Aid workers and charity officials know it too well: Long after the public has stopped paying attention to a natural disaster, the most significant part of the rebuilding effort stretches far into the future. It makes the job all the more difficult.
For school officials whose facilities, faculties, and student bodies have been disrupted by fire, flood, or other calamities, it's a familiar challenge as well. Relocating and otherwise accommodating students after a school has been damaged or destroyed can take anywhere from a few days to a few months. But coordinating the countless follow-up details can be a Herculean task—and one that many districts find themselves unprepared to handle.
Most school emergency plans focus on intruder alerts or evacuation procedures for fires and storms. Few involve the long-term problems that follow in the wake of a major disaster. "In many cases, long-range plans may not be determined until [officials] get to the stage where they have to evaluate the extent of damage to the school and what their likely alternatives are," says Donald Kachur, executive director of Illinois ASCD.
"Most long-term issues have to be addressed on a case-by-case basis," says Nancy Gibson, superintendent of O'Fallon School District in Ill. "You need at least a few days to get reorganized to make sure you have everything you need to ensure the safety and education of your students."
During and immediately after a disaster, officials understandably focus on the safety and survival of students and teachers. But the real work of the education profession—ensuring that children can continue learning—requires that planning begin almost immediately as well.
"If we got hit with some kind of natural disaster, we would need to address several things," says Gibson, whose own district has taken in some of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. "What kind of furniture is available? What about textbooks and supplies? Food services? Transportation requirements? All of these would have to be examined."
Satisfying everyday student nutrition requirements is just one example of the issues that complicate disaster response. What if a primary food preparation facility—probably a school with a fully equipped kitchen—is rendered unusable?
"In our district, not every one of our cafeterias is a cooking facility," says Doug Whisker, associate superintendent of East Moline School District in Ill. "Some schools may have food cooked and delivered that's kept warm for the children. Others cook it on-site." Regardless, Whisker says, "You can't just waive lunches." The law requires school systems to provide meals to poor children; school lunch may be their only true meal of the day. "You're obligated to provide some kind of meal for them," Whisker says.
Making Room for Learning
Other postdisaster problems are even more fundamental. Simply finding a building large enough to hold class for significant numbers of students can be difficult, particularly in small communities. Locating and placing trailers or portable classrooms could take weeks or months. Busing students to neighboring counties could be too costly, and—if bridges and roads are impassable because of the disaster—it might not be practical at all.
"I think most communities would look quickly at churches," says Whisker. "Those would tend to be the kinds of buildings that might be available during the week and would be large enough to house students and have ample parking." But relying on religious institutions to provide public education presents its own problems.
Coming Together
Ironically, it is precisely because of these limited options that some communities find they are able to come together in times of crisis and overcome their various challenges. Whisker remembers one incident that surprised him and his faculty. After a local elementary school building was declared unsafe, students had to be bused to a nearby high school for the remainder of the year. The sudden influx of students meant that all available space at the high school had to be rededicated to classroom space for the displaced students.
Ordinarily, the combination of older and younger students might lead to disruptions, bullying, and discipline problems. In fact, says Whisker, "the high school kids, many of whom saw these younger kids as sisters and brothers, were really supportive and even nurturing. We never had a problem."
Silver linings like that may seem distant in the gloomy days following a disaster. But creative thinking, coupled with thorough advance planning and the natural resilience of children and dedicated professionals, can ensure that learning keeps happening even in a community's darkest hour.
