Tue, 09 Dec 2025 02:39:24 -0600WeeblyMon, 27 Jul 2020 12:07:37 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-13One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?
roa
The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Encouragement

Whether it's right now as schools decide what school looks like . . .

or whether's it a month from now when the return to school plans look nothing like reality . . . 

or whether it's months from now when teachers and educators are burned out from having to toggle back and forth between physical school and online virtual learning, the one thing you can give to educators is encouragement.

Send a text to a teacher today to let him know you're thinking about her

Email a principal later this week to let her know you support her and are praying for her

If you're a church or a business, commit to sending more encouragement to teacher and staff and schools this year through cards, letters, emails, texts, and other ways because our schools need to hear your encouragement this month, this season, and this year!]]>Mon, 27 Jul 2020 12:02:57 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-12One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?
roa
The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Incentives for students

If there is physical school next month or this fall, it's going to look different and students will be on the receiving end of many of these changes.  Wearing masks.  Lunch in the classroom instead of in the lunch room.  Changes to seating arrangements and more individual desks and less flexible seating.  These are just some of the changes and teachers and schools could use some incentives to give to students who make choices that are good for them and good for others.

I know intrinsic motivation is the preferred skill, but it's also true that "what gets rewarded gets done" and if we want students to consistently wear masks (or any number of behaviors), we need to reward good behavior and there's an opportunity here for churches or businesses to provide incentives (candy, trinkets, gum, suckers, mints, toys, etc) to students who make choices that keep physical school a possibility.
]]>Mon, 27 Jul 2020 11:59:49 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-11One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?
roa
The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Thermometers

Another potential item needed for physical school is thermometers.  Of course schools may already have these or taking temperatures may not be part of a school's health protocols, but it's easy to see temperature taking as one of the requirements for physical school and thus teachers, schools and students will need thermometers.  An easy donation idea and win for a church or business.  
]]>Fri, 24 Jul 2020 12:04:31 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-10One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?
roa
The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Substitute Teachers

My community's school district shared yesterday that it needs 500 substitute teachers!
500!
They have problems getting subs in a years when there's not a pandemic and so the need and the challenge is very real.  If there's going to be physical school this year, substitute teachers play a pivotal role.
Some ways you can help:

• Become a substitute teacher- of course everyone can't do this, but if you work part time or need a part time job or are retired, consider being a sub.  If you're a church you can even give permission for your youth pastor or outreach pastor to sub in schools one day a week.  If you're a business owner, you can allow employees to sub and maybe create a rotation of sorts.  I know these ideas are out there but they are ways to help with the substitute teacher shortage.
• Share the word- share the social media posts when your district is looking for subs and spread the word
• Provide incentives for substitute teachers- subbing is hard enough without the challenges and unknowns of a pandemic, so maybe your church or business can provide incentives for substitutes whether that's gift cards, prizes, cash, etc.

]]>Thu, 23 Jul 2020 12:09:40 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-9One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?

The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Volunteer
Volunteering will look different this school year.  It's possible volunteers won't even be allowed into school once school open, but volunteers are still a tremendous benefit for any school.  Volunteers can:

• Help your clerical team with back to school paperwork.
  
• Assist teachers in setting up classrooms.
  
• Virtually mentor students (that's a whole separate idea!) 
  

Don't overlook the value and support volunteers can provide schools and teachers during this unique back to school season.]]>Wed, 22 Jul 2020 19:34:56 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-8One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?

The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Meal for the Back to School Staff Meeting

Today's idea is to cater the meal for a school's back to school staff meeting.  These meetings vary based on the school and district so your church or business will want to make sure to check on when this meeting is happening, but almost every school's staff has some sort of meeting (or more like series of meetings!) for just their school's staff.

In normal years you can mix up what you provide- we've catered Qdoba and provided homemade treats.  But this year is obviously different and with many of us still uncertain about accepting food from others or using a spoon to dish up cilantro lime rice after someone else just used that same spoon, you may want to go the box lunch option from a place like Jimmy John's or Jersey Mike's.

Food's always a huge hit with teachers and staff and this year more than ever it's an easy and impactful way to care for schools and staffs.
]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2020 12:29:48 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-7One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?

The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: School Supplies

I admit I love the confidence retailers like Target and Wal Mart have right now as they set up their back to school displays and offer deep discounts on items like pocket folders and glue sticks.  During this most unique back to school season where no one really knows what school will look like yet, the back to school sales and ads can be a comforting sign of normalcy.  

And yet it's easy to see more students coming to school or doing school at home without the supplies they need to succeed.  Whether it's school starting with remote virtual learning and families being limited to go out and get what students need or whether it's school starting in physical classrooms and families just aren't able to get the supplies for their students, there's a need for businesses, churches and parents to provide school supplies to schools this year.  
]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2020 12:28:26 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-6The one thing you can give others today is grace.

It costs nothing to offer grace when you see a post, read an article, notice a comment, or take a survey about what school could look like next month.

I can forget the people making these decisions are human beings like you and me:

• I forget the principal who’s struggling to write a back to school newsletter because back to school is up in the air is a human being I can give grace to.
• I forget the teacher who’s worried about returning to school and being exposed to the virus is a human being I can give grace to.
• I forget the activities director who’s trying her hardest to give athletes, musicians, artists and performers every opportunity she can for a fall season while also knowing there's so many unknowns is a human being I can give grace to.
• I forget the superintendent who’s trying to juggle seemingly competing priorities of having physical school and protecting students and teachers and giving teachers options and knowing many businesses and companies are waiting with baited breath on what her decision will be is a human being I can give grace to.
• I forget many parents and families are concerned about appearing selfish or uncaring if they support in-person school but also worry about what they’ll do if this fall looks like last spring, are human beings I can give grace to.

My default response isn’t grace.

More times than I'd like to admit I filter events through my perspective.  My worldview.  How this decision or this policy affects me.  My reflex is criticism and not grace.

I forget leaders, decision makers, teachers, principals, parents, and the people who make up the neighborhood and community I live in are people.  They’re human beings.  And they’re people I can give grace to because I am a person who also needs grace.

So as you navigate today/this week/this month, take grace with you.

Give grace to whomever you cross paths with today:

• In the drive thru line
• In your neighborhood 
• While you scroll Facebook or Insta
• At work
• In yet another zoom meeting or conference call
• At home.

Take grace with you today and give to all you encounter.

Brian]]>Mon, 20 Jul 2020 01:45:44 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-5One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?

The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Equipment
One of the ongoing discussions and challenges is how to continually keep schools clean.

One possible answer: these spray fogger things 

Fogs the chairs in about 15 minutes and ready to go in another 15 minutes or so.

It's possible schools will have these come fall. 
​It'd be awesome if every room had one. 
Kids go to music- fog the room.
Kids go to recess- fog the room.  
Fog the room before heading out for the day.
And it's possible there's other plans in the works or other items that can do the trick, but this would be awesome for every school and room and an opportunity for businesses and churches.]]>Sat, 18 Jul 2020 14:34:41 GMThttps://www.brianstroh.net/19/helping-schools-during-covid-19-idea-4One question no one seems to be asking when it comes to opening or resuming school during the covid-19 pandemic is this: how can we help?

The point of these blogs is to change that.

​Each day through Sunday, August 2, we’re giving you one idea to help schools during covid-19.

Today’s idea: Mental Health

We're still discovering the mental health impacts from Covid-19 but there's no doubt they're present in our students, families, staff, and schools. 
Teachers having to balance between working in physical school or keeping their families safe.
Principals and administrators trying to educate students, protect staffs and serve parents who need their kiddos in school
Parents and students shuffling back and forth between physical and online school and worrying about falling behind or giving up altogether.

There's massive opportunities for churches and businesses to provide mental health care for a school community:

• A counseling office can offer reduced rates (or even no charge) for a one-time appointment for teachers, administrators and staff
• A church pastor can call to check in on a principal each week
• A business can provide vouchers or coupons for parents or families who desire to see a counselro or talk to someone but can't afford it
• Nonprofits like the Helpline Center offer all kinds of mental health services and can easily extend or provide these services to schools and their staff

​

The opportunities here really are endless.  Maybe this is an idea your church or business can provide for a school or maybe this is the thing your school community most needs this year.
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