The View of Education 6 Months From Now… by Joe Clausi

All too often we find ourselves focusing so much on today and even yesterday for that matter, that we forget to plan for the future.

During a pandemic, this is justifiable. Since March of 2020, we have lived week to week, sometimes day to day. Perhaps I should clarify that when I refer to “we”, I mean the world, not just pockets or places. Hence again, completely justifiable.

A month ago, when vaccinations began to play a factor in our lives and offered a glimpse of hope, for the first time in almost a year, I asked myself a question that I haven’t since all this began — what will the future hold for my students? What impact will this past year have on education 6 months from now?

For my school, 6 months from now puts us at the end of summer, about to begin professional development, looking at big transition changes from a year and a half of virtual learning, to what ever in person instruction will look like in the fall.

This is a bit overwhelming for sure. However, it’s also a breath of fresh air. School leaders are usually really good at making decisions with their staff on how to best educate their students. Realizing the unique nature of what we are about to experience is necessary to begin to digest as early as today. Time is currently and rarely, on our side here.

Why not offer up to your staff some sort of volunteer committee to see if anyone is interested in joining you in the conversation as to what’s next? As school leaders, we should begin the plans for return with scheduling, with transportation, with foods, with staffing, and with cleaning, just to name the first few that come to mind.

However, what about with handling social and emotional wellness matters, that absolutely have to be the case for a large portion of students? What about working on developing a routine for students again, especially if they’ve been home for a year and half come the fall of 2021? What about handling learning loss?

We can absolutely predict these questions will demand our attention in the fall, and knowing that we have 6 months or more for some of us, so we can plan and prepare, that’s where success can really become profound. We will need to be prepared for this transition — I have no doubt. In my 21 years, I don’t think I’ve ever begun thinking of next fall, in the winter of the year prior.

Yet I have no doubt this will foster the team and environments to create the plans for action, that will meet this time head on.

I know every single school leader at some point in their career, has thought to themselves, “How do I stay one step ahead of this so I can create the outcome I know is best?”

You begin now, start with a team, and collaborate.

Ask yourselves the questions above. Consider your population and predict what problems you can guarantee you will face in the fall.

I think the world realized the value in educators this past year more than ever. If you do this correctly in the fall, they will see the value in a true leader as well. If I can help, email me at thetravelingprincipal@gmail.com and I’ll do what I can. Just start now folks. I can see the light…