Business Isn't As Usual: The ECE Leader's Guide To A Resilient Reopening

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.

Step #1: Recognize the trauma

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.

Before you reopen: Seek professional advice about trauma-sensitive approaches that extend to children, parents and employees.

Step #2: Update your community

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.”

Before you reopen: Use email or a secure child care app to streamline your communication systems and keep everyone in the loop.

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Step #3: Focus on health and safety

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: 

• Update your policies: Parents will be wondering how drop-off and pick-up policies have changed following the closures. Consider staggering your drop-off/pick-up times to help with social distancing, and request only one parent or carer comes for each child. 
  

• Create a safe space with social distancing: Social distancing for kids is tough, but there’s a lot you can do to help them figure it out. Keep class numbers small, mark seating spots with tape, stagger play times, and place cribs 6 feet apart. 
  

• Set up a sanitation station: It’s not always easy to get children to wash their hands, so set up a designated area with hand sanitizer (60% or more alcohol), soap and water. Create a plan for toy disinfection and frequently touched surfaces like light switches, doorknobs and desks.
  

• Adjust meal times: Make sure children wash their hands before and after eating, use disposable plates where possible and stop tooth brushing at school.
  

• Conduct daily health checks: Temperature checks are now mandatory for many, while daily health checks for students and teachers are becoming the norm. Stay ahead of the curve by prepping health check plans. If you're already a MomentPath user, you can easily do this using our new Health Check Moment — or, if you are curious what MomentPath is like start a 14 day free trial (no credit card required) and start using the Health Check Moment at your center today!
  

Before you reopen: Go through your day-to-day procedures one at a time, and focus on your health and safety plan for each.

Step #4: Revisit your emergency management procedures

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.” 

Before you reopen: Take time to build a resilient organizational culture and create a solid business continuity plan to ensure you have a streamlined response in place in case this happens again.

Step #5: Take it one day at a time

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:

• Break it down: Your ultimate goal is to reopen and reposition for success. But that’s a pretty big mountain to climb. Break it down into specific actions to make it more achievable. You got this.
• Set targets: Once you have your to-do list, avoid overwhelm by setting yourself deadlines and targets. Create a timeline to help you figure out exactly how long until you’re ready to reopen. 
• Keep revisiting: The coronavirus crisis has been a rollercoaster—and your journey to reopening could have even more twists and turns. Keep revisiting your plans and goals to make sure they fit with what’s happening externally. 
  

Before you reopen: Break down your goals into bite-sized chunks to make each step feel doable.

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.