We have said from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that common sense needs to be used when dealing with the virus, and that in doing so, communication is key.
The way Fairbanks School Superintendent Adham Schirg has taken the coronavirus issue head-on is encouraging. The district learning format had been an in-person mode, but the recent outbreak of COVID-19 among teachers and students caused Schirg to make a decision to return to a hybrid learning system.
You can debate what is the right way to educate kids in a pandemic situation all day long but what was particularly interesting was the process Schirg used to develop his plan. Knowing the importance of his decision, he gathered district teachers, students and parents so they could be part of advisory groups in order to get a consensus and move forward.
We agree with board member Brian Phelps who commented about how he was pleased with the way everything was dealt with by saying, “It’s good to have so many stakeholders’ input before making this decision.”
Schirg’s actions show us he is comfortable enough in his own mind to allow all those affected to have a voice. We think this is healthy. He remains in contact with these groups and will reconvene with them in January to discuss when and how to return to in-person learning.
No doubt administrative officials are feeling the heat in these times, but that is when you see leaders step up and not blame others. We think Schirg’s actions are refreshing especially when we witnessed a neighboring district put the blame on the teachers union.
As parents continue to reach out to us about their children’s mental state and ask questions about schools’ policies of continuing to stay home, the future of education could be in serious trouble.
In his short time in office, Shirg has shown us he is the right person to help Fairbanks navigate through this crisis and learn from it for future planning purposes. We think there is light at the end of the tunnel, and we see Schirg as that beacon in this dark time.