Rising Strong
​Reconnecting schools to recovery and resilience

A Reconnection Recovery to Resilience Pathway through the current Covid-19 pandemic

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops…at all”
Emily Dickinson

As the entire planet breathes in, is forced to stop – and even to hold its breath waiting to see what unfolds, there are people who have the capacity to lean into the future and by holding a common purpose can support the unfolding by gaining a sense of “what is new and what is needed”. Ours school colleagues are those people.
 
This time of social distancing and isolation is Kairos time: An Ancient Greek concept indicating the right, critical, or opportune moment.

Here is my underpinning thinking for a response to Covid-19 risk assessment, reduction, and management. having led this strategy for The Embark Federation, a Trust in Derby, I share in below to illustrate the positive impact of this approach.

In legal cases, the test of what constitutes good practice is whether a particular course of action would be supported by a 'reasonable body of professional opinion'. In drawing together such an experienced group to face these challenges; The Embark Federation became that reasonable body. There are no experts in a position to pass down infallible guidance to leaders on the practicalities of managing schools and children's homes in this new era. It is up to us to invent best practice by engaging creatively and sharing ideas that seem to work.
 
Embark stands out, reaching in, to reach out, posing the question; How can our community lean into the future and articulate a pathway through this experience?

Our first exploration is to find out what the issues/problems are, not just our perception of what they might be for ourselves and all stakeholders, but the actual lived experience. There starts our challenge to reconnect to recovery and resilience.
We are not in the same boat
I heard that we are all in the same boat,
But it’s not like that.
We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.
Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be.
Or vice versa.
For some quarantine is optimal.
A moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or a coffee.
For others, this is a desperate financial and family crisis.
For some that live alone they’re facing endless loneliness.
While for others it is peace, rest and time with their mother, father, sons, and daughters.
Some were concerned about getting a certain egg for Easter while others were concerned if there would be enough bread, milk and eggs for the weekend.
Some want to go back to work because they don't qualify for unemployment benefits and are running out of money.
Other want to scream at those who break the quarantine.
Some are home spending hours a day helping their child with on line schooling while
others are spending hours a day to educate their children on top of a 12 hour workday.
Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it.
Others don't believe this is a big deal.
Some have faith in God and expect miracles during this pandemic through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.
Each of us will emerge, in our own way from this storm.
It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance.
Not just looking, actually seeing, not just listening, actually hearing.
We are all on different ships during this storm, experiencing a very different journey.
Let everyone navigate their route with respect, empathy, responsibility and compassion
                               
Anonymous

Examples included within the Reconnection to recovery and resilience pathway curriculum library
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