Opportunities and Challenges for Adaptation and Innovation: First Case Study Findings Now Available from Deerfield Elementary School

By K.C. Wilcox and Kelli McGowan

This is the first in a series of blogs NYKids shares from our most recent study on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education workforce. It highlights key take-aways from Deerfield Elementary School in the Whitesboro Central School District.

The Study

In March 2021, the NYKids research team undertook a study to try to understand educators’ experiences during the first year of the pandemic. We were especially interested to learn what conditions might account for different levels of stress and job satisfaction from school to school, and so solicited the participation of leaders and educators across the state.

School Selection Criteria

Deerfield Elementary School met the criteria for inclusion in this study based on the survey of educators’ responses to the pandemic because it exhibited more positive workforce responses with regard to stress and job satisfaction than other schools in the sample (n=38). With a score of 52.2% compared to an overall sample mean of 36.9% and standard deviation of 15.4%, Deerfield Elementary School qualified as a positive outlier in this study.

Facilitators for Adaptation and Innovation: Highlights from the Deerfield ES Case Study

“The pandemic tested us, mentally and emotionally. As individuals, likely there were times that we each felt overwhelmed; but as a team we were very strong. We worked together and supported one another without judgment. We are very fortunate to have strong relationships with each other— the instructional team, support staff, administration, and parents. We care about each other, listen to each other, and help each other. As a team, we are committed to the social-emotional well-being and academic success of our students. Participating in this study was rewarding. It provided an opportunity for our school team to reflect upon our response to the pandemic, as individuals, small groups, and the entire team. While in the depths of the pandemic, we often questioned ourselves and our responses. Upon reflection, we are proud of our response to the pandemic and the strength of our team.”

– Deerfield ES Principal McGowan

Collaborative and Familial Relationships

The COVID-19 pandemic acted in many ways to strain relationships as people experienced social distancing and significant disruptions in their personal and professional lives. In Deerfield ES, educators and support staff benefitted from pre-pandemic collaborative and familial relationships in the district and between district staff and community members. As one district administrator explained,

Our school community was tremendous. During the pandemic we had countless people volunteer for different events. We held food giveaways, milk giveaways, vaccine clinics, and COVID testing clinics. We tried to do everything we could. If the farmers had milk to give away, we were happy to distribute. When the food bank had food to give away, we had cars lined up for miles. We tried to do the best we could to support our community.

These efforts to maintain relationships and tap people’s good will and desire to help others provided the necessary human connection to buffer school staff’s stress during the most challenging times. The potent combination of good will and tangible resources from the district and community partners offered in a timely manner were key to maintaining relationships and building trust between district and school staff and community members.

Inclusive Problem Solving and Distributed Decision Making

Another major facilitator for Deerfield ES staff’s adaptations during the pandemic was their distributed approach toward problem solving and decision making. Teachers and support staff shared their view that the school and district culture supported staff’s willingness and capacity to solve problems individually and together. They connected their problem-solving approach to the principal as well as district leaders’ philosophies and behaviors that balanced autonomy with high expectations for individual and group effort and performance. Importantly, everyone thinking creatively about how to solve problems was key to the school’s responsiveness to child and family needs during the pandemic. As one teacher explained,

So it was . . . very chaotic, I think, in the beginning [of the pandemic], but yeah there was a feeling of working together and really just trying to . . . problem solve together.

Opportunities for each individual to be part of solving some problems was fueled by leaders who encouraged innovative thinking, but also with clear expectations for staying child-centered.

Responsive and Developmentally Appropriate Approach to Change

As the pandemic required school staff, children, and families to learn to do things in new ways, oftentimes without much, if any preparation, having a responsive and developmentally appropriate approach to change was key to staff responses and ultimately to children’s and families’ experiences. In this respect, the Deerfield ES principal, in alignment with district leaders, provided space and time for staff to adapt their instruction, parent engagement strategies, and other services. Two teachers explained how this approach to change impacted their stress levels and capacities to adapt:

I would say that towards the end of that spring, the first year [2020], was when it was kind of said, “Well, try to meet [on Zoom] once a week at least.” It was just very manageable. And it happened over a period of time. Then, you know, once we came back the following year [ fall 2020], then it was all-in at that point. I think the pacing of it was extremely helpful. – teacher 1

So it was more laid back in the beginning [of the pandemic] for sure. And, like I said, just paced out and everybody had to just gain a comfort from it. Our expectations for our community weren’t too high and unmanageable, and then that trickled to us too. But as educators, we hold ourselves to a higher standard. So we did that ourselves. I don’t think administration pushed that onto us, which was super helpful. – teacher 2

These highlights are evident throughout the four lines of inquiry (i.e. leadership practices, academic learning, social-emotional learning, and parent and community engagement) that guided the study of which this case is one part. See the entire case study here.

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