COVID-19 Update: On-Demand Webinar: Remote Learning Teacher-Student Boundaries

(From NBOA) With most independent schools providing some form of online schooling at the present time, clarifying teacher-student boundaries is more important than ever. “We’re in a new normal, and attempting to eliminate or minimize electronic communications under these circumstances defeats what I think is a differentiator for independent schools: the ability to have close connections without a rigid set of rules,” explained David Wolowitz, director and co-chair of the educational law group at McLane Middleton, in a recent NBOA on-demand webinar. Maintaining role awareness, setting clear and consistent boundaries, and identifying areas of behavioral risk can help schools maintain healthy relationships across the school community.

Kevin Hicks, president of Stevenson School, and Quincy McLaughlin, associate head of Greenhills School, joined Wolowitz on the webinar to share how their schools are navigating electronic communications and issues relating to student stress and anxiety. Among the recommendations:

• Review the school’s code of conduct or behavioral standards, and communicate the school’s expectations for safe and appropriate online communication with faculty and employees.
• Build in live class meeting expectations in communications to students, family and faculty.
• Conduct scenario-based training with small groups of employees online.
• Remind faculty of the school’s response plan to student distress, and identify which groups may feel particular pressure during these conditions.

This on-demand webinar and slides are available free of cost for NBOA members on NBOA.org.