Planning, trust and team collaboration helped Kågeskolan cope with the crisis

An action plan and a plan for distance education

Kågeskolan had problems with sick leave among teachers during March, and gradually it became increasingly difficult to find teachers. There was a suspicion of corona spread among teachers and a growing concern about a greater infection spread.

The school administration urged the other municipal schools and us to plan for an aggravated situation, says Anders Grundström, principal at Kågeskolan 6-9.

“The management team jointly created an action plan that describes what measures are to be implemented as the development progresses, what the management should look like and how we should cover for each other if absenteeism increases. We also developed a plan for a transition to distance education if the school has to be closed. Both were anchored among the staff, and everyone was prepared for what could happen.”

The week before Easter, the situation became significantly worse. Still, we waited until after Easter to see if the problems might ease during the holidays, adds Anders Grundström.

“When school is open, it is necessary that there are enough teachers. Now we only had substitutes, and there were almost no regular teachers left who could give them guidance and support.”

There were no improvements - the school’s premises were closed

The situation did not improve after the Easter break, and on 21 April, the City of Skellefteå decided that Kågeskolan would close its premises to conduct teaching at a distance instead. When the school was closed, the Västerbotten Region conducted an infection survey among teachers, which showed that just under a quarter of them tested positive for the coronavirus.

Of course, it is always tricky to know whether we decide too early or too late. Still, there was hope for a turnaround, says Anders Bergström, executive director for education and the labour market administration in the City of Skellefteå.

“The media had paid attention to Kågeskolan’s problems with sick leave and our suspicions of the coronavirus. Therefore, we always explained the situation for employees and parents and told them about our actions before the media received information. It was essential to win their trust so that everything could work.

No one could have imagined that it would go so fast, says Linda Holmqvist, principal at Kågeskolan F-5.

“It was incredible luck that neither Anders Grundström nor I became ill. The rest of the management team was absent, as were the substitute coordinator and the special educators. Leading the business from a distance during a crisis is very difficult. Therefore, it was valuable that we could brainstorm ideas with each other and with the employees who were still healthy. It is necessary to know the business and the staff and to be aware of the students’ different needs for everything to roll on.”

The planning provided a solid foundation

Students’ access to computers and the Internet had already been inventoried during the planning phase. Most people have access to tablets, computers and the Internet at home. Sometimes there was only one computer, which creates problems if several students have to study from home. Those who needed it, therefore, had to borrow a laptop.

Usually, students do not start using the school’s learning platform until grade 6, but now students in grade five started one year earlier. To prepare for school closure, they learned how the collaboration hub in the learning platform works, how they can see their schedule, find their tasks, and keep in touch with teachers and classmates. For the students in F-4, there was a plan for home tuition with home-sent material.

Every morning, the teachers held a digital appeal in the learning platform with their classes. The students were invited to a digital meeting, and their teacher contacted those who were not present.

Students in need of special support received extra materials but were also offered some tuition at the school if they wanted it. As the special educators were on sick leave, special contact teachers were appointed who contacted the students every day to find out if there was a need for help and support. It worked great for most people.

In year F-5, special school students remain in their primary school class as integrated students. Here, student assistants and leisure educators helped produce support materials to work as usual during the school day.

A simple structure, feedback and follow-up work is essential

Linda Holmqvist states that everything worked beyond expectations. For example, students in grade five kept in touch online. They chatted and helped each other with the tasks when needed.

“But of course many of the younger students wanted it to be as usual. They could not define what they longed for, but they lacked a shared context, and could not meet their classmates. “

The students in grades 6-9 thought it was fun to be home for a few days, but then many found it boring, says Anders Grundström. They lose a large part of their social life when they are at home, and it is easy for school and leisure to flow together.

“A simple structure is required so that students know what to do and when to do it. They also need to feel that they are getting meaningful feedback on what they are doing. In the beginning, it was quite hard to get it together, but it was a necessary experience. We do not feel that we have done anything wrong. Instead, everything has exceeded our expectations.”

Fortunately, the school was only closed for two weeks, especially for the younger students, says Linda Holmqvist. In year F-5, the teaching is very much about dialogue, and it disappears to a great extent when the students study on their own. It is also difficult for teachers to assess how much information students should receive.

“It is important not to forget the follow-up work when the school reopens. Teachers must quickly get an idea of the current situation to plan further teaching. We had thought of that when we planned, and we are happy about that.”

A good way to prepare for this type of crisis is to imagine a worst-case scenario, says Anders Grundström. If everyone with management assignments is absent, who should take responsibility for the school’s work? It is also important to practice school closure with students.

“For example, you can pretend that the school has closed for a day and work with distance education in the classroom. How does the teacher write simple instructions to substitutes, guardians and students? How does a digital call work? Have the students understood how to get the tasks?”

The entire chain of command faced the challenges as a team

The word together is probably the essential keyword when describing how a crisis should be handled, Linda Holmqvist emphasizes.

“The principal, the school management, and the teachers have always functioned as a team where everyone trusts each other. We trusted that the principal would make well-thought-out decisions, and the principal trusted that we did what we were supposed to at school. When we in the school management made a decision, the teachers had faith that it was well thought out.”

This article was originally written for the collaborative
project Skola Hemma.