The Puzzle: Blog

At last week’s NAIS Annual Conference in Philadelphia, the NAIS team set up a special session to address the coronavirus’s impact on schools now and in the months to come.

Much of the related information for independent schools is now available on a special NAIS website page. At the session, the NAIS staff team also underscored the general principles of good crisis communication, along with specific responses to this growing challenge.

In terms of good communication, the essential steps include:

1. Keeping informed of the latest facts.

2. Communicating those facts, and not speculation, with a calm register.

3. Seeking to build trust within the community.

4. Speaking and writing clearly about decisions and plans you have developed.

5. Conveying your school’s preparedness.

6. Displaying your competence, by referencing policy and plans as well as expertise of your community health expert, legal counsel, local or state health regulations, etc.

7. Responding to anxieties with care and concern, and being honest and open.

In short, know your facts, communicate clearly, and stay calm.

NAIS’s in-house attorney, Megan Mann, also encouraged school leaders to revisit key documents to ensure they address related concerns and possible scenarios (such as quarantines, travel restrictions, stranded students, and emergency shut-downs) while ensuring the safety of the community. Such documents include student and family handbooks; faculty and staff handbooks; enrollment and employment contracts; teacher and staff procedure agreements; chaperone policies; travel policies; and travel insurance policies.

Much of the advice boiled down to four points:

• Check with local health officials and keep abreast of information on the Centers for Disease Control.
• Work with the school attorneys to ensure that all documents clearly address possible issues and outcomes.
• Make smart business decisions based on the needs of your specific school community.
• Communicate clearly with all constituents.

The NAIS team also noted reports of bullying and microaggressions against Asian and Asian-American students — and that schools need to be aware of the situation, support Asian and Asian-American students, and address bullying and microaggressions whenever they take place. Schools should also communicate clearly about the dangers of unfounded fears.

Finally, the NAIS team encouraged schools to establish a crisis management team to consider in advance all related concerns and scenarios — including possible changes to travel programs, sports programs, school visits, and even the academic program.

Other advice for schools can be found at the following websites:

Centers for Disease Control
Coronavirus Disease 2019

World Health Organization
“Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public”

Johns Hopkins University
“Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE”

Education Week
“Nine Things Educators Need to Know About Coronavirus”

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