classroom, I wanted to address the indirectimpact of students constantly typing on phonesand the resulting ‘social media speak.’

As an English teacher, my students’ use of

social media shorthand has become a biggerand bigger challenge with every new schoolyear–especially as I see it carrying over intotheir coursework. Due to heavy reliance on

Social Media, page 2

Helping students overcome‘social media speak’

2 October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

abbreviated words, slang, autocorrect,and a tendency to write too quickly,these bad habits cause students to makea multitude of grammar and spellingmistakes.

That said, as noted by the U.S.Department of Education, “The natureof writing and writing instruction ischanging. Technology plays an increas-ingly important role in how studentslearn and practice writing in and out ofthe classroom.”

Unlike me and my peers, today’shigh school students were practicallyborn with smartphones in their hands.Therefore, it makes sense that schoolslike mine are embracing new edtechtools and resources in an effort to boostthe writing and reading skills of stu-dents, rather than relying on the tradi-tional tools. This turns out to be ideal, asthe transition from smartphone to com-puter might be a little less painful thanmoving from phone to pencil and paper,especially in the age of COVID-19 anddistance learning.

Below are a few tips and benefitsI’ve seen with some of the latest edtechtools our school is leveraging right nowto help overcome social media speak.These tools are not only empoweringme to combat the negative impact socialmedia and text communication have onmy students, but are unlocking more oftheir writing potential every day.Engagement throughinterest-based writingcurriculum

I don’t think I’m being too bold here,but in my experience, students can oftenfind grammar boring. One of the writingcurriculum platforms we’re seeing a lotof success with right now focuses onhow I engage my students. NoRedInk,an online writing curriculum, providesstudents with writing exercises based ontheir interests. This might include a stu-dent’s favorite celebrities, Netflix

shows, sports, or hobbies. WithNoRedInk, I’m seeing firsthand thatwhen my students see topics they’repassionate about, their attention in theentire writing experience is amplified,resulting in a major improvement inproficiency and exam scores.

Through this compelling content,students find my classes more relatableand interesting and in turn it’s keepingthem actively engaged and their writingis constantly improving. Just imagine agrammar quiz featuring singer BillieEilish or actor Tom Holland. It’s no sur-prise that students are engaged quickly.Inspiration through digitalvideo-based discussions

Another way I remain engaged withmy students in and out of the classroomis through Flipgrid. Educators canleverage the tool to record writing

assignments or provide feedback.Students can then use Flipgrid on theirend to respond with a video demonstra-tion or send their teacher a clarifyingquestion. It’s also good to point out thatthe video aspect is beneficial for stu-dents because they’re able to saveteacher feedback for later use, whilekeeping track of the improvement oftheir skills.

Yes, there are other free video-basedtools available, but tools like Zoom canonly offer educators so much due totheir overly-broad functionality, whichcan actually be limiting. Turning to pur-pose-built edtech solutions created withboth teachers and students in mindimproves learning and strengthensteacher-student relationships.

Adaptive and flexible

NoRedInk and Flipgrid also meet myclassroom needs because they’re bothgeographically agnostic. This feature isso critical right now. Online lessons andcurriculum allow teachers to easily tran-sition from at-home to in-person learn-ing without losing valuable instruction-al time. Additionally, their ability tooffer students real-time feedback allowsme the opportunity to quickly go overspecific skill categories in subjectswhere my students need the mostimprovement. I am also able to adjustlesson plans, practice exercises, andquizzes based on this real-time data.

These edtech platforms have enabledmy students to overcome their exces-sive use of social media speak andshort-form communication. They havehelped me to break bad writing habits

and re-train my students to use properEnglish and become more proficient intheir writing skills across the board.

An online, interactive program thatmeets students where they are now andnot where they have traditionally been(paper and pencil) has produced solidresults in our English department atDutch Fork High.

As long as the technology is benefi-cial and not distracting, we must wel-come technology as a friend–not anenemy–in the classroom. After all,ensuring our students evolve into effective communicators is nothing toLOL about.

Lauren Gehr is an English teacher atDutch Fork High School.

Social Mediacontinued from page 1

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As long as the technology is beneficial and not

distracting, we must welcome technology as a friend–

not an enemy–in the classroom. After all, ensuring our

students evolve into effective communicators is nothing

to LOL about.

communities to ensure that studentshave every support and resource possi-ble to help them learn effectively in vir-tual learning settings–including accessto actionable, culturally-competent dig-ital training.

Since schools were forced to makethe rapid and unplanned transition todistance learning this spring, news out-lets, educators, businesses, and non-profit organizations across the countryhave consistently drawn attention to thedisastrous impacts of the digital divide,borne disproportionately by students ofcolor and those from low-incomehouseholds.

The digital divide, though common-ly associated with the gap created by alack of access to digital devices andinternet connectivity, actually covers amuch broader range of existing dispari-ties. Access to the internet and digitaldevices is a critical first step, but with-out the necessary skills to take fulladvantage of connectivity, students andfamilies cannot easily and effectivelyengage in digital opportunities – fromonline lessons from teachers to criticalhealth and employment resources.

Recently, “a Pew Research studyfound that during the spring lockdown36 percent of low-income parentsreported that their children were unableto complete their schoolwork at homebecause they did not have access to acomputer, compared with just 14 per-cent of middle-income parents and 4percent of upper-income parents,”according to reporting in WiredMagazine.

This disparity has led to profoundlevels of disconnection. In May, theBoston Globe reported that more than10,000 students enrolled in BostonPublic Schools had not logged in toclass during the previous month, “sug-gesting they could be virtual dropoutswhose formal education stopped twomonths ago when schools shut down toslow the spread of the coronavirus.”

The virtual learning challenge is not

limited to communities inMassachusetts. Around the country,school officials, educators, and parentsare working hard to tackle urgent, over-lapping crises–without a blueprint.Understandably, much of the effort toaddress the barriers to participation invirtual learning have focused on provid-ing the hardware necessary for studentsto log on, including laptops and internethotspots. Access to digital devices andreliable internet connectivity are twocritical legs of the stool, but their fullvalue can only be reached with similarfocus on the third leg: consistent andcomprehensive training.

For too many students and families,providing access to technology withoutdigital skills training is like providingsomeone a book, but failing to teachthem how to read. In early July, a poll inMassachusetts found that families whodo not speak English at home were lesslikely to have their children participatein online learning. Many children fromlow- and moderate-income families relyon their peers – rather than their parentsor caregivers – to help them use andunderstand technology, a prospect madeeven more difficult in a moment of pro-found social isolation.

The critical resources and opportuni-ties available online remain out of reachfor many, because even when they haveaccess to digital devices and the inter-net, they lack the digital skills necessary

to leverage technology to support thewell-being of the student and the entirehousehold.

With fundamental digital skills,devices, and internet access, familiescan participate in virtual learning,access employment opportunities, orderfood and essentials from home, andaccess telemedicine and mental healthresources.

As educators, school officials, andmunicipalities consider how to sustain-ably and equitably advance learning asschool resumes, robust support for digi-tal training must be a part of the equa-tion. An intense focus on access to tech-nology alone threatens to crowd outsupport for comprehensive, culturallycompetent training that meets studentsand families where they are.

The profound uncertainty and disrup-tion caused by COVID-19 has left stu-dents, families, educators, and officialsat every level scrambling to react andadapt, but if we are genuinely committedto providing every student the bestchance to succeed in a landscape heavilyreliant on virtual learning, school offi-cials and municipalities must take aholistic view of digital inclusion.

Daniel Noyes and Theodora Hannaare co-CEOs of Tech Goes Home, a non-profit working to advance digital equityin education, the workforce, and beyond,based in Boston, Massachusetts.

3October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

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hope they might help you, too. Thestrategies include:

1. Embrace the plot twist: Ask anyimproviser for the rules of improv andthey’ll inevitably mention “Yes And.”Successful improv artists hop up onstage and dive into whatever reality theaudience and their acting partners sug-gest. For example, I might expect thatI’m about to do a scene where I’m wait-ing at a train station, but my acting part-ner tells me we’re socks in a washingmachine. Instead of arguing with myscene partner that my idea is better, Iobey the improv rule. The rule of “YesAnd” invites me to accept this new real-ity and build upon it.

“Yes And” requires the player toembrace unexpected challenges as plottwists instead of disasters. I remind mystudents of this all the time, reinforcingthe resilience they’re building day byday. Parents can use this framing to helpkids embrace the “yes, and” of improvinstead of resisting the plot twists lifebrings. And we teachers? We benefitfrom this reframing as well. Instead ofspending our finite store of energyfighting the reality of masks, social dis-tancing, unstable Wi-Fi, and the burdenof Zoom, we dive into these challengeswith a sense of pioneering adventure.

2. There’s Always Another Scene:Some improv scenes inevitably devolveinto disaster. Audiences don’t get ourjokes, we miss the connection with ourpartners, or we think of the perfectline… after the lights go down. So how

do improvisers find the courage to jumpup on that stage? How do improviserskeep stage fright and anxiety at bay? Weremember a second truism of theimprov mindset: there’s always anotherscene! We shrug off bad scenes, takewhat we learned from our flops, and wework to make the next scene better.Knowing many students feel shame andanxiety around test-taking, an “improv-ified” shift challenges me to make sure“there’s always another scene” in theclassroom. You can do this, too. Build inways to allow students as many swipesat assessments as you can. Personally, Ilove assessment tools that allow my stu-dents to retake a test from a large ques-tion bank as many times as they needwithout hurting their grade. The factthat I can set it to auto-magically score

for me saves me time as well. This smallshift has helped my students learn fear-lessly. Instead of tossing away tests withlow grades in shame, students eagerlydig into their mistakes. They learn thatmistakes are not failures, but gatewaysto deeper understanding. They learnwhat improvisers already know: mis-takes are often more interesting thansuccesses.

3. Find the Game: The UprightCitizen’s Brigade Comedy Manual, easi-ly my favorite book on improv, places aheavy emphasis on “finding the game” asa means to creating terrific improvscenes. This method requires players toview every interaction on stage as a clueto the underlying game. The gift of view-ing each scene as a game ensures a senseof play on stage; it ensures joy andengagement. What educator would not

want their students to approach learningwith a sense of play, joy, and engage-ment? I used Schoology to create anoptional gamified course. In it, studentshad the option to complete a variety oftasks to earn experience points (XPs)through grammar exercises, enteringwriting contests, doing good deeds, oracing comprehension quizzes. This creat-ed a fun atmosphere for students whoenjoyed playing this year-long giantgame. For students willing to cash in theirXPs, I provided prizes ranging from dol-lar store Bob Ross puzzles, to seatingchart changes, to free hints during a test.Some students chose to keep their XPsand rise to the top of the leaderboardbecause bragging rights are free! I foundthat students who engaged in the gami-fied optional course reported more satis-faction with the course overall and eachof them mentioned feeling excited totackle the tasks that also, they noted,expanded and deepened their learning.

When I bring up my background inimprovisation to other educators, I’moften met with skepticism and doubts.People confess that they could neverimprovise. It’s too scary. They couldn’tpossibly come up with something out ofnothing. The idea of inventing their wayinto a new reality seems like fantasy. Buthere’s the truth of it: improvisation isabsolutely the most natural and humanactivity, and we are all doing it all thetime. (Nobody scripted that you read thisarticle today, did they?) And the truthiertruth? The 2020 supervillain and its evilsidekick COVID-19 have forced ourneed to improvise into high gear. So, whynot use strategies the professionals use?

If you’d like to share your best (andworst) classroom improvisations, pleasereach out to me on Twitter @msfilas. Ipromise I’ll “Yes And” you.

Danielle Filas serves as the 8th gradeDean and the 8th grade English teacherat Presbyterian School in Houston, TX.She has been teaching for about twodecades and is a PowerSchoolChampion, Google for EducationCertified Trainer, and a Google forEducation Certified Innovator.

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5October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

BY BRITTEN FOLLETTNew questions from school librari-

ans… Will ultra violet disinfectantdevices damage books?

How long should I quarantine a bookbefore circulating it again?

How can I use technology to coordi-nate curbside pick-up for students whowant to check out print books?

Meet the same old challenges… Howcan I ensure teachers know about thecontent available in my library?

My principal wants to convert mylibrary into a classroom. What should I do?

My budget is on hold until furthernotice.

Back-to-school season is oftenchaotic, but the anticipation of a newschool year can also be exciting. 2020brought chaos, anticipation, trepidation,and change. As districts pivot to newways of teaching and learning, schoollibrarians must also grapple with how todo their jobs in the COVID-19 virtualenvironment.

The very nature of a library impliesphysical books stored on rows ofshelves. But with school closures thenorm—not the exception—students nolonger have access to the place many ofthem found comfort and knowledge: theschool library.

Of the 25,000 customers whoresponded to a recent Follett survey,only 15 percent of schools are deliver-ing fully in-school instruction. What’smore, the American Association ofSchool Librarians recently surveyedmore than 1,000 professionals andfound that more than 40 percent ofschool libraries will not reopen thisschool year.

In many districts across the country,the librarian’s job description had not

been updated to reflect a “future ready”world that includes the delivery of digi-tal resources, curriculum partnerships,and community connections. When youlayer on a pandemic that includeshybrid and remote learning, there is nojob description available. But resource-ful school librarians from coast to coastare finding innovative ways to work in asystem that has no precedent.

“Librarians save lives by handing theright book at the right time to a kid inneed.” (Judy Blume)

Librarians, by nature, want to helpyoung readers—and each other. Thishas never been more evident than inrecent discussions in the Future ReadyLibrarian Facebook group. Michiganschool librarian Lisa Smith Brakelasked, “We are face-to-face this year.My school is using a ‘fogger’ to disin-fect classrooms. I am worried about thelibrary books. Should the fogger beused in the library?”

Leave it to a librarian to come upwith an inventive makerspace-style

solution: hang plastic shower curtainsfrom the dollar store in front of thebookshelves to protect the books.

Other school librarians who have in-person instruction in their schools arewearing out their book carts as theywheel books from classroom to class-room to ensure students have materialsthey are excited about—even if theycan’t visit their library in person.Massachusetts librarian Kerry RocheFerguson said she decorated “a cart, aka‘book bus,’ and [am] lugging it down

two flights of stairs to the other end ofthe building to make checkout fun forthe kids.”

For those with all-remote learning,taking their library online is a chal-lenge—but is also rewarding.

“I’m creating a lot of digital content,which takes a long time but is prettyfun!” said California librarian ChristineJensen. “I just started doing unboxingvideos when book shipments arrive andI read first chapters from four different

How school librarians are getting creative in a pandemicLibraries may be closed in many districts, but school librarians are usingresourcefulness and determination to make sure students are reading

Creative, page 15

6 October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

BY EMILY DOERR, NATIONALMARKETING COORDINATOR,APERTURE EDUCATION

We are all dealing with high levels ofstress right now. On top of normal pres-sures, current events are causing stressrelated to job and financial worries,health risks, and disruption to our nor-mal routines. We need to find ways toeffectively manage our stress—andpracticing SEL activities can help.

During these uncertain times, it iscritical that educators find ways toeffectively manage and reduce stress. Itis also critical that we help students dothe same. Just like with adults, if stu-dents’ stress goes unmanaged, it canlead to anxiety and depression and cancause harmful physical effects. It canalso increase students’ risk of droppingout, substance abuse, and suicide.

As an educator, you are in a uniqueposition to provide stability and supportto your students and their families dur-ing uncertain times. One of the bestways you can help students is by look-ing after their social-emotional health.

Here are 10 SEL activities to helpyour students learn effective stressmanagement.

1. Help students understand whatis happening. A simple and age-appro-priate conversation about what is goingon and why their routine is disruptedcan help alleviate students’ anxiety andstress. Send home talking points to helpparents talk to their students about whatis happening in a constructive way. Ifyou have a school or class web page,keep it current with the latest informa-tion about your district’s plans andavailable resources.

2. Host morning meetings. Morningmeetings are an important way to stayconnected during in-person and virtuallearning with your students and addressany issues they may be having. Spendsome time at the start of the school day

to check in with students. This can be atime to address any issues they may befacing, talk through their feelings andemotions, and practice social-emotionalskills. Morning meetings can strengthenstudent-teacher relationships, increasesocial awareness and self-efficacy, andreduce stress.

3. Promote a growth mindset.Research shows that a growth mindsetcan help students maintain a sense of

control over their lives, and it addressesthe cognitive causes of stress within thebrain. Growth mindsets allow us to seethe world through a lens of growth,which means we have the power to turnour thoughts from a negative focusinduced by stress to a positive focusstriving toward improvement. Help stu-dents develop a growth mindset byteaching them to focus on the positiveand view challenges as opportunities forgrowth, rather than threats.

4. Teach through games. Games area fun and interactive way to teach stu-dents social-emotional skills like self-management. Here are a couple of ourfavorites:

• Coping Skills Bingo: This free gameteaches students how to manage angerand cope with stress in a fun, interac-tive way.

• Stress Management Escape Room:Students engage in hands-on, interac-tive puzzles that explain the biologicalstress response and how to managestress by getting organized, doingexercises or yoga, relying on socialsupports, etc.

5. Encourage students to getenough sleep. Younger children need10-12 hours of sleep each night andhigh school students need around eightto nine hours. Talk to students aboutwhy getting enough sleep is importantfor their physical and mental health.

6. Teach mindfulness. We can helpstudents reduce the negative effects ofstress through mindfulness.Mindfulness involves an awareness ofyour thoughts, feelings, and body sensa-tions and how they can impact youractions. This framework has beenproven to help students recognize trig-gers and changes within their bodies,

10 SEL activities for studentsCOVID-19 has thrown education for a loop, and paying attention to mentalhealth is critical—these SEL activities can help students maintain peace

SEL, page 15

7October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

BY EMILY DOERR, NATIONALMARKETING COORDINATOR,APERTURE EDUCATION

We are all dealing with high levels ofstress right now. On top of normal pres-sures, current events are causing stressrelated to job and financial worries,health risks, and disruption to our nor-mal routines. We need to find ways toeffectively manage our stress—andpracticing SEL activities can help.

When not addressed, stress can lead toharmful health concerns like anxiety anddepression, reduced attention, impairedself-regulation, and decreased learningreadiness. It can also lead to negativewell-being factors, such as sleep and eat-ing disorders. Extended exposure to toxicstress also can have lasting mental andphysical health effects.

We’ve compiled 10 tips to help edu-cators work through stress and 10 tips toteach students effective stress manage-ment. Try these out to find which workbest for you and your students.Educators: 10 SEL activitiesto de-stress

Educators, we know you have a loton your plates right now. Be proactiveabout keeping your stress levels incheck. Try these 10 de-stressing activi-ties to find out which strategies workbest for you.

1. Identify your stress triggers.Stress can be caused by many differentfactors — long hours, frustrationsaround technology and virtual learning,too much news exposure, etc. Make alist of all the stressors in your life, not-ing those you have control over andthose you do not. Begin tackling the listby choosing one or two items you havesome control over that cause you themost stress. Make a plan to manage thestressor(s), write down a goal, and cre-ate accountable measures to help youfollow through.

2. Perform deep breathing. Deepbreathing can have a powerful physicaleffect in reducing tension and helpingthe body relax. Clinical research showsthat regular deep breathing exercisesaffect the heart, the brain, digestion, andthe immune system. They can haveimmediate results and can also be usedto reduce the production of harmfulstress hormones. Try the equal breathsexercise. Breathe in for a count of four,and out for a count of four. Continue fora few rounds, then try adding an extracount (in for a count of five, out for acount of five). You can continue thisexercise until you feel your stress levelsdecreasing and your heart rate slowing.

3. Get enough sleep. We can’t stressthis one enough. Getting enough sleepis critical to your health and to reducingstress. Try setting an alarm for when itis time for bed and do your best to getseven to eight hours of sleep each night.Most smartphones have a feature thatreduces blue light in the evenings — tryputting your phone on this setting after10 p.m. to help your eyes relax.

Maximize the sleep you do get by“unplugging” (i.e. turning off the com-puter, phone, TV, etc.) at least an hourbefore bed.

4. Watch what you eat (and drink).A balanced diet does wonders for yourhealth and state of mind. Try to eatnutritious foods and cut down onprocessed or sugary foods that candeplete your energy. Also be sure todrink plenty of water. An estimated 75percent of people in the U.S. are chron-ically dehydrated. A good rule of thumbis to drink half of your weight in ounceseach day (example, a person whoweighs 150lbs would drink 75oz ofwater per day). You may need more orless depending on the climate you livein, your body type, or how much youexercise.

5. Exercise. According to theHarvard Medical School, regular aero-bic exercise (like walking) can boostmemory and critical thinking, improvesleep, and reduce anxiety. Find creativeways to exercise while practicing safe

10 SEL activities for teachersCOVID-19 has thrown educators for a loop, and paying attention to mental health is critical—these SEL activities can help teachers maintain peace

Activities, page 16

8 October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

BY STACEY PUSEY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER,EDWEB

While equity requires vision from itsleaders, it also requires courage.

During the edWebinar “Leading forEquity: Courage to Lead with an EquityAgenda,” hosted by AASA, TheSuperintendents Association andAASA’s Leadership Network, Dr.Khalid Mumin, Superintendent ofReading School District (PA), andMarlon Styles, Superintendent ofMiddletown City Schools (OH), dis-cussed the challenges they faced and thetough decisions they made to keep theirequity agenda moving forward.

Equity sometimes requiresunequal supports for students. Whilethe goal is the same outcome for all stu-dents—graduation—the effort to geteach student there will look different.Instead of trying to give each studentthe exact same experience and expectthem all to graduate, leaders need to fig-ure out what each student needs to com-plete their educational goals.

Equity agendas require constantrevision. Today’s actions might focuson internet access at home and theimpact of social justice movements, butnew equity challenges could arrivetomorrow. Leaders must be willing togo back to their boards, back to theiradministrative teams, and update theirplans and budgets based on the currentneeds of their students and staff.

Striving for equity means tossing alot of old hiring practices. If the goal isto have a teaching staff that not onlyreflects the student population, but alsounderstands the students’ needs, thenposting job openings and choosing can-didates from a generic pile won’t work.Now, leaders need to hire based on theirequity goals—for all positions—andhow candidates will fit into the desiredculture and student experience. This canalso result in schools forging their ownpathways for teaching licenses andadministrative positions.

A strong equity agenda can alsomake the student code of conduct obso-lete. Most student codes are punitive andonly focus on dealing with adversebehavior after the fact. Many studentswon’t read them because they are justlists of what not to do. Both presenterssaid they upended the system at theirschools by first trying to understandwhere these behaviors were coming fromand second, by trying to work with stu-dents before they exhibit those behaviors.This requires schools to invest in studentand family liaisons and to be active par-ticipants in all students’ educations.

Pursuing equity requires constantprofessional development for all staff.Equity doesn’t end in the classroom—it’s a school- and district-wide culture.The work never stops. Schools mustcontinually invest in training, coaching,and personnel so they can take the equi-ty agenda from words to action. Staffmay think they have other importantissues to focus on, but in order to erasedecades of disparity, equity educationneeds to be constant at all levels.

This edWeb broadcast was hosted byAASA, The SuperintendentsAssociation and AASA’s LeadershipNetwork, providing premier profession-al learning for educational leaders.

About the presenters

For the last 20 years, Dr. Khalid N.Mumin has served in various capacitiesas a teacher, dean of students, principaland central administrator. Dr. Muminearned a Doctor of Education inEducational Leadership from theUniversity of Pennsylvania, a Master ofEducation in Teaching & Curriculumfrom Pennsylvania State University, aBachelor of Arts in Secondary EnglishEducation from Shippensburg University,and an Associate of Arts in English fromNortheastern Christian Junior College.

The strength in Dr. Mumin’s leader-ship revolves around being a student-centered educator, who has a vision ofsuccess for all students and a belief thatbuilding positive relationships throughcultural competencies is paramount inpromoting student success. Dr. Muminis a change agent and is committed topromoting and sustaining studentachievement, equity and access to edu-cational programming for all students,as well as creating plans that are fiscallyresponsible. He maintains a keen focuson fostering collaboration with stake-holders, including students, parents,teachers, administrators, community,

5 practices of educators who prioritize equity

Equity, page 14

9October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

BY MICHAEL BODEKAERJENSEN, FOUNDER & CEO,LABSTER

Student regression is no longerjust a summer issue, and we are see-ing the learning losses magnifiedsince remote learning began. WhatDr. Megan Kuhfeld and Dr. BethTarasawa call the “COVID slide” inperformance is going to slip rightinto spring 2021.

Overcoming the pronounced aca-demic setbacks characterizing theCOVID slide will challenge STEM edu-cators for years to come. High impactlearning losses are predicted for founda-tional skills in math and reading as earlyas third grade, placing future success inSTEM areas on shaky ground.

As educators and leaders in educa-tion technology, it is our responsibilityto work on building hybrid solutions tobridge the gaps students are facing.

Here are some of the most immediateways we can begin to tackle the COVIDslide:1. Providing the righteducation support

High school students on STEM path-ways are taking a challenging course ofstudy, and they will need additional sup-port to maintain their pace toward col-lege readiness. Other students — espe-cially if they are girls or students ofcolor — risk being left out of STEMcareers altogether if they cannot buildstrong conceptual foundations duringhigh school.

Overall, the educational inequitieshave been exacerbated by the pandemic,and the COVID-19 educationalresponse longitudinal survey found thatremote learning programs are less rigor-ous in more schools located in histori-

cally higher-poverty and low-achievingdistricts than in wealthier, higher-achieving districts. Another recent studyfound that households located in higher-income areas were much more likely tosearch Google for online resources tosupplement their education than house-holds in lower income areas.

Students need more individualizedsupport to meet them where they are inthis unprecedented situation, whether itbe a need of basic resources like laptopsand internet, or more one-on-one timewith guidance counselors and educa-tors. Remote learning offers a newopportunity to be creative about how wesupport our students.2. Provide more opportunities

Opportunities for learning are notevenly distributed, especially during thepandemic. Yet our teachers are stilltasked with preparing the next genera-tion of students to enter the workforcein a market where students will competefor jobs in increasingly technical fields.

Now is the time to make high qualityonline STEM education available inhigh schools. Online STEM tools pro-vide teachers with efficiency gains,such as easier grading and ways to sup-port students who miss assignments.

Teachers can find free and low-cost digital learning tools to supple-ment their traditional lessons withvideos, kitchen science labs, aug-mented reality (AR) simulations,and narrative-driven virtual labora-tories. They can find tools likeKahoot, Quizlet, Newsela, and moreto support their instructionalmethod, whether it’s team-basedlearning or flipped classroom, toolsthat teach procedures, skills or con-cepts, and tools to assess learner

engagement and progress. Teachers canshare the best online learning resourceswith their peers, to the benefit of theirstudents.3. Edtech companies musthelp teachers

No online science simulation canreplace a great teacher. In fact, it is thethoughtful integration of digitalresources within well-constructed cur-ricula by teachers that allow onlineSTEM programs to truly enhance stu-dents’ learning quality. It is not suffi-cient to simply present a student with aresource without topical or pedagogiccontext.

STEM learning is most successfulwhen students are emotionally and cog-nitively invested in their learning activ-ities, allowing them to make deep criti-cal connections to the knowledge theyengage with. When students are notreceiving face-to-face instruction, theymay struggle to connect with theabstract concepts and factual contentthey study. Promoting engagement iswhere online STEM programs canmake a critical difference.

Education technology companiescan step up to provide more resources to

3 ways online STEM education combats the COVID slideLearning may have moved online for most students, but critical STEM education doesn't have to suffer the learning gaps brought on by the COVID slide—here's why

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BY STACEY PUSEY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER,EDWEB

As schools reckon with academicequity, they’re often focused on aca-demic progress. During the edWebinarLeading for Equity: AcademicDevelopment Through an Equity Lens,hosted by AASA, The SuperintendentsAssociation and AASA’s LeadershipNetwork, the presenters talked about theimportant role social-emotional learn-ing (SEL) plays in the process. In fact,they argued that schools must connect

academic equity with SEL if they’regoing to reach their goal of serving allstudents.

Across the nation, district equity dis-cussions include how schools mustexamine current biases from bus stopsand classroom materials to educator andstaff expectations. In Social, Emotional,and Academic Development Throughan Equity Lens, from The EducationTrust, researchers found most familiesof color don’t think schools are set upfor their students to succeed.

Nancy Duchesneau, a ResearchAssociate at The Education Trust, saidthat’s because current SEL models

focus on competencies and reachingspecific standards without thinkingabout individual students’ needs. Thisadds to a deficit-based mindset wherethe teachers are focused on fixing thestudents. Instead, said Duchesneau,educators and staff need to recognizecultural and contextual differences andhow they impact students.

Based on the research, the report’sauthors have six policy and practice rec-ommendations to get on a path to aca-demic equity:

1. Provide meaningful professional

development and supports in key areaslike reducing bias and culturally sus-taining pedagogy;

2. Engage parents, students, andcommunities as full partners so thatleaders have reliable information aboutthe school climate and school needs;

3. Diversify the educator workforceso that students from all backgroundsrecognize themselves in teachers andstaff, thus feeling more welcome in theschool;

4. Ensure equitable access to andsupports for success in rigorous and cul-turally sustaining coursework. In otherwords, all students should be using rig-

orous curricula that is free from stereo-types and negative reinforcement. SELshould be integrated into the materials;

5. Develop inclusive discipline anddress code policies. Discipline, forinstance, should focus on restoring rela-tionships; and

6. Provide access to integrated wrap-around services and supports, whichshould include partnering with commu-nity officials like law enforcement andhospitals to ensure that students receivesupport wherever and whenever theyneed it.

One school district modeling thistype of intentional equity isMontgomery County Public Schools inMaryland. District Superintendent Dr.Jack R. Smith said when he came toMontgomery County, he noticed whilemany cohorts of students were achiev-ing sustainable success, he couldn’t sayall students were being set up for suc-cess.

Based on the district’s strategic planand other work being done in the dis-trict, the leadership developed an equityand achievement framework based onthree main principles.• Evidence of learning: Dr. Smith saidthe key questions he asks are: “Are allstudents learning?” and “Are theylearning enough?” The district is usingmultiple measures from the classroomto district level across internal andexternal categories to determine if stu-dents are college and career ready.

• Equity accountability model:Administration looked at the groups ofstudents that were typically underper-forming and asked how they knowthey are underperforming and why.Without the deeper details about thesestudents, the district couldn’t developan action plan to help them.

How SEL and achievement lead to academic equitySchools are struggling to ensure that all students have what they need to be successful—here are some important components of academic equity

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11October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

• Equitable access to resources: Morethan just culturally-appropriate rigor-ous curricula, district leaders alsolooked at how all staff, time, andmoney were being used to support allstudents. For Dr. Monifa McKnight,Deputy Superintendent, the key ques-tions for every program are: Who hasaccess to that program? Are we provid-ing resources to make sure all studentsare successful in that program? Again,the resources need to support the stu-dents’ well-being as well as academics.The key to all of this, said Dr. Smith,

is to think of data as a flashlight and nota hammer. It tells us the questions andwhere to look, but data should drive usto numbers, then to names, and then tofaces. Each student is an individual whodeserves attention to their specificneeds. As Dr. McKnight remindedattendees, there may be a different pathfor each student to reach the standard,and it’s the job of everyone in their dis-trict to help each child on their journey.

This edWeb broadcast was hosted byAASA, The SuperintendentsAssociation and AASA’s LeadershipNetwork, providing premier profession-al learning for educational leaders. About the presenters

Nancy is a P-12 Research Associateand leads the Social, Emotional, andAcademic Development work atEdTrust. In this role, she works to fillcurrent gaps in research, policy, andadvocacy to ensure that schools holisti-cally support the well-being and devel-opment of students, and especially forlow-income students and students ofcolor.

In addition to having served asEdTrust’s Spencer Fellow for Social,Emotional, and AcademicDevelopment, Nancy worked in multi-ple roles prior to joining EdTrust.Recent experiences include serving as aresearch assistant under education fac-ulty at Michigan State University. Shehas also worked on projects with

researchers at Education TestingService (ETS) and interned with con-sultants at the Center for Assessment.

Jack R. Smith began his tenure assuperintendent of Montgomery CountyPublic Schools (MCPS) on July 1, 2016and is now in his second term as super-intendent. A dedicated lifelong educa-tor, Dr. Smith has been a classroomteacher, principal, curriculum director,and a local superintendent of schools.Dr. Smith’s steadfast goal has alwaysbeen to provide all students, regardlessof their learning needs, race, ethnicity,or socioeconomic status, with optionsand choices upon graduation.

Among Dr. Smith’s many illustriousawards and honors, he was namedMaryland Superintendent of the Year in2013 and he received the 2010 ChangeAgent Award from the Maryland StateDepartment of Education’s Division ofCareer and College Readiness. Dr.Smith is a member of LeadershipMaryland’s Class of 2011, and he hasserved on a variety of volunteer boards.A graduate of Eastern WashingtonUniversity, with a bachelor’s in Englishand Communications and a master’s inSchool Administration, Dr. Smithreceived his Ph.D. in instructional lead-ership from Notre Dame of MarylandUniversity.

Dr. Monifa McKnight currentlyserves as Deputy Superintendent inMCPS. Prior to this role, she served asthe Chief School Management andInstructional Leadership Officer forHoward County Public Schools. Prior togoing to Howard County, Dr. McKnightserved as the Director for SecondaryLeadership Development Programs inMontgomery County Public Schools.She also served as a Campus PrincipalAmbassador Fellow for the UnitedStates Department of Education in 2016under the leadership of Secretary ofEducation John King.

Dr. McKnight was honored as the2015 Maryland Middle SchoolPrincipal of the Year by the MarylandAssociation of Secondary SchoolPrincipals and as the 2015 MarylandState Principal of the Year by the

National Association of SecondarySchool Principals. She received thishonor during her 5th year as thePrincipal of Ridgeview Middle Schoolin Gaithersburg, MD.

Dr. McKnight’s prior experiences ineducation include classroom teacher,English Resource Teacher, StaffDevelopment Teacher, and AssistantPrincipal. She holds a Bachelor ofScience degree in ElementaryEducation from South Carolina StateUniversity in Orangeburg, SouthCarolina, a Master of Science inEducational Leadership from BowieState University, Bowie Maryland, anda Doctorate of Education in EducationalLeadership and Policy from theUniversity of Maryland, College Park.About the host

Valerie joined AASA early in 2019as the Assistant Executive Directorresponsible for guiding leadershipdevelopment services and programs.With years of experience in the superin-tendency and roles in instructional tech-nology, she knows that AASA’sLeadership Network can be a substan-tial resource for school leaders trying tokeep pace with the rapidly changingdelivery of K-12 education.Join the community

Leading for Equity is a free profes-sional learning community onedWeb.net for school and district lead-ers who face many challenges leadingschools and driving school improve-ment for all students, especially nowwith COVID-19.

Stacey Pusey is an education commu-nications consultant and writer. Sheassists education organizations with con-tent strategy and teaches writing at thecollege level. Stacey has worked in thepreK-12 education world for 20 years,spending time on school managementand working for education associationsincluding the AAP PreK-12 LearningGroup. Stacey is working with edWeb.netas a marketing communications advisorand writer.

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BY KEVIN HOGANHoover City Schools in suburban

Birmingham, AL, was already one-to-one when the pandemic struck inMarch. And while its transition toremote learning in the spring was rela-tively painless, teachers and studentscontinue to adjust to the new realities ofhybrid school days.

In this conversation with eSchoolNews, Bryan Phillips, CTO of HooverCity Schools, describes some of thepositives he notices with this forcedmigration and divines which practicesshould probably remain once we getback to whatever normal is.

eSN: What are some of the thingsyour teachers are doing that they didn’tdo before COVID, but you think theywill continue to do when the pandemicfinally goes away?

BP: A lot of teachers are runningGoogle Meet every day, recording theirlesson, and keeping it. So the kids thataren’t there, they can just send it tothem. It’s a vlog—a video diary of whatthey do every day. Keeping those lessonplans, I think that’s a plus.

For a lot of the advanced courses, wedon’t have a teacher for both physicaland virtual. So she may have officehours on Tuesdays with the remote kidscan ask questions, which I think will bea huge plus moving forward. Some kidsmay not feel comfortable walking up toa teacher or calling a teacher over theirdesk in class and asking a question. Butif they can go back and send the teachera message, “Hey, I need to talk to you.”

They get them on Meet and work thatout and learn whatever that concept is.That’s something you do in college.Well, kids are now learning it in sev-enth, eighth, ninth, 10th, 11th, 12thgrade.

eSN: Remote learning and thingslike video conferencing have been get-ting a bad rap with all the complaints ofZoom fatigue, etc. Have you seen anypositive aspects?

BP: I think the virtual office hours isa huge one, and of course, everythingbeing in the cloud, not tied to our net-work, not tied to anywhere specific.When COVID went into full mode, fulllockdown, we had kids who were nolonger in Hoover that had went to staywith grandparents in other states orwherever else. So I start looking at IPaddresses of our Chromebooks. I mean,they’re all over the US! So I think thatshowing the remoteness of it all was aplus—that our kids can still learn fromour teachers, but be anywhere. Also,faculty meetings that used to last twohours now last 15 minutes, because yougot a bulleted list, you’d run through it,you’re done.

eSN: How do you see faculty adjust-ing to these new tools and dynamics?

BP: I will tell you a rough guess that75 percent of our teachers right now usethe devices for the kids three times aweek. I think moving forward that num-ber will be 80, 90 percent. A lot of themhave learned they can ask questions

they’ve never asked before. They’re nolonger the smartest person in the room.The collective internet is the smartestperson in the room. So that was a biglearning point for our teachers, whenthey realized, okay, we have to askquestions we’ve never asked before andlook for different answers to questionswe have heard before.

eSN: So do you feel this will ultimate-ly improve the quality of education overtime? Is this the promise of “anytime,anywhere learning” being realized?

BP: So the idea of our engaged learn-ing initiative (before the pandemic) wasto engage them more than we wereengaging them from 8 am to 3 pm. Toengage them at home, to engage themwherever we could to extend that day, togive them more time learning. That’s thewhole idea. We still want to do the samething. If you look at any study and youlook at any of the numbers, kids whohave more opportunities learn more. So ifwe can give every kid the same amount ofadvanced opportunities than what wehad, we’ve done our job.

Kevin is a forward-thinking mediaexecutive with more than 25 years ofexperience building brands and audi-ences online, in print, and face to face.He is an acclaimed writer, editor, andcommentator covering the intersection ofsociety and technology, especially educa-tion technology. Most recently, he haswas Managing Director of Content forTech& Learning. You can reach Kevin atKevinHogan@eschoolnews.com

Getting There: Innovation in Education

Keeping COVID innovations even after the pandemic passesOne district is hoping to preserve new technologies and innovations it adopted this year—even once COVID lockdowns are a thing of the past

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BY JOHN PELLETTIERE, SENIORDIRECTOR AND GENERAL MANAGER - STATE, LOCAL AND EDUCATION, NUTANIX

This school year is unlike any other.More than 90 percent of householdswith school-age children are engaged insome form of distance learning fromhome, while college students are navi-gating a variety of hybrid remote learn-ing environments. These new learningenvironments present challenges foreducators and school IT leaders alike.

As educational institutions of all sizesare weighing how to keep studentsengaged while also ensuring their safety,IT departments are faced with a difficulttask – how to keep operations runningregardless of the learning environment.Supporting students in theage of remote learning

Today’s K-12 and higher educationstudents were born in the internet eraand are able to easily adapt to newmodes of communication and learning.Knowing this, educational institutionsmust prioritize investment of remotelearning technologies that can keep upwith students’ abilities and needs.Providing students with this seamlesslearning environment is dependent onteachers having reliable access to insti-tutional networks from home and theclassroom.

Desktop as a Service (DaaS) and vir-tual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solu-tions enable application access on anydevice, granting teachers full access totheir network regardless of their loca-tion. Further, onboarding the technolo-gy onto individual laptops takes min-utes, instead of hours or days. Thisensures that, should there be any addi-tional academic disruptions, schools canswiftly update their hybrid learning

model accordingly, without any nega-tive impact on the academic calendar.Ensuring security

Educational institutions are sitting ona wealth of sensitive information, fromstudent data to intellectual property andresearch. According to a study fromSecurityScorecard, the education indus-try has the worst cybersecurity vulnera-bility of 17 sectors in the U.S., and theincreased reliance on digital technolo-gies in the wake of COVID-19 presentsfurther concern.

With teachers and students workingremotely, DaaS also provides the layerof security needed to protect education-al networks. While the solution runs onpersonal computers, which have a repu-tation of causing end-point securityissues, DaaS operates as a completelyseparate application, creating a con-trolled and secure environment inde-pendent of remote workers’ personalactivity and weak points within theirindividual networks.Managing costs

Enabling remote learning and teach-ing requires unanticipated expenses at atime where many educational institu-tions are grappling with tight budgetsand reduced revenue streams. Whenlooking to alter IT budgets to enableremote learning effectively while alsosaving costs, IT leaders should looktowards their current cloud models.

Public cloud has remained popularacross industries, and a new study foundthat 57 percent of education sectorrespondents have increased their invest-ments in public cloud services as aresult of the pandemic. While theinvestment is growing, public cloud hasbeen known to cause budget overages,which is problematic during this time of

economic uncertainty. With this inmind, regardless of the model educa-tional institutions currently rely on, ITleaders must evaluate which makes themost sense for their applications in apost COVID-19 world – and the answermay not live within public or privateclouds alone.

According to a recent study, 77 per-cent of public sector IT leaders believea hybrid IT model is the most effectiveapproach for public sector organiza-tions. With this in mind, investing in ahybrid cloud solution is a way educa-tional institutions can control theirspending while also having the flexibil-ity to choose the rig ht workload foreach application. The increased flexibil-ity, and potential cost savings, associat-ed with hybrid cloud will allow educa-tional institutions to support their teach-ers and students as they grapple with thedisruption created by COVID-19.Driving towards the newnormal

The future of education is unknown,and the success rate of hybrid and remoteeducation models have yet to be seen.However, as educational institutions lookto adapt towards the new normal, theymust continue to deliver rich, immersiveexperiences that hold students’ attention,and guide their progress. Technologieslike VDI and DaaS, as well as cost-effec-tive cloud models will be necessary toprovide learning environments remotelyto all end-user devices, ensuring that ourfuture leaders will have the same aca-demic experience as the generationsbefore them – regardless of physicallocation.

John Pellettiere is Senior Director andGeneral Manager – State, Local andEducation for Nutanix.

How IT leaders can thrive in the post-COVID eraWhen looking to enable remote learning effectively and save costs, IT leaders should look towards their current cloud models

eSN

14 October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

engage with teachers and educators inhelping them utilize new online pro-grams. Some companies create virtualconferences dedicated to addressingtheir needs to best integrate edtech toolsinto their spring courses.

Now, in the age of social distancing,we must bring the science lab to the stu-dent rather than bringing the student tothe lab. Taking a high school scienceclass once meant going to a wet lab andsharing expensive equipment and sup-plies with peers. Online STEM educa-tion demands no special equipment,supplies, or physical resources apart

from a computer and stable internetconnection. Learning with the supportof their teachers and peers, students canaccess STEM material in their ownhomes without the heightened healthand safety risks of COVID.

Bringing STEM education online isnot about a technology or deliverymethod, it’s about the teaching and thelearning. Using online STEM resourcesto engage students, enable them toregain lost ground using mastery-basedlearning, and facilitate their progresstoward educational goals, will positive-ly impact their academic journeysthrough graduation, college andbeyond.

Michael Bodekaer Jensen is a serialentrepreneur with a passion for buildinginnovative technology companies that havethe potential to change the world. Born andraised in Denmark, Michael Bodekaer’sfirst business venture came to life when hewas just 14 years old. Fast forward to2020, and Michael is the founder of fiveunique organizations with offices spanningthe globe. With the ambition of leveragingcutting-edge technology to improve learn-ing quality and has spoken passionatelyabout it through a Ted Talk. His company,Labster, is the groundbreaking platformthat gives students worldwide the opportu-nity to learn life sciences through gamifiededucation in immersive 3D virtual worlds.

public officials, business partners, andhigher education. His goal is that all ofthese groups will come together on thesame accord to function as a completecommunity of learners focused on stu-dent success and student access to col-lege and career opportunities. Dr.Khalid Mumin is the 2021 PennsylvaniaSuperintendent of the Year.

In the fall of 2017, Marlon Stylesbecame the proud Superintendent ofMiddletown City School District. Thefour years prior, he served as theExecutive Director of Curriculum &Instruction for Lakota Schools. Hisaffinity for education has ignited a fierypassion to close the equity gap for allstudents. He prides himself on findingthe good in every person. Mr. Styleschallenges others to rise up to strength-en the #MiddieRising culture. Mr.Styles states, “My affinity for educationhas ignited a fiery passion to close theequity and access gaps that affectschools. I am firmly devoted to findinginnovative ways to integrate technologyto transform learning experiences thatwill inspire students.” Marlon earned anundergraduate degree from ThomasMore College, and a Master’s degreefrom University of Cincinnati.

About the host

Dr. Amy Sichel is a nationally recog-nized educational leader and has servedas superintendent of the AbingtonSchool District in Abington, PA since2001 and retired after 18 years of serv-ice. She served the district for 42 yearsas the assistant superintendent, directorof pupil services, school psychologistand counselor. Dr. Sichel is a past pres-ident of AASA and PASA as well asbeing named a PA Superintendent of theYear. She was proud to have the oppor-tunity to be recognized nationally forthe district’s work in narrowingachievement gaps for historicallyunder-represented students. For thiswork, she has co-authored a chapter in atextbook by Mr. Alan Blankstein andDr. Pedro Noguera, entitled ExcellenceThrough Equity: Five Principles ofCourageous Leadership to GuideAchievement for Every Student.

Dr. Sichel is now a repurposed super-intendent as Lead Superintendent in theAASA National SuperintendentCertification Program®. She has workedwith AASA’s Leadership Network andthe Certification program since the incep-tion with curriculum development and asa mentor. AASA’s NationalSuperintendent Certification Program hasa rigorous and engaging curriculum,

where superintendents in their beginningyears of service and those that want torefresh their skill set, form as a cohort ofcritical professional friends and engage inleadership development. This work is soimportant for superintendents as theystrive to educate America’s children to becareer and college ready. With years ofexperience in education, Dr. Sichelstrives to offer premier professionallearning opportunities to superintendentsand educational leaders with AASA’sLeadership Network.Join the community

Leading for Equity is a free profession-al learning community on edWeb.net forschool and district leaders who face manychallenges leading schools and drivingschool improvement for all students, espe-cially now with COVID-19.

Stacey Pusey is an education commu-nications consultant and writer. Sheassists education organizations with con-tent strategy and teaches writing at thecollege level. Stacey has worked in thepreK-12 education world for 20 years,spending time on school managementand working for education associationsincluding the AAP PreK-12 LearningGroup. Stacey is working with edWeb.netas a marketing communications advisorand writer.

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which can help them calm and regulatetheir emotions before they act on a trig-ger in a negative way.

7. Encourage students to be smartabout social media. We are realistic —we know that no matter what adults tellstudents, there is little chance they willstay off of social media. But we canteach them to be smart about using it.We can help them understand that toomuch media exposure (especially onsocial media) can increase stress andanxiety. We can teach them how toaccess reputable news sources like theCenters for Disease Control and WorldHealth Organization to get accurateinformation. And we can teach them tobe safe online. Being smart about usingsocial media can keep students safe andgrounded and can reduce negativeeffects like stress and low self-esteem.

8. Practice deep breathing. Deepbreathing works just as well for studentsas it does for adults. It can have a pow-erful physical effect in reducing tension

and relaxing the body — and it can haveimmediate results. Clinical researchshows that regular deep breathing exer-cises affect the heart, the brain, diges-tion, and the immune system. They canhave immediate results and can also beused to reduce the production of harm-ful stress hormones. Teach studentsdeep breathing techniques to calm downand reduce stress.

9. Teach visualization. Day-dream-ing in class is sometimes ok!Visualization involves using mentalimagery to achieve a more relaxed stateof mind and can be an effective way forstudents to de-stress. This free lessonplan guides students through the processand has them use visualization toimprove reading comprehension.

10. Be a listening ear. Some stu-dents don’t have an adult at home whothey feel they can turn to in times ofneed. Encourage students to talk to youabout their feelings so you can workthrough any concerns they may have.During remote learning, keep the com-munication going through email, onlinechat, text message, virtual meetingspaces, or an old-fashioned phone call.

We are certainly going through chal-lenging and stressful times. Put yoursocial-emotional skills to work and devel-op a plan to tackle stress before you getoverwhelmed. We hope these de-stress-ing tips are helpful to keep you and yourstudents happy and healthy!

Emily Doerr has worked in educationtechnology for over four years, specializ-ing in the K-12 market. She currentlyserves as national marketing coordinatorfor Aperture Education. The daughter oftwo college professors, Emily developeda love for learning and for sharingknowledge at a young age and has car-ried that passion with her throughout hercareer. When not diving into trends andstrategizing, you’ll find her exploring theworld and taking on new adventures.Note: A version of this article firstappeared in the 2020 Back to SchoolGuide from Aperture Education. ApertureEducation provides social-emotionallearning assessments, strategies andresources for schools and out of schooltime organizations.

books every week. I’m running four vir-tual book clubs and doing book talks ina way I never have before.”

Librarians are even thinking aheadby having students fill out surveysabout the books they like to read, so if astudent can’t be in school due toCOVID, the librarian can easily selectbooks to send home.

“We are trying to get physical librarybooks in rotation, and are figuring outlogistics and safety,” said Washingtonlibrarian Traci Plaster Chun. But inaddition to getting physical books tostudents, Chun says librarians are alsoplaying a greater role with families.“We have been supporting parents inthis pandemic, which has been a shift.Teachers and parents are working sohard; I feel it’s my role to help make

their jobs easier with tech, resources,eBooks, and whatever they need. Weknow our students, our curriculum, ourteachers, and so it makes sense that wejump in. We can personalize for ourfamilies.”

To combat the COVID-slide, anotherdistrict is strategizing how to get par-ents reading more and is planning abook club for Spanish-speaking parents.

For those “virtual librarians,” FutureReady Librarian spokesperson and VanMeter Community School Districtlibrarian Shannon McClintock Miller ishosting webinars to spark ideas andshare best practices across the countrybecause the reality is no one has donethis before. But it’s an opportunity todefine that future job description.

“I think the part of my job that haschanged the most is the amount of col-laboration I am doing with teachers,administrators and families,” Miller

said. “I have always done a lot of col-laboration, but now we are planning,creating and teaching together morethan ever. And they are so open to allideas I bring to the table—resources,technology, innovative ideas and proj-ects. A wall has been taken down. It’sone of the best things.”

Whether in-person, hybrid orremote, one thing has not changed forschool librarians is their desire to con-nect readers with books. While there’sno book with answers on how to be alibrarian during a pandemic, there isresourceful community of peers whoare eager to share ideas and solutions.And when school librarians collaborate,one thing is certain: we will figure it outtogether!

Britten Follett is the Executive VicePresident of Follett School Solutions.

15October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

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social distancing. If you can, go for a20-minute walk and enjoy some freshair, or take advantage of a free or dis-counted online workout class. Regularexercise will help you feel more ener-gized and much less stressed.

6. Tap into your support network.Establishing a good support network iscritical to maintaining healthy stresslevels, especially when you are physi-cally isolated. Lean on your colleaguesfor advice, trade ideas, and create men-toring relationships. Friends and familycan also provide invaluable support bylending an ear on especially difficultdays. You can further expand your net-work through educator-based onlinesupport networks and learning commu-nities. Join one or more, and share in awealth of knowledge from educatorsacross the country.

7. Stay organized. Being organizedis a proactive way to reduce stress. Justthink about how much time you wastesearching through email or computerfiles to find what you need, rewritingmisplaced work, or trying to manageyour calendars. Set an organization plan

— and stick to it to reduce stress,improve efficiency, and be a more effec-tive educator.

8. Meditate. Meditation, or mindfulawareness, can have a tremendousimpact on your ability to de-stress.Meditation has been practiced for thou-sands of years and can bring clarity toyour thoughts and promote peace andbalance. Even a few minutes of medita-tion can significantly reduce stress.Listen to this SEL Chat Podcast to gettips and tricks for practicing mindful-ness and meditation techniques at homeduring COVID-19.

9. Practice visualization.Visualization is another effective tacticfor reducing stress. To give it a try, sitcomfortably and think about a peacefulscene (a beach, the mountains, a favoritespot in your neighborhood). Or, visualizeyourself realizing a goal — like finallygetting back in the classroom safely!

10. Laugh. Even during tryingtimes, we need to find humor. It will dowonders for relieving stress. Accordingto the Mayo Clinic, laughter promotes astronger immune system, increases yourability to cope with difficult situations,and can improve your mood by lessen-ing depression and anxiety. Find ways

to laugh every day — share a funnymeme or joke with colleagues andfriends or watch a favorite funny movieor television show.

We are certainly going through chal-lenging and stressful times. Put yoursocial-emotional skills to work anddevelop a plan to tackle stress before youget overwhelmed. We hope these de-stressing tips are helpful to keep you andyour students happy and healthy!

Emily Doerr has worked in educationtechnology for over four years, specializ-ing in the K-12 market. She currentlyserves as national marketing coordinatorfor Aperture Education. The daughter oftwo college professors, Emily developeda love for learning and for sharingknowledge at a young age and has car-ried that passion with her throughout hercareer. When not diving into trends andstrategizing, you’ll find her exploring theworld and taking on new adventures.Note: A version of this article firstappeared in the 2020 Back to SchoolGuide from Aperture Education. ApertureEducation provides social-emotionallearning assessments, strategies andresources for schools and out of schooltime organizations.

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Co-Founder Larry Siegelman 1954–2002

eSchool News covers the intersection of technology and innovation in education. We focus on how technology can help educators improve learning and deliver instruction more effectively, enhance the student experience, and transform their schools.

16 October–December 2020 • www.eSchoolNews.com

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