District, Campus, and Classroom Practices for COVID-19

Posted by Leader Fellow Trisha Fiene-Spain on Mar 31, 2020 3:44:09 PM

 As a high school counselor in Coppell ISD, the struggle to stay connected to my students has been very real these past few weeks. I haven’t seen my students since March 6, 2020, and I miss them something fierce. I know I’m not alone in that feeling.

I’d like to share our district, campus, and classroom practices for COVID-19, which help us stay connected and on track with our goals.

Our district:

  • Has set up a Facebook page specifically for closure notifications. The page also serves as a place where parents can ask questions. This page is run by Coppell ISD, so the responses are up-to-date and accurate. 
  • Sends daily parent/student email updates.
  • Hosts structured virtual meetings standards for staff and kids to stay connected.
  • Allows our community to connect on Twitter by using #CISDTogetherAtHome.

My campus:

  • Has challenged our educational community to “find joy” in everyday life and share those moments online using #CHSJoy. I love this dash of levity and look forward to checking my feed for these posts.
  • Hosts weekly yoga sessions, which are led by educators for our staff and their families

Myself:

  • I’ve created my own Schoology page for my students! I use it to post daily updates, host check-ins, and pepper in some happy memes. I want to provide my kids with a sense of routine and affirm that I am here for them and that I miss them.
  • I provide a weekly meditation for our staff through Zoom, which helps me decompress; hopefully it does the same for my colleagues. 
  • I schedule regular calls home to touch base with my kids and their families. If we had a plan in place before all of this happened, I make sure we are still hitting the benchmarks.

The best thing we can do as educators during this time is let our students know that we care and that we’re still here to support them. Not all superheroes wear capes. Hats off to my colleagues and educators around the globe who continue to guide and counsel in the face of unprecedented challenges. And don’t forget: we are better together.

Topics: Educators, Coronavirus