CDC Guidelines
- CDC Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools Source: 7/9/2021. CDC
- CDC Guidance Early Childhood Education & Child Care Programs Source: 7/9/2021. CDC
- CDC Internal Report Calls Delta Variant as Contagious as Chickenpox Source: Mandavilli, A. 7/30/2021. The NY Times
- COVID-19 Prevention Strategies Most Important for Safe In-Person Learning in K-12 Schools Source: CDC
- The U.S. Department of Education recommends “that school systems follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s masking guidance for K-12 schools, including ‘universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status. ‘ “
Re-Opening with the Delta Variant in 2021
- Education Dept. Announces Civil Rights Investigations Into 5 State’s Mask Mandate Bans Source: Turner, Cory 8/30/2021 NPR
- “INVEST IN SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS IN SCHOOLS” Source: U.S. Department of Educations’ Landmark 2: “Build School Communities, and Support Students’ Social, Emotional, and Mental Health” from “A guide for K-12 schools and communities for the 2021-2022 school year” — See Landmark 2.
- A Resource for Parents on Returning to In-Person Learning. Source U.S. Department of Education
- Can Governors Really Take Money From Schools Over Masks? Source: Lieberman, M. 8/13/2021. Education Week
- Will Delta Push Schools to the Brink (Again)? This Infectious Disease Expert Is Worried Source: Gewertz, C. 8/11/2021 Education Week
- Fauci Backs Teacher Vaccine Mandates “We are in a Critical Situation Now” Source: Blad, E. 8/10/2021. Education Week
- A Guide for K-12 Schools and Communities for the 2021-2022 School Year. Source: 8/9/2021, U.S. Department of Education.
- Schools Reopen with Masks Optional in Many U.S. Classrooms. Source: Jeff, A. 8/6/2021. Associated Press
- The Delta Variant in Schools: What to Know Source: Anthes, E. 8/2/2021. The NY Times.
- 4 Ways to Keep Staff and Students Safe From the Delta Variant Source: Gewertz, C. 8/2/2021. Education Week
- COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools Source: 7/18/2021. American Academy of Pediatrics
New York Specific:
- NYC schools gear up to handle students’ mental health needs 8/30/2021 NY City & State
- NYC to Require Vaccines for Education Employees 8/23/2021 NY Chalkbeat
- SSWs: Schools racing to respond to mental health crisis 8/20/2021 Chalkbeat Newark
- New York’s new governor says mask mandates for children are a necessary step Source: 8/15/2021. Reuters
- New York State Education Department to issue COVID-19 guidance to aid schools and districts. Although NYSED indicated earlier that they would not be issuing guidance, recent changes have made them alter their position and they are in the process of issuing guidance for the 2021 re-opening of schools. Source: Reyes, A. 8/11/2021, The Rebound Buffalo
- What our schoolkids need now: A (Queens) school social worker speaks out. (Opinion piece). Source: Spiro, J. 7/27/2021. New York Daily News
- NYC to require vaccines or weekly testing for teachers, city workers. Source: Matthews, K. & Peltz, J. 7/26/2021. AP
2020
New York Specific:
- Healthy Young Minds Back to School Issue—Articles contributed by NYSSSWA and other New York Specialized Instructional Support Personnel associations. A definite read. Check it out! Source: August 2020, Issue 13, Mental Health Association in New York State
- State Education Department Issues Guidance to Reopen New York State Schools. Source: 7/16/2020 New York State Education Department
Virtual Learning:
- 5 Apps to Enhance Distance Learning. Source: Gray, K. 7/20/2020. Edutopia
- 10 Tips for Moving Your Classroom Community Online. Source: Woerkom, Marieke. 3/22/2020. Morningside Center for Teaching and Social Reponsibility
- Classroom Routines Must Change. Here’s What Teaching Looks Like Under COVID-19 Source: Schwartz, S. 8/5/2020. EdWeek.
- How to Make Lessons Cohesive..Both Remote and In Person. Source: Schwartz, S., 8/5/2020. EdWeek
- Setting the Stage for a School Year On-line. Source. Lee, L. 7/24/2020. Edutopia.
- Social Emotional Learning and School Re-Opening. A Guide for Schools. Source: Prothero, A. 7/14/2020. EdWeek
- Virtual Learning: 10 Best Practices for Parents. Source: Reinin, B. Teach, Train, Love . Retrieved 8/10/2020.
- Virtual Learning: 33 Ways to Build Relationships Lots of good ideas and links to help educators connect with students. Source: Reinin, B. Teach, Train, Love . Retrieved 8/10/2020.
- What is (and isn’t) in Place to Address Barriers to Learning and Teaching for the New School Year? “For a brief outline of immediate and long-term priorities and processes for providing essential student/learning supports during the coming school year” Source: Adelman, Howard & Taylor, Linda. 7/ 2020 UCLA School Mental Health Project
Other Resources:
- A Blueprint for Back to School. “Together with a task force of accomplished educational leaders—including former state chiefs, superintendents, federal education officials, and charter network leaders—this report sketches a framework that can help state policymakers, education and community leaders, and federal officials plan appropriately for reopening.” “Policymakers and school leaders should assess the need for additional counselors, social workers, school psychologists, and nurses. ” (20 pages) Source: Bailey, J. & Hess, F., 5/2020. American Enterprise Institute.
- Back to School: Slow & Steady School Social Workers in Australia discuss issues and share resources to assist in re-opening schools. Source: Huxtable, M., 6-28-2020. International Network for School Social Work
- Creating Trauma Informed Schools. Source: 2020. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Coronavirus: How do you social distance in schools? Article discusses how Scotland and other countries have been re-opening. Source: Lyst, C. 4/25/2020. BBC
- Embedding Mental Health As Schools Change. Free book. (221 pages) Source: Adelman, Howard & Taylor, Linda. 7?/ 2020. UCLA School Mental Health Project.
- Forging a Path Forward: How to Design a Responsive Return Plan This article provides a 21 page guide that “presents the Education Elements philosophy on how to use responsive practices to plan your district’s return and provides a four-step process for examining multiple return scenarios given considerable uncertainty and unknowns.” Source: Reingold, S. 5/6/2020. Education Elements
- How to Plan When You Don’t Know What to Plan For. Source: Hicks, K. & Schroeder, S. 7/8/2020. Edutopia
- Public Health Principles for a Phased Reopening During COVID-19: Guidance for Governors. (24 pages) Source: Rivers, C., Martin, E. et. al. 4/17/2020, Johns Hopkins University: Center for Health Security
- COVID-19 School & Community Resource Library 78 pages of studies and articles on the impact of COVID on children/families/staff and the re-opening of schools. “The COVID-19 School and Community Resource Library is a volunteer effort by a group of Massachusetts physicians, including pediatricians, infectious disease physicians, and school district physicians from multiple institutions across the state. Our objective is to offer a compiled source of published and publicly available data for clinicians who are advising K-12 schools and community organizations regarding best practices to prevent and manage COVID-19 infection as they plan their re-opening efforts this year.” Source: Andrea Ciaranello, A., et. al. 7/31/2020 (Rev). Division of Infectious Disease,,Massachusetts General Hospital,Harvard Medical School
- The Coronavirus Closed Schools in a Flash. But Detailed Planning Must Guide Students’ Return to Classrooms, Groups Urge. “Schools should evaluate the need for additional social workers and psychologists while expanding access to telehealth counseling services.” Source: Keierleber, M. 5/27/2020. The 74
- COVID-19 School & Community Resource Library 78 pages of studies and articles on the impact of COVID on children/families/staff and the re-opening of schools. “The COVID-19 School and Community Resource Library is a volunteer effort by a group of Massachusetts physicians, including pediatricians, infectious disease physicians, and school district physicians from multiple institutions across the state. Our objective is to offer a compiled source of published and publicly available data for clinicians who are advising K-12 schools and community organizations regarding best practices to prevent and manage COVID-19 infection as they plan their re-opening efforts this year.” Source: Andrea Ciaranello, A., et. al. 7/31/2020 (Rev). Division of Infectious Disease,,Massachusetts General Hospital,Harvard Medical School