Most ECE centers were unprepared when the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
No one could have predicted having to shut down their facilities, switch to distance learning and watch as 1.32 billion students moved to homeschooling overnight.
It was unprecedented—and it’s been tough.
The good news is, the ECE community is bouncing back. And now we have one key tool in our arsenal that we were missing before: foresight.
Because as you look ahead to your school reopening (whenever that might be), you know it’s coming, and you can plan.
From figuring out what’s right for your students to streamlining your processes, there are actionable steps you can take to ensure a resilient reopening before the date is even set—and that’s where this guide comes in.
This practical guide is packed with expert-led tips to help you reopen and reposition for long-term success. Let’s get to it!
When will child care centers and preschools reopen?Reposition your child care centers for long-term success
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As the ‘new normal’ takes a firm hold, we’re finally seeing schools reopen and masked children head back to class in Germany, Denmark, China, South Korea and Vietnam.
Meanwhile the US President has stated publicly: “Schools in our country should be opened ASAP.”
But not everyone agrees.
In fact, despite a third of US citizens agreeing it’s time to reopen the doors, there is still a solid 44% who think ECE centers should remain closed.
The short answer is: no one knows when kids will be going back to school. But what we do know is that ECE centers will reopen at some point—and with the debate flaring on both sides it could be today, it could be months from today.
Either way, it’s time for the ECE community to prepare. Here’s how to be completely ready for your preschool reopening.
From the detrimental effects of social distancing to a rise in anxiety for adults and children, the impact of coronavirus on mental health is tangible.
According to Cindy Terebush, Author, podcast co-host and ECE consultant, the first thing to focus on is social-emotional support—for children, families and employees.
“Reopening isn't as simple as opening the doors, many people —children, families, early childhood professionals, and administrators —have experienced a trauma and we can't just go back like it can be erased. Administrators and their staff need to learn about trauma-sensitive approaches to setting up their environments and having interactions.”
To make sure the support extends to everyone, these processes need to be in place before centers reopen.
“Seek reputable professional development about trauma-sensitive approaches, ideally before the doors open. We have to expand our thinking beyond the child and recognize that the social-emotional support we need to provide has to extend to everyone. When children, families, staff and administrators feel safe and valued, the learning will follow,” says Cindy.
They say a friend in need is a friend indeed, and when it comes to dealing with uncertainty that’s truer than ever.
Staying close to your community and supporting them as you navigate your school reopening will make it easier for you and the employees, children and families you work with.
Dr Erica Vernold Miller has been coaching educators for over a decade with her company Professor Patty Cake Consulting, and is a big believer of reducing anxiety with full transparency.
“The biggest piece of advice I can give regarding reopening ECE centers is to keep all stakeholders in the loop and maintain regular communication during the reopening process,” says Erica.
“Anxiety is bred in the unknown. Parents and ECE staff are going to be understandably anxious about reopening. It is important that ECE centers be transparent, include stakeholders in discussions about safety and wellness, and use data/credible resources to make reopening decisions for their centers.”
For Erica, that means using tech to create solid connections from wherever you are.
“Creating systems to disseminate accurate information is crucial. If stakeholders feel like they’re not getting the info they need, they’ll likely create their own ‘narratives’ which might be inaccurate. The goal is to put systems in place that help all stakeholders feel informed, empowered and valued in the process.”
As you think about reopening, health and safety needs to be priority #1.
Uncertainty and fear are a daily truth for many—so children, families and employees need to know you have their wellbeing at heart, no matter what.
Here’s a few things you can do to set their minds at ease:
Experts predict this is the start of a new way of life for the ECE community. And although no one’s exactly sure what it will look like, there’s one thing we do know for certain—learning will be a different ballgame when this is over.
That’s why it’s SO important to look ahead and make sure you can answer the million dollar question on every ECE leader’s mind: what will I do if this happens again?
According to Cindy Terebush, the answer is simple: be prepared.
“[When coronavirus happened] the ECE community realized we were ready for evacuations, lockdown and fires—but not the possibility of a shutdown. All learning models and businesses will need to add shutdown plans to their emergency management procedures,” says Cindy.
Because resilience is all about learning from past experiences so you can do better next time.
“After this is over, we need to reflect, determine what worked and what needs more consideration. None of us want to live through what it was like the first couple of weeks of this again.”
If 2020 was a Disney movie, we could snap our fingers and everything would be back to normal.
Unfortunately, change in the real world takes time—which is why it’s so important for ECE center directors, owners and administrators to take a breath and embrace the pace.
Zeynep Isik-Ercan, Associate Professor in Early Childhood Education and Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research at Rowan University, suggests working closely with families to take it one goal at a time.
“Utilizing learning communities with parents through text based or mobile apps and focusing on a few developmental goals at a time will be helpful for a resilient reopening,” she says.
Here are some pointers on how to ace your center’s reopening goals one step at a time:
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We’re not saying this will be easy—but you got this. 💪
From staying connected to revisiting your emergency plans, repositioning your early learning centers for long-term success is a case of keeping it human from day one.
Because whether your early learning business opens today or tomorrow—as long as you start planning early, focus on support for employees and families, and take it one day at a time, your reopening journey will end in success for your entire community.
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