{"id":80,"date":"2020-07-29T20:50:53","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T00:50:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/beyond-crisis-schooling\/?page_id=80"},"modified":"2025-07-11T12:45:41","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T16:45:41","slug":"additional-recommendations","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/beyond-crisis-schooling\/additional-recommendations\/","title":{"rendered":"Other Recommendations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We have organized our recommendations based on Part IV (Common Expectations of Hybrid and Remote Learning Models<\/a>) of the recently released reopening framework outlined by the Maine Department of Education. Our recommendations are based on actual work done by districts in Maine from March through June 2020 in response to the mandate to close schools in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. Where possible we have included links to representative examples of innovative practices using the documentation that we collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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MDOE Component 12:<\/strong> A communication plan to assist students and caregivers of students in understanding what to expect, how to engage in remote learning, where to get questions answered.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Things changed quickly in the Spring of 2020, and many superintendents found themselves putting out one communication after another to families, sometimes twice or more in one day. Districts used many strategies to effectively communicate with families about the changes associated with COVID-19. Based on our review of district practices, we recommend:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a space on your district website dedicated to housing a one-stop shop for remote\/hybrid schooling.<\/strong> Many districts created one place for caregivers to look for past information they may have missed or resources, while simultaneously pushing out messages through all of their communication platforms. This section of the website included all past communication from the superintendent (both letters and video messages) with dates, remote meal plans, technology help, guidance services, special education, and community resources (such as links to housing assistance, heating assistance, financial help, and food resources).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provide a working Frequently Asked Questions document<\/strong>. Crisis learning forced schools to abruptly change how they educated students in their communities, and families had many questions. Many districts posted an continuously updated FAQ page in effort to inform their communities such as this one from Portland Public Schools<\/a>. As schools move towards three distinct scenarios for learning, it is suggested schools use this strategy as they continue to navigate uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a clear, two-way communication pathway for building closure or hybrid learning related questions:<\/strong> For example, the Biddeford School Department set up a dedicated email address (e.g. schoolclosure@districtname.org) at the district level to field queries from caregivers and others about the school closure and to separate out this communication from other school-related communications. This email address was shared liberally in district communication with families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Establish office hours for building and district administrators so caregivers can ask questions and obtain answers directly from decision-makers. Some superintendents opted to hold virtual coffee hours on Zoom for caregivers to drop-in and ask questions at different times convenient to family schedules. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional considerations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the components identified by the Maine Department of Education above, we have the following recommendations based on actions taken by districts during crisis schooling to support families and reduce stress for caregivers so they could focus on supporting their children\u2019s learning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Provide comprehensive lists of social service resources for families or ask a local social service agency to put one together for your district.<\/strong> Some districts put together lists of social service resources for families that stretched beyond providing nutrition assistance to housing and rental assistance and unemployment benefits. For example, RSU24<\/a> provided a resource sheet of this type with local food and nutrition information as well as housing and general assistance. Union 103<\/a> provided information specific to its families about unemployment for self-employed fishermen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amplify the calls from local community organizations for volunteers. <\/strong>Many community organizations are facing a shortage of volunteers to continue to provide services to Maine communities, especially in areas of the state where the majority of their volunteers were 65 years or older. By passing along calls for volunteers to caregivers with school-age children (some of whom may be in good health and have the capacity to volunteer), schools can help to assist in ensuring continuity for these services for both the broader community and their students. Ellsworth, AOS 98, and other districts posted these calls on their homepages and social media feeds to ensure they reached a broader audience within the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create easy to navigate, inclusive reopening plans. As districts work to communicate their reopening plans to caregivers, creating easy to navigate plans with clear information about health guidelines, expectations, school governance and other issues important to caregivers is essential. The Westbrook School Department\u00a0 <\/a>provided an easy to navigate plan that is noteworthy for its transparency. Instead of simply itemizing decisions made in the form of a finalized plan, this document reveals the decision-making process. It includes a timeline for decision making and a chart of the stakeholders involved in the planning.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Link to statewide resources dealing with mental health, nutrition, COVID-19 information, and internet access you can provide to families. <\/strong>One of the primary ways that districts supported caregivers during the school shutdown, in addition to providing nutrition for children 0-18, was providing links to local and statewide resources. We have collected some of the best national or statewide resources that can be provided to families regardless of geographic location in the state. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maine Department of Education resources<\/p>\n\n\n\n