Schools and families facing COVID-19 shutdowns

Schools are shutting down and kids are home. Now what? Many of our WELS schools are seeking to offer solutions for learning opportunities and activities while students are home. The WELS Commission on Lutheran Schools (CLS) has met with various members of schools’ leadership to brainstorm and share ideas.

First and foremost, Mr. Jim Rademan, director of CLS, says, “We are requesting that all our WELS schools follow CDC, state, and local guidelines regarding closures.”

Many schools are already working on plans to keep kids engaged in education during the shutdowns. “Several of our schools have been working very hard to engage children in continuous learning and have put together their plans and are willingly sharing those with others,” says Rademan.

CLS is working to compile plans, documents, and resources that schools can adapt for their own use. The list will grow and change as more information becomes available.

It’s unknown how long students will be out of school; it’s a moving target, but the key for schools is to find a way to connect with students during this time to cultivate ongoing learning, explains Rademan. Right now, there are more questions than answers as to how this will affect the school year and academics. Currently, the main priority is to keep communities healthy.

“Every state and every local district and every local school is going to need to adapt to the local culture and community that they’re in. The key is to communicate,” says Rademan. “We’re encouraging our schools to pay attention to their state instruction websites and local schools and figure out ways to connect with kids for continuous learning.”

Mrs. Cindi Holman, Early Childhood Ministry national coordinator, has provided some helpful tips for parents and families as they will now be home together. View tips for families.

“One recommendation is being really prudent about watching out for having the news on all day long. While it may look like your children are not paying attention, they’re hearing this,” says Holman. “Just the same way we can get overwhelmed and stressed by the constant barrage of information, the little ones don’t really know what to do with that kind of information.”

Holman says, “For parents, is it going to be challenging? Yes, it is, but we can really embrace this as a special treasured opportunity for families. In a time when we’re overscheduled and running all over all the time, this opportunity to have extended family time, I think, will bring tremendous blessings to families. It’ll take some adjustment, but I think it will bring great blessings.”