Webinar: Supporting the Whole Child During Restart & Recovery—COVID-19 Response
Hosted by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Learning Policy Institute
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this video belong solely to the speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the perspective of the Learning Policy Institute.
As the 2019-20 school year winds down virtually, state, district, and school leaders are turning their attention to how school buildings can safely reopen. They are exploring how to evaluate and address learning loss, ensure the physical safety and well-being of everyone in the school building, and support the social, emotional, and mental health of students and teachers. They are also considering the best ways to address trauma their students may have experienced because of the COVID-19 pandemic—especially for traditionally underserved students, including students of color and those from low-income families.
The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and LPI held this webinar to discuss both how lessons from the science of learning and development can inform restart and recovery plans to support student well-being and learning, as well as how state chiefs are already taking a whole child approach to pandemic response.
CCSSO Executive Director Carissa Moffat Miller facilitated a conversation with Linda Darling-Hammond, President and CEO, Learning Policy Institute and President of the California State Board of Education, as well as state education leaders on the importance of policies and practices that support students’ social-emotional, mental and physical health, and well-being during restart and recovery. The panel also discussed actions state leaders can pursue in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support the whole child.
During the webinar, panelists discussed adopting a whole child approach to restarting schools and recovering from extended school closures, specifically looking at:
- Insights from the science of learning and development and its implications for school restart and recovery;
- The importance of policies and practices that support students’ social-emotional, mental and physical health and well-being during restart and recovery; and
- Strategies and practical actions state leaders can pursue in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventual restart and recovery, with a whole child approach that leverages the insights on the science of learning and development.
