A Personal Reflection: Superheroes Like You

As the school year comes to an end and things slow down a bit, I have had time to watch a few movies. Thanks to Marvel, most of what I watch has one or many superheroes in them. This got me thinking that the real heroes are the folks who led our schools and districts through perhaps the most stressful year ever.

You dealt with immense challenges this year: continued disruption from illness, quarantines, staffing shortages, shifts between remote and in-person learning, and teacher burnout, just to name a few. And, you've contended with the steep toll the pandemic has taken on students academically, socially, and emotionally. It hasn't been easy.

School and district leadership is often called a thankless job, so I wanted to take a moment and thank you for your leadership and commitment during tough times. You really are a superhero (even if they haven't made a movie about you!)

I hope school and district leaders get a chance to relax and regroup this summer, because the upcoming school year will, unfortunately, also be challenging, but in a different way. As COVID hopefully shifts into the background, learning loss, teacher burnout, and staff shortages will come to the fore. Fortunately, unlike navigating a once-in-a-century pandemic, we do have a playbook for addressing next year's challenges.

Addressing Learning Loss

Three key shifts in practice can help effectively address learning loss: focusing on core instruction, extra time to learn, and content-strong teachers. Students who have not mastered previous years' content benefit greatly from receiving 100% of current-year core instruction and having extra time every day to learn missing skills from content-strong teachers on top of, not instead of, this year's material. Anything less is unlikely to catch kids up.

Reducing Teacher Burnout

Teachers are tired and beat down, but there are ways to help. First, ensure principals have the tools to support their staff; having a site-based leader who is closely aligned to leadership's vision, who can answer questions with certainty, and who can bring front-line concerns to the central office makes a hard job much more bearable. Second, encourage group lesson planning. Rather than asking every teacher to figure out how to address missed instruction and incorporate scaffolding into their lessons by themselves, use PLC time for teachers to plan together for the upcoming week. Finally, let special educators play to their strengths. They are asked to do too much, including teaching multiple subjects, evaluating students, and maintaining compliance. Letting them focus on what they enjoy and for which they have the requisite skill and aptitude can make a big difference.

Alleviating Staff Shortages

When it comes to staffing shortages, it is time to think creatively. Consider small changes that can make your school (and schedule) more friendly for part-time staff. Reach out to retired staff to see if they might be interested in returning part- or full-time. Lastly, it is time to look beyond traditional trained teachers and create a school environment that welcomes them with open arms and provides much-needed support.

I know public education will rise to the next and every challenge. If I can be a thought partner as you navigate what comes next, please reach out.