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eSchool News
3 strategies to help schools navigate the new year
By Federico Bausone, CEO, Multimedia Care
January 25th, 2021
This year, the return from winter breaks looks remarkably
different--here's how to help schools keep students safe and engaged in
the new year
No one could have prepared our children for ten months (and counting)
of face shields, distance learning, and minimal peer interaction.
In fact – no one could have predicted much of what transpired last
year. None of us could have guessed that come March 2020, a widespread
global pandemic would replace many of those shiny New Year’s
resolutions with social distancing, masks, an excess of outdoor walks,
and perhaps way too much banana bread.
And fast-forwarding to the present, it is now January 2021, a month in
which we would typically return to work post-holiday break, and our
children would return to the classroom feeling refreshed, re-energized,
and ready to get back to work alongside friends and peers. But this
year looks a little different.
As the country enters a phased vaccination period with the Pfizer and
Moderna vaccines at the forefront, there is finally a visible light at
the end of the tunnel for many of us. There is an action plan. However,
the vaccination process is lengthy and may take quite some time before
it is appropriately administered cross-country. But there is hope. But
as the vaccine becomes accessible to distinct ages, risk categories,
and occupations, there is one group noticeably missing from the
approved list: People aged 16 and younger.
Studies are underway to determine if children should receive the
COVID-19 vaccine, but regardless of data, it is more important than
ever to protect our kids in the interim. And this protection starts in
the schools. Now, more than ever, it is essential that our education
leaders have the proper tools in place to ensure a safe, productive,
and engaging classroom.
How can our schools safely navigate the new year?
1. Invest in contactless solutions to help mitigate the spread. By
investing in contactless solutions that can swiftly and efficiently
scan for individual wellness markers such as temperature and facial
coverings, school officials can breathe a little easier knowing that
all who enter the building have been equally screened. Digital wellness
validation has become a key component of the new normal and will
continue to be in the months and years moving forward as schools look
to be as safe and secure as possible. Such products allow schools to
implement contactless, hands-free solutions that scan for overall
wellness while allowing students to engage virtually, which is
essential.
2. Use nature as the classroom. The school playground isn’t just for
recess. Taking the lesson plan outside can be an innovative way to keep
kids engaged while controlling the spread to a minimum.
3. Tap into hybrid learning. A combination of classroom-based and
online education allows schools to moderate face-to-face activity,
keeping students and teachers engaged in-person and virtually while
keeping safety at the forefront of all schooling models. Such systems
ensure allow more of an opportunity for social distancing, decreasing
the number of students in the building at any given time, as well as
ensuring that the schools are fully equipped to operate virtually when
needed.
Most importantly, take it one day at a time. There is nothing easy
about working as an educator in the current landscape, but short- and
long-term solutions can help keep the classroom as safe as possible. By
venturing outside, investing in contactless solutions to easily keep
tabs on symptoms, and staying consistent in CDC-recommended
applications, schools can look ahead to a successful new year – even in
the interim before full-fledged vaccine implementation. Stay strong –
and happy New Year!
Read this and other articles at eSchool News here
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