Mar 11, 2020, 2:59 PM
(From Venable LLP) Schools everywhere are considering their responses to trips and travel over spring break, including requiring parents and employees to report where they traveled or where visitors have traveled from prior to arriving at school. While some schools have encouraged families to avoid travel during spring break, schools may not prohibit employees or students from traveling. Schools should look at travel alerts issued by the CDC and the Department of State, and work with local public health agencies, to determine whether employees, students, or family members who have recently returned from affected regions should stay home for 14 days upon their return.
(From The Chronicle of Higher Education) It can be hard to know how much to communicate to stakeholders at this time. Communications expert David D. Perlmutter advises administrators provide a baseline of communications, but avoid over-communicating or undermining central communications, as constant updates and announcements may end up confusing and worrying everyone. "You want to present known facts only — especially at a time when people are being bombarded with all sorts of information and misinformation," he said.
More at The Chronicle of Higher Education
(From The Hechinger Report) The spread of COVID-19 has led to anti-Asian sentiment in some schools. Tony DelaRosa, an anti-bias and anti-racist educator, recommends building time for school staff to "gain insight, clarity and empathy" before addressing the issue school-wide. Then develop a plan to address how an adult on campus who observes anti-Asisan rhetoric or gestures in the classroom should respond. Educators can help unpack and dismantle racism by emphasizing positive Asian and Asian American narratives in their curriculum to "help build bridges and close empathy gaps across lines of difference."
More at The Hechinger Report
(From ICEF Monitor) Rules that require international students to take in-person classes to retain their U.S. visas are being relaxed; international students may study online as schools close temporarily to prevent the spread of COVID-19. A snap survey of U.S. colleges by the Institute of International Education found that half of respondents had cancelled recruitment events in China and 43% said that the suspension of testing (such as IELTS or TOEFL) was delaying receiving student scores. Institutions are holding virtual webinars, working with in-country partners and agents on local recruitment, and extending applications deadlines for summer and fall 2020 semesters.
More at ICEF Montior
(From Quartz) To keep up morale at Hong Kong Academy, an independent day school with 600 students, administrators put on a two-hour livestream of virtual sports, in which students participated in an eight-part challenge including push-ups, distance running and a plank test. As more schools close for extended periods, creativity may be required not only in continuing academics but also extracurricular and physical education activities.
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