EDUCATION MATTERS—SANFORD SCHOOL'S PRIVATE SCHOOL BLOG

A pandemic perk? Is there such a thing? To be sure, being a student or an educator during the 2020–21 and 2021–22 school years has been difficult. One strategy to staying safe, however, turned out to have real benefits—outdoor classrooms.

There's currently some frustration among educators around the lexicon of COVID. Teachers and school staff have probably grown weary of the descriptions we as school leaders have used as our communities have navigated the pandemic. Words like “flexible,” “nimble,” and “pivot” didn’t carry emotional weight before March 2020.

The end of the school year is here, and while that might mean lazy days by the pool or family vacations, it’s also the perfect time to start preparing your child for the upcoming school year. Here are six fun ways to promote learning and to make sure your child makes the most of this SUMMER so that they can roll smoothly into the fall.

Offering high school sports during a pandemic is challenging.  However, because athletic programs and participation are beneficial for students, many schools have taken steps to safely and effectively offer sports even in the midst of  COVID-19. Here are a few strategies that our coaches and administrators have developed and implemented to safely play sports in a pandemic.

During the past year, school leaders throughout our country have shared countless messages about the COVID-19 pandemic. Information about testing, vaccines, safety protocols, and many other topics has been featured in newsletters, videos, and school communications.

One pandemic-related matter that has not been addressed frequently is the rise of anti-Asian hate, exclusion, and racism that is taking place throughout our country. Since the start of the pandemic, Stop AAPI Hate and Asian Americans Advancing Justice have collectively reported more than 3,000 cases of anti-Asian incidences of violence. In recent weeks, there has been a dramatic rise in anti-Asian attacks and crimes in California and New York. Many of these were unprovoked violent assaults. Not surprisingly, many Asians in our community are experiencing trauma, fear, and despair.

As a school leader, I am committed to using my platform to denounce hate, violence, and racism no matter where it occurs—and I condemn those who participate in these acts. My hope is that all school leaders raise their voices and support members of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities locally and across our nation. Likewise, every individual has an opportunity and responsibility to do their part in the fight against bigotry, hate, and violence.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a slew of new responsibilities, challenges, and worries onto the shoulders of parents everywhere. With school closures and stay-at-home orders, parenting has taken on several new dimensions that can be difficult to navigate.  As a result, parents are feeling more burnt out and stressed than ever before. Coping with the demands of the pandemic is not easy for parents, but it is important for our well-being to find healthy ways of managing stress and taking care of ourselves. Here are some tips for parents to confront the unique stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technology is a big part of life today, especially given that many students are spending at least some portion of the school year doing remote learning, as well as connecting with friends and family over social media. In the past, the goal was to keep screen time under two hours per day, but in 2015 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) media recommendations were updated to be less focused on a specific number and more focused on having balance. Below we walk through the six steps that the AAP encourages families to take to support the development of healthy media behaviors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the lives of teenagers. For children in 7th through 12th grade, going to school, interacting with friends, and engaging with family all look very different today than they did a year ago. Often, this drastic level of sudden change in a teenager’s lifestyle can give rise to feelings of uncertainty and stress. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing stress, there are a number of strategies you can implement to promote positive mental health habits with your teen. Here are some tips to help manage stress in 7th-12th graders:

The stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted nearly everyone, yet it can be difficult to pinpoint how the pandemic has affected the mental and emotional health of young children. Children manifest feelings of stress and anxiety in different ways than adults, and as a result, their mental health needs may often go overlooked. Here are some tips for promoting your child’s mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic:

The relationship between home and school is pivotal to the success of your child. As parent-teacher conferences are announced, the way you approach this relationship can help shape important outcomes for your child. It is important to bring patience, understanding, and compassion to the conversation, especially now during the pandemic. Although conferences will be virtual, the content of the meeting is just as meaningful and essential. Use this unique one-on-one time to explore how you can support the “formal” learning process and get a fresh perspective on your child’s development. Planning ahead can help you establish a solid partnership with your child’s teacher.

Here are a few tips to make your parent-teacher conference more productive: