CHALLENGES TO BE TACKLED THROUGH THOUGHT-LEADER COLLABORATION

DISTANCE/HYBRID LEARNING 
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to plague schools in vexing and unpredictable ways, with new and unanticipated challenges continuing to arise, with no clear resolution in sight and no discernible timetable for when it will dissipate. Among the biggest challenges are how to fluidly and consistently fortify and engage students (and families) while equipping teachers with the tools they need to effectively achieve their critical teaching and learning goals necessary to nourish and provoke learning progress and achievement in all students. These are must-have objectives for all schools adopting full or hybrid distance/remote learning models.

EQUITY OF ACCESS
The COVID-19 pandemic has starkly highlighted and ratcheted up what has now become a national emergency requiring that all students have equitable access to learn remotely and by whatever mode is necessary to guarantee their equitable and consistent access to the proper teaching and learning resources and materials, wherever they are and wherever they live. This now pertains specifically to distance/remote learning, as schools transition to Hybrid or completely remote learning models and includes devices, internet access, technical literacy of students (and families), the quality of the physical learning space, and the management—and guarantee—of dedicated learning time. In addition, many students due to age, attention skills, or special needs will also need daily hands-on learning assistance from a parent/adult or caregiver.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING
All of the pre-existing challenges of SEL have been intensified and exacerbated by COVID-19. There are significant situational and socioeconomic SEL impacts due to the 5-month absence from school, the isolating impacts of shelter-at-home, the fear/anxiety regarding the health of students, teachers, and families, and the stresses, challenges, and inequities of distance/hybrid learning. Compounding this landscape, are the difficulties in assessing, addressing, and successfully delivering effective SEL in a distance/hybrid environment, which includes the critical engagement of families and their overarching sentiment of fear, uncertainty, and disconnectedness.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Under the restrictions of COVID, a top priority is educating and equipping teachers and staff to transition effective instructional practice via a distance/remote learning or hybrid learning scenario. An urgent need will be delivering high quality virtual professional learning, training, and resources on a full range of subjects that is easily accessible to leaders, teachers, and instructional staff.