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Parents should be involved in all areas of the student's life and be available to support teachers and staff. All should work together as a team for the overall good of the child. 

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Parents should be involved in all areas of the student's life and be available to support teachers and staff. All should work together as a team for the overall good of the child. 

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Just being available to greet students with a smile of reassurance goes a long way. All employees can work together to foster an environment of support and understanding. 

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Just being available to greet students with a smile of reassurance goes a long way. All employees can work together to foster an environment of support and understanding. 

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Practicing self-care is essential during times of stress and worry and building support systems with other teachers and faculty members is essential. 

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Practicing self-care is essential during times of stress and worry and building support systems with other teachers and faculty members is essential. 

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Being willing to truly listen and validate a student's feelings can greatly reduce stress and anxiety. 

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Being willing to truly listen and validate a student's feelings can greatly reduce stress and anxiety. 

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It's important for parents to provide as much structure as possible. Create a routine for your kids, that mirrors what a typical day would be like, if they attended school in person. Talk with your child about his/her feelings and reassure them that everything is gonna be alright, while being honest about everything that is going on.

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There are many employees outside the classroom (ex: custodians, counselors, secretaries, cafeteria staff) that help children and schools be successful on a daily basis. These employees also form build positive relationships with both teachers and parents. These staff members can check on the well being of the students and teachers. They can also help to keep daily schedules and routines the same. During class, the counselor maybe able to check in with a class as a whole and gauge how everyone is feeling. They also can set up individual sessions through distance learning. The secretaries can touch base with the parents through a phone call, just to check in and make sure everyone in the family is okay.

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Like students, teachers experience many stress-related feelings and need support. Many teachers find themselves feeling anxious, worried or sad, and overwhelmed. Distance learning is new for everyone and some teachers are more tech savvy than others. It's important for parents, other teachers as well as administrators to support their teachers during this time and help them as they become familiar with how to teach virtually and how to engage their students and make virtual learning fun.

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Kristin Beasley

Feeling of connectedness and sense of safety I think is important.  As many school districts transitioned to distance learning, it's important that students and staff feel connected.  As students participate in distance learning it's important to keep as many of the routines as possible. Greeting students by name and create a touch-free or virtual routine (similar to a handshake, a hug or a high five) is important to remain connected.

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It is extremely important that teachers and parents have an open line of communication. During this time students are struggling to find a structure outside of the classroom while still expected to produce the work that is assigned. When teachers and parents are able to reach out to each other to help children during this time it allows for more support for the child and the adults. When a teacher has the support of the parent so does the student. 

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It is extremely important that teachers and parents have an open line of communication. During this time students are struggling to find a structure outside of the classroom while still expected to produce the work that is assigned. When teachers and parents are able to reach out to each other to help children during this time it allows for more support for the child and the adults. When a teacher has the support of the parent so does the student. 

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Every person the school is different. We all have our struggles and hurdles to overcome. Teachers outside of our classmoon and administration needs to have a supportive relationship. Through these relationships we can help each other through difficult times in our classrooms, school settings, and outside of our school. When we build a supportive relationship we are building a safety net of support for our school community.

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Every person the school is different. We all have our struggles and hurdles to overcome. Teachers outside of our classmoon and administration needs to have a supportive relationship. Through these relationships we can help each other through difficult times in our classrooms, school settings, and outside of our school. When we build a supportive relationship we are building a safety net of support for our school community.

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Teacher's need to be informed and prepared for questions. We need to be able to set the tone in the classroom to help alleviate anxiety and fear. When we are informed and can help our students to understand their fears and answer their questions in a calm manner we are helping our students tackle the unknown. 

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Teacher's need to be informed and prepared for questions. We need to be able to set the tone in the classroom to help alleviate anxiety and fear. When we are informed and can help our students to understand their fears and answer their questions in a calm manner we are helping our students tackle the unknown. 

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Teacher’s should create a routine in the classroom and allow that routine to cross over to virtual learning. When students have a routine and they know what to expect it creates a sense of psychological safety for students. This helps students to know what is expected and when. This also allows for the students to have a bit of normalcy in their lives during these times. 

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Teacher’s should create a routine in the classroom and allow that routine to cross over to virtual learning. When students have a routine and they know what to expect it creates a sense of psychological safety for students. This helps students to know what is expected and when. This also allows for the students to have a bit of normalcy in their lives during these times. 

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Parents need support to navigate the virtual learning experience. Teachers should provide support and a sense of connectedness with parents by staying in constant communication. Many parents need help with accessing course materials and understanding how to help their child join virtual meets.

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Connectedness is also important for staff outside of the classroom. One way that bus drivers can foster connectedness is through checking in with students. During the pandemic bus drivers delivered breakfast and lunch to students. Bus drivers made an effort to get to know students. Children were running to meet the bus everyday to get their meals and share their experiences.

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Staying connected has been very difficult during the pandemic for teachers. With all the stress with moving to virtual learning and trying to figure out how to provide effective instruction during school closure teachers need to stay connected. One of the strategies teachers can use to stay connected is virtual meetings. We had grade level meetings via Google Meet that provided support. It allowed us to see each other's faces and hear each other's voice. Teachers not only need to connect with other teachers they also need to connect with their students as much as their students need them. Spending time individually on Google Meet to check in with each child will help bring students and teachers together.

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Connectedness is very important to student well being. Children need to feel connected to other people. With school closings children have had limited interacting with peers. Teachers can foster connectedness in a variety of ways.Teachers can greet every students by name. This can be accomplished by greeting the students as they enter Google Meet or whatever platform their school uses. Teachers an also ask students how they are as they enter the meeting. Teachers can also give students an opportunity to visit with one another. Teachers can stay on their virtual meeting after the lesson and allow students to interact with one another. Another way teachers can foster connectedness is through allowing students to work in small groups. Students can work in break-out rooms to work on an assignment or project together. Having a fun activity would also be a good way to get the students interacting with each other.

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Parents need to also stick with a routine and communicate in an age appropriate way when their child has questions. They can limit their news time and discuss what they are doing to stay safe.

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We can use help from outside of the classroom. Counselors are a great resource to have when needing information on how to help with trauma and anxiety.

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Teachers need to make sure that they are dealing with their own anxiety. They need to stay connected with other teachers.

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Routines and communications are key when teaching online. Students should have clear concise instructions and a set time for learning. Teachers should also focus on relationships with the students and their well being more than making sure they are getting their work done.

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Parents are having to juggle many things. They are having to find places for their children to stay if school is closed, if their children are not old enough to stay by themselves. Parents are also having to make sure their children are completing their assignments to not get behind or learning. They also have to deal with the stress of the children not understanding what the virus is and hearing bad things about it. Most of the parents are doing this while still having to work their job so they can pay the bills and feed the family.

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Employees out of the classroom are doing much more behind the scenes action. Whether they are contacting families of children who are there or preparing take home meals for the children. Everyone is having to work together to get through this.

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Teachers have a lot to juggle during this. There is a split between virtual learning in class learning. You have to connect with students and parents more than ever. Students are dealing with the trauma of losing family members, a lot more frequently than before. While students are having to learn more without as much one on one instruction.

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Being connected with the students is crucial. Now that our school is not virtual anymore just being able to connect with them, in the case that they have to go out because of the virus is important. With being connected on the front side, you will be able to be more connected if they are at home sick. This comes from a connection with both them and their parents. I've experienced it both ways. The ones that I was connected with were able to give me more feedback about their status and were more willing to do the assignments while they were out. The ones that I wasn't connected with didn't respond when I checked on them, nor did they do the assignments.

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Parents should be made aware in repetitive messages that the school is there to support them as well. Many times in these cases, the communication between school and parents is lacking and parents are left not sure that their children are getting what they need to seucceed.

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The support staff of the school is just as important in the time of COVID as the teachers and administrators. This set of staff members should be given the ability to help all of the school when struggling. If we train the support staff on these topics, they become better equipped to help in times of need.

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Students should be given ways to be connected to their peers while on remote or distance learning. The teacher should create student led zooms where students can meet and discuss class topics.

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Teachers should do their best to ease the transition for students in a Covid shutdown. They should also shift the focus from just disciplining misbehavior to social and emotional well being.

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Parents can be feeling all sorts of emotions during the pandemic. Be a resource and communicate with parents via email, google meets, phone calls, and messages to keep the line of communication open.

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Employees in the community can support students during the COVID-19. With food insecurity for many households at this time, food service employers could provide coupons and deals for students and their families

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Teachers need to practice self care too as this pandemic will put extra stress on them too. Teachers need to be able to know their limitations.

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A student's well being and safety are of upmost importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Be there to answer questions, provide support, and be emotionally rational and calm when communicating to students.

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Bessie Townsend
Parents have always been vitally important to the success of their children and even more so during the pandemic. Collaboration between parents and teachers is essential in making sure students receive all the support they need to be successful. We know how important it is to develop relationships with our students to offset trauma. Parents working closely with teachers can model to children how to communicate in positive ways with each other thus showing care for the student. Parents can learn from teachers about the importance of having a consistent routine everyday, how to work through issues, being a good listener, being organized, or how to practice self-kindness. Our students are always looking and listening how we as parents handle things.

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Bessie Townsend
Covid impacted all employees in the school. The school support staff have a big influence on our student's lives both when they are in school or learning virtually. Cafeteria workers during the shutdown helped to prepare and provide school lunches for all the children who depended on that meal everyday. The custodians helped get the buildings ready to be occupied post shutdown with all the necessary safety requirements. ITD worked to provide the necessary internet for all virtual learning. All of the support service sectors of the school work very hard to provide a safe and nurturing place for students to learn.

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Bessie Townsend
Covid has brought about many challenges for teachers and how to support their students.
Students are very vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and loneliness during this time.  Teachers can make an extra effort to reach out to students and their families to see if there are resources that they can help connect the family with such as mental health assistance, connecting them to resources that may be able to provide financial or food support, or if they need help with the virtual learning of the student.

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Bessie Townsend
Hope is the foundation of resilience. There was so much fear in the beginning of the pandemic and still is surrounding Covid. Even though schools worked hard to meet the needs of students, there was a sense of loss experienced by many. Many students were not able to participate in sports, theatre, rites of passage, or graduation that they had worked so hard. Through all of this uncertainty there was always hope that things would get back to normal. Teachers could help foster the feeling of hope by teaching how we came through other difficult times in our history. Teachers can encourage a student by pointing out the student's strengths and that they can grow from all they learn during this difficult time. This helps them know that they are equipped to handle adversity.

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Parents are amazing. During the pandemic parents have really had to juggle family and employment more than ever. Teachers can help parents by being available to talk by phone or on zoom. Communication between Parents, teachers and students is more important than ever.
We can share resources like articles that talks about how to talk to kids about Covid-19 with parents.

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It's important to be kind and supportive of the people in the service sector. They are going through issues like we do at school and being considerate and cooperative will make their lives easier.
My favorite people are the school janitors. I love getting to know them and I try to keep my classroom as clean as I can to help them. They are a big help to me, as a teacher.

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I really like the idea of meeting up for lunch, virtually or in person, if the Covid levels are low. This is a great time to talk about our own worries and help each other plan and discuss issues we are having.

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We need to have a SEL routine as part of class, such as having a how are you feeling chart that students pick which emoji fits them today. Then talk about concerns that students mention. Meet with Parents and students on Zoom often, not just for the academic and behavior concerns, but to celebrate success and just show that you care. Have students pair up to talk, so that they feel more connected.

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A great approach that assists parents is communication of course. We as educators have always had to maintain communication lines with our parents, but during a pandemic that communication increases astronomically. Helping parents understand the daily routines, student assignments, grading, health tips or CDC guidelines, technology, learning management system, etc. are all necessary. I may not have named everything, but just knowing there were more things added to the list shows that there is much to be communicated and discussed with parents. In our school district it was very vital to have our planning time and sometimes after school availability communicated with parents. I had some parents who may have been at work during the school day so we had to talk after school to discuss their child's education. Along with communication, another approach that assists parents is encouraging them to have regular family activities and regular routines at home. At the beginning of our virtual instruction, many students were just tired by the end of the day. They needed that family time or play time outside in order to get through this period. We encouraged our parents to have a set time for homework and allow students to have that downtime that they needed also.

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For employees outside the classroom, I feel having that sense of hope that everything is going to be fine is very much needed. The support of fellow co-workers definitely encourages that sense of hope. Our school district does not have many assistant teachers. The ones we have are mostly at the elementary school.  Many of them thought they would not have jobs due to the pandemic, but our district came up with a way for them to still work. They assisted online through breakout rooms to help students in small groups. They helped the bus drivers with delivery of packets and meals to students. Having that clear communication from administration as far as the roles our assistant teachers would have to play was beneficial for them.  They knew exactly how they would help our students. Our cafeteria staff had to have routines and schedules in place to have breakfast and lunch cooked, packed, and loaded on the buses. In some instances the meals were given to the parents, guardians, or caregivers of the car riders when they came for meal pick up. Our janitorial staff had to be sure the school was as clean as possible.

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Although establishing a daily routine and clear communication are meant to give a sense of safety to students, it also helps teachers. As an educator, I feel that we needed that safety net as well to have as close of an environment as possible to a regular school day. Having a daily schedule and open lines of communication with parents and students help teachers just as much as students and parents. I think when we initially began with virtual instruction, it was quite stressful. Establishing the routines and open communication helped to alleviate some of that stress. The further we went on with virtual instruction, making sure directions and assignments were easily understood by students or completed in parts was a great help as well. There were extra steps or a different set of steps that needed to be completed as far as online instruction versus face-to-face instruction, so planning definitely had to consider those pieces to the puzzle. Having the support of my fellow colleagues and administration to problem solve and just check-in with one another was an absolute plus for me during this time. The most important approach for teachers during this pandemic has been self-care.

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I think during this pandemic the best thing to help students is establishing positive relationships with them as their teachers and being sure to include all students. Providing that sense of support allows them to feel safe and cared for. Whether online or through the use of packets, I think giving them positive affirmations along with fun activities would also help to give them that sense of care and lessen their stress levels. In my school district we tried to communicate as much as possible with our parents and students even when we were at home completing online learning or students were completing packets. We definitely made use of our School Status System as well as Zoom or Google Meet. I met with my students sometimes in small groups and one-to-one via Zoom or phone contact. I also joined in with their whole class instruction and provided academic support to them as well as other students through the use of breakout rooms in Zoom. Those times we met were scheduled so we had routines in place. I had one student who had a difficult time adjusting to the technology and scheduling, but I continued to work with the student and the parent until little to no support was needed.

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Parents and Teachers need to communicate as much as they can during this time. There needs to be clear communication, high expectations and structure, but also a lot of grace. Parents need support almost as much as their children do during this time. We all need to be their for each other.

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When my school went virtual in March of 2020 the employees of the school were very helpful. The principals kept in contact with us and never left us wondering what was going on, the cafeteria workers even made sack lunches for the children to pick up three times a week to make sure the students were fed. The whole school community really worked together during this time.

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When my school was closed and we were virtual it was very important for our teachers to stay connected. We met social distantly once a week, we talked in a group message most days, and we always made sure we were on the same page. We realized tackling the struggles that came with COVID 19 was not possible and that we needed each other. It made going through the pandemic as an educator a lot easier.

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Staying connected is very important for students. Students staying connected to their teacher as well as their peers is key. Students who have experienced trauma rely on these positive relationships. As an educator we need to become creative when it comes to making sure our students stay connected. Example: Break off rooms via zoom, playing ice breaker type games whole group virtually, etc.

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by Paula Smith

Parents were encouraged to keep a regular routine for their child(ren) during the school closure so they would have a sense of security and normality. Parents were asked to keep in touch with their child(ren)'s teachers so they could discuss lessons, assignments, and ways to help their children cope with the situation. Parents were also encouraged to try to enjoy the additional time with their families by playing games, reading together, or finding a new hobby. They were reminded to take care of themselves both physically and emotionally so they could be strong for their families.

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Employees (other than classroom teachers)

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Employees (other than classroom teachers)

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by Paula Smith

After school was dismissed in the spring of 2020, our cafeteria workers continued to provide sack lunches for the students of our school and their siblings.  Each Monday-Friday, other faculty and staff joined the workers to pass out lunches as parents drove through the school parking lot.  This helped families stay connected with the school  and ensured the children would not be hungry during a time that proved to be financially difficult.
During this time, the office staff and school counselor continued to keep up with families to ensure they had what they needed.
Once school resumed in August of 2020, the custodial staff worked diligently to keep the school clean and sanitized to prevent further spreading of the virus.
The faculty and staff at our school worked together as a team, and we became closer as we learned to deal with a very stressful time.

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by Paula Smith

While school was dismissed during the pandemic, my team met once a week to discuss lessons and assignments to cover the remaining standards we had not covered. We shared games parents could create or download that would be beneficial to their child(ren). Our team also encouraged each other and enjoyed chatting online or on the phone. Having this connection made things easier and more tolerable while we were apart.

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Parents need to be encouraged by the teacher to help with their child's education during this COVID shutdown. Teachers and parents need to have a open line of communication and notify the other as soon as they see the child's education from home needing extra support.

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Non teaching employees can be another helping hand during this COVID 19 crisis. Cafeteria workers, custodians, and bus drivers have also established relationships with these kids as well, they could also reach out to these students to see how they are doing during this difficult time and report to the teacher if they see a problem occurring with one on their students.

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Daniel Brightbill
As teacher we will need to become comfortable with asking to help from other teachers, technology coordinators, and administration. This will be a new teaching method for most of us, and if we learn to work together it will make our jobs a little bit easier and kids will achieve more.

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Daniel Brightbill
We as teachers need to continually build strong relationships with our student. They will need us now more than ever for a since of support, safety, and someone to listen to their concerns. We will have to make more phone calls, email parents/ students, and come up with creative lesson for that will keep the students interest than we have ever had before COVID 19. It will take a lot more work/time from teachers and hopefully we can lean on one another for support and help.

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by Paula Smith

Students should be encouraged to keep a structured and predictable routine.  They should plan to get up at a certain time each day, have lunch at the same time, and complete any lessons and assignments during a given time.  This structure will benefit everyone in the family.  Students should also be encouraged to join all Zoom meetings with their teacher and classmates.  There should be a requirement that each student joins at least three virtual meetings while school is dismissed. During virtual meetings, all students should be encouraged participate by sharing what he/she has been doing. Encourage students to stay physically active and schedule virtual play dates with one another.

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Approaches to Use to Discuss Trauma During COVID

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Approaches to Use to Discuss Trauma During COVID

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by Teresa Clay

Approaches that will be used to discuss this topic primarily will be centered around safety of the students and those they care about. I will offer ways students can connect to a counselor or someone they trust such as myself, stressing how important communication is during this time. I will provide fun, free activities that kids can do at home during this time or virtual play dates such as a group scavenger hunt, whereas kids can search for things around the home to share with the group. I will also have assignments whereas parents and siblings can help the students in a fun way while teaching and reinforcing skills at home. i will encourage students to set up chat boxes with families or video meetings like Google duo. finally, I will make sure all students have their needs met and questions or concerns address each day.

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Parents

Parents should be encouraged to communicate with the teacher and other school support persons, be given additional resources for academics and activities for their children, needs they may have, and mental health. This is a time of change for parents and we are asking them to do something new and difficult. Providing a positive relationship to parents during this time will help decrease the stress within the home. Teachers should offer parents routines to help their children learn from home, give clear directions to parents, and let them know the assignments are flexible. Teachers can share ides on how family members can take peace corner breaks in their home, practice mindfulness activities together, and share creative ideas to help parents with young children stay busy through games, scavenger hunts, time outside, or crafts.

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Employees (other than in classroom)

Employees outside the classroom, like counselors, social workers, and mental health psychologists that work in the schools can help stay connected and support students and families during school closures. Teachers can refer students they are concerned about by email to these support persons, and they can connect with families by phone or virtually to be an extra person to listen, answer questions, and provide ideas and resources to help students and families maintain routine and receive the help they need even when the school is not open. Special activity teachers can assign lessons and videos for students to watch, like a pe lesson they can do along with the teacher, or a music lesson they can sing a long with. Students love special activities, so seeing these teachers and participating with them from home can provide routine and fun activities that relieve anxiety. Counselors can post SEL lessons virtually that students can participate in at home by watching videos or completing simple activities at home. An example of providing connectedness and hope that our school did during our school closure was mail out notes and awards to students based on teacher referrals from phone calls, virtual check ins, and assignments. A student would receive an encouraging note in the mail and a sticker for doing things like sticking with a hard assignment, talking about something difficult, encouraging others, being creative at home..etc. Students and parents responded positively to the outreach in PBIS even while we were at home, and described the encouragement it gave their student in feedback with the teachers.

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The focus for teachers during pandemic school closure or classroom quarantine has been maintaining a relationship with your students and parents. The principal required each teacher to contact by phone or virtually every student each week. If the teacher was unable to make contact, the teacher referred them to the counselor or administration, so they could also check on the family. It is also important for teachers to practice self-care during this time. All the things we are being asked to do are new and different, stressful, and can be traumatic for the teacher. Practicing teacher self-care is required. Set office hours at home, do something for your self-care each day, and communicating with a friend, family member, or another teaching buddy. The administration checked in with teachers weekly on how they felt they were doing and gave them resources to use for self-care. Once our contact and relationships were established with students and families and we had supports in place for our students and ourselves, we gave assignments with clear directions should to students and parents, let them know we were available to answer questions, and flexibility on assignment completion should be practiced. Some families can complete a ton of work due to resources and multiple people to help children complete work in the home. Other families are doing all they can do in finding someone to watch the children while they go to work.

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During Covid-19 school shut down or classroom quarantines, we can help encourage routine and a sense of safety by reaching out to communicate with students daily and weekly by phone, zoom, a school status message, or an email. Knowing that a person they trust and have a positive relationship with is there for them during this time can help reduce trauma and anxiety. Do not overwhelm students and parents with difficult, long, or supply heavy assignments during this time. The assignments you do give should be well explained, require resources the child has access to, and require their best effort. Parents and students can always request more assignments if needed. Always check in with students about how they are feeling about the virtual assignments and if accommodations need to be added. The most important part of virtual learning at this time is being there for each other and providing support for the student and parent. Offer the parent resources on how to talk with their child, ideas on things they can do at home in the form of games, getting fresh air, and mindfulness strategies, and offer additional support services for mental health needs. Teachers can encourage students to join a small group teams meeting to help students stay connected, create a class video or slide show of collected pictures and work that can be shared on the teacher or school facebook page. Our staff created a video of pictures of staff members and their pets and posted it on the school facebook page for students to see other school faculty. Teachers encouraged parents to post pictures of their students doing assignments, being creative, and sharing ideas on the school facebook page. Students and school staff enjoyed seeing what everyone was up to and could communicate with different families and teachers. Creating and fostering relationships during a time of school or classroom closure has shown a more positive impact on student and parent mental health than pushing assignments.

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Parents should try to maintain as much of a normal routine as possible and provide support when their children need it. Parents should also be encouraged to set up an area where their child is able to work, but know too that educators understand that not everyday is going to be a perfect virtual learning day atmosphere. Parents should be as honest and open as they can with their children when they come to them with their anxieties, but also use self care when they are feeling overwhelmed as well.

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So many staff members of a school who work in capacities outside of the classroom build relationships with students. Employees outside the classroom should also foster positive relationships with students and teachers at this time whether it be a quick chat or phone to call to just check in and let them know they care as well as being able to know that they are valued and cared for as well.

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It is vital that teachers stay connected to each other during this time - to encourage each other but also to keep each other updated on students and how they are handling the stress. Teachers should definitely focus more on fostering relationships during this time instead of stressing academics and grades. Teachers also need to stay connected to their students as well because our students bring us joy in many ways not just in a test score type of way. Teachers should also focus on self-care and monitor their own anxieties and reach out to others if they need too.

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I think the most important part is keeping the students connected and maintaining routines. If they know that they will be able to connect with someone at a scheduled time then they are less likely to feel vulnerable. Students should also be assigned activities that are fun and they can work together on so they are still in social interactions with their peers. Also, students will need a place where they can have an honest conversation about how they are feeling and what their questions and fears are surrounding Covid-19.

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Establish a routine and keep the communication lines open so that parents feel they are in a safe environment.

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Establish a routine and keep the communication lines open so that employees throughout the school and district are on the same page as far as safety protocol.

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Establish a routine that is school-wide for teachers and keep communication lines open between admin. and teachers.

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Establish a routine and keep the communication lines open so that students feel they are in a safe environment.

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Parents can be sure to spend some time with their children but also give them space. Since the start of the pandemic, students have spent most of their time at home with their families, and needles to say, it can be overwhelming. Sometimes allowing students to have their space is good. Parents should also provide support to teachers by making sure that students don’t oversleep and that they keep up with their daily routines. They should continue to talk with their children to encourage them to do their very best in this tough situation.

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Everyone involved in a student’s education plays a vital role. Custodial staff help to make everyone feel safer because they make sure that our buildings are clean and sanitized. They have been properly trained on making sure the buildings are safe for everyone to transition back and forth from school. The cafeteria workers make sure that students eat safely while in the lunch room. Tables are properly sanitized and students are placed 6 feet apart as recommended by the CDC. Bus drivers make sure that the seats and all other bus surfaces are properly wiped and sanitized before and after students board the buses. Secretaries and other administrative staff continue to make contact between the home and schools making sure to inform parents and guardians of any changes or recommendations.

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Teachers should be sure to let students know that they care about them. They should check in with students often and ask about how their day is going. Besides school work, teachers should set aside some time to let students vent. A lot of students are dealing with difficult situations and may find it difficult to talk about them. But when given the opportunity to discuss their feelings with others, they may find that quite a few or their classmates are having the same problems. Students can form a strong connection with one another through their experiences and they can build on these new relationships with one another. Teaches can set up times to connect with students through video chat. This will give student the chance to see familiar faces. They may feel better once they see that the other is okay. Teachers should provide a predictable routine for students so they feel a sense of security and normalcy.

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Students should solicit the help of family members to establish a routine in which the student agrees to stick with. This routine should include enough time to focus on school work, as well as chores, exercise, hobbies, etc. Students tend to function best on a schedule similar to the ones while in school. Students should also feel free to share their thoughts and feelings about the pandemic and how it has changed their lives. They should understand that they are not alone and that no one has all of the answers. Students should feel that other adults still have a sense of control and that everything will be okay.

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Stay connected and let them know that you care about them. When my school district closed down our online learning program didn't require our students to attend a daily zoom. I encouraged all kids to try to log in at least once a week so we could chat. I even had an "office hour" every weekday for 1 hour that the students could log on and chat with me. At the end of the school year, I hosted a popsicle party. Each student signed up for a time to attend the party and we social distanced.

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Teachers really need each other during this time. Take the time to collaborate and help each other navigate through these crazy times. My math team met in my backyard several times to help each other with online assignments. After we finished our weekly work, we took the time to make sure that each of us was feeling okay and discussed our concerns/hardships.

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These employees need to remain hopeful and be available if a student needs them. My school district continued to hand out school lunches at multiple sights around town. Not only was the cafeteria staff handing out lunches, but so were counselors, principals and even the superintendent.

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Parents should try their best to provide as much structure for their children. Try to continue those bed time routines as well as morning routines as if it were an ordinary school day. Also, parents need to remember that children need outdoor time as well.

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Parents should be offered support from teachers and school admin. to try and stay positive through new challenges. Parents should encourage their children to remain focused and continue to work hard. Parents should help their children come up with visible schedules and routines to maintain a sense of normalcy as much as possible. Parents need to know that teachers and administrators are available for help as well as school counselors. Parents should also be involved in virtual meetings to discuss concerns and questions about their child's education and their progress.

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Having a positive relationship with everyone you work with--not just the teachers--can be very beneficial to everyone involved. Sometimes just having someone that can listen and offer a shoulder when you need it can be the difference between a successful teacher and one that burns out and gives up. School counselors can listen and offer stress-relieving exercises, administration can offer support, and also help reach out to plan weekly virtual meetings or "meet and greets" to prevent feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

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Teachers need to encourage each other just as much, if not more than they encourage their students. This pandemic has taken an emotional, physical, and financial toll on everyone! Virtual learning is incredibly difficult for everyone involved, especially special education students and their inclusion teachers. SPED students already have learning difficulties--throw in the obstacle of not knowing how to work with technology or spotty internet access, and it's total mayhem! I think teachers would benefit from group meetings where they share their thoughts, feelings, problems, and successes with other teachers to remain uplifted.

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Encourage students to connect with their classmates or their teachers to prevent feeling so isolated.  Students can share out what they're doing at home to reduce stress: trying a new hobby, exercising, playing board games or video games, or video chatting with family members.  Students could be placed into break-out rooms to work together on assignments instead of individual assignments. Encourage students to share what they're struggling with, whether it's school or classwork-related, or not. Students need to know that teachers are on their side and want to see them happy, healthy, and successful.

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During a period of uncertainty, most of us have some anxiety. Responsibilities can lead to stress for parents. Practicing self compassion, reducing the child's sense of being overwhelmed, and providing presence and caring support is truly what matters most.

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Employees, other than in the classrooms, can play a major roll. With resources being so insufficient for the demand, employees have the opportunity to reach out to homes as a life line supplying needed resources, for example, food, hand sanitizers, cleaning supplies, and face masks. This will help in reducing stress for families through the pandemic.

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Teachers now have limited interactions with students. It is important to communicate with students because teachers are unaware of what the students may be dealing with due to Covid-19. While still holding high expectations when it comes to the actual lessons, I love the idea of letting relationships be the focus. Participating in "shares" helps the teacher to build stronger relationships.

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Parents need to provide as much structure for their children as they can. Creating a routine for their children during virtual learning is important. Communication is another key aspect of education. There has to be open communication between the parents and the teacher in order for their child's learning to be sucessful. During these times, parents should be mindful of exposing their children to the news and other media outlets as to not increase their child's anxiety. Parents also need to take the time to talk with their children about their feelings and what is going on around them. As you can see, parents play a vital role in their child's education and by doing these things mentioned above the students will be better prepared for these challenging times.

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Other school personnel such as cafeteria wokers, janitors, school nurses, bus drivers, etc. can play a vital role during times like these. Having other adults there that can form appropriate relationships with students allows them a secondary outlet for expressing any fears or concerns about pressing issues in their lives. Opening lines of communication between different school employees will strengthen the relationship that the student has with the school in general.

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One thing teachers can do is create a safe, secure online environment or classroom so that students feel comfortable, safe, and ready to learn. Another thing, is that teachers need to have connections with other teachers in order to share ideas of how to approach the new ways we are being asked to present material to the students. When teachers can work together and brainstorm ideas from one another then they feel less stressed about the task at hand whether it be teaching virtually, traditionally, or both.

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During these trying times, students need to feel connected and have a set routine. In order to help achieve this, teachers should be encouraging students to ask questions when they have them about technology or how to connect with each other. A set routine gives students a peace of mind in knowing what to expect from moment to moment. Teachers need to explain to students that if the routine changes, they are there to allay concerns or fears. Other ways for students to be able to feel connected during times like these are to have them complete group assignments whether those be in class or virtual. These assignments can be designed so that the classroom can become an 'escape' of sorts from an uncertain world.

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Students always love the structured and predictable routines. These routines keep the students involved. With this strategy, students are psychologically safe. The feeling of safety, then brings connection between the student and teacher. Whether with Trauma-informed or Covid-19, it is always best to explain (if changed) what will happen next. This decreases stress and worries and increases self-confidence.

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Making sure parents know the structure and the routines of your class, in or out of distance learning, is key. When parents know what their student is expected to do, they can not only help monitor their student's progress, but be actively engaged in the student's learning.
Another important aspect is communication. Frequent communication with parents about expectations, progress, routines, and any changes, help all parties involved to ensure student interest, and engagement.

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It is important to be available to all workers of the school. Janitors, office workers, registrars, all help the school function effectively. Offering to help, even outside of teaching or curriculum, can go a long way to showing everyone that you care, and are invested in other workers and the school's success.

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Teachers should definitely practice self care and monitor their own emotions and well being during the shift to distance learning. Teachers should create buddy systems with coworkers to share feelings and stresses, so that they can help each other manage them. Keeping a calm demeanor with students, especially virtually, helps all students, especially trauma affected one. Teachers should help each other to keep track of their feelings so that they do not pass stress or anxiety onto their students.

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Establishing a routine is key to helping students stay psychologically safe and to manage their stress of a new situation. Take time to explain new routines in an easily digestible way, and try to provide a predictable routine for all students. Take the time to explain directions in depth. With distance learning, assignments can seem more daunting, especially without the adult teaching the material in the room. Be available and encourage questions from students so that they stay engaged in the learning.

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This pandemic has been a crazy time for teachers and students. Teachers must first put in the self care that everyone is talking about. It has been a wild few years and the only wat we will survive is with self care. A Trauma-Informed approach cam be used during this difficult time due to all the trauma that the children have endured. In our district, all students have had some sort of trauma from the pandemic. It is important that students fell a sense of safety and belonging when they are with their teachers. As educators we mist keep an open line of communication with the students and the parents.

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Utilizing the school nurse and counselors to deliver information about keeping our students safe and healthy, will serve as beneficial to all. Parents should arm themselves with as much information as possible. Parents should communicate with their child's teacher any concerns and information that may help the teacher identify anxieties or sickness. Parents can help do their part by modeling these behaviors and expressing the importance at home.

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Employees outside the classroom can become valuable assets to students and teachers alike. Sometimes staff members can more closely relate to a student for various reasons. We teachers should utilize the school nurse as a way to correctly inform students on how stay healthy. They may also be able to provide insight to teachers in order to deliver facts only to students. Utilizing school counselors to help keep parents correctly informed will serve as beneficial too. Keeping us all on the same page.

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Assigning writing activities or having students record their thoughts and feelings allows them to feel heard. Teachers should take the time to respond to each student's feelings and provide them with strategies to help each one cope with their anxieties. Teachers should be careful to respond in calming, positive, reassuring ways fostering a sense of trustworthiness and safety.

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Providing students with an outlet to discuss their feelings is crucial. Assigning writing activities or having them record themselves discussing their thoughts and feelings about life during a pandemic allows them to feel heard.

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Parents should be encouraged to keep their family’s schedule consistent when it comes to bedtimes, meals, and exercise. They should make time to do things at home that ease stress. Parents should be given resources that provide them with information that incorporates activities such as relaxation techniques and interactive activities that will keep their children engaged. Parents should be given resources that provide strategies to manage their child's feelings of loneliness, sadness, boredom, fear, anxiety, stress, and panic. Parents should also focus on managing their own stress as well.

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Employees (other than in classrooms)

During this time, employees can provide connectedness and hope to the educational environment. Employees can check on the well being of students especially those who are an additional risk. They can maintain relationships with families and provide resources and other additional support when needed.  Employees can share some of the many stories of hope that have come out of this current crisis. Employees can facilitate and encourage students meeting virtually or by phone with a trusted adult who can show them a different perspective, help to identify their talents and strengths, list their options and resources, and encourage and support them.