Dave Steckler, principal at Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan, North Dakota, got and recovered from COVID and has dealt with the logistical issues around staff and students who were infected.
Dave Steckler, principal at Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan, N.D., got and recovered from COVID-19 and has dealt with the logistical issues around staff and students who were infected.
Tom Stromme for Education Week
School & District Management Collection

Leading Through COVID-19: How 5 Principals Confronted Infection in Their Schools

The number of coronavirus cases connected directly to schools has remained relatively low, but even one incident can disrupt normal school routines, setting in motion a cascade of actions that can tie up principals and their administrative staffs as they race to prevent a possible outbreak.

Those painstaking efforts divert principals’ attention away from their central mission of serving as instructional leaders.

Here are the stories of how five principals confronted the coronavirus when it came into their schools.

Dixie Rae Garrison, principal of West Jordan Middle School, in West Jordan, Utah.
Dixie Rae Garrison, principal of West Jordan Middle School in West Jordan, Utah, would have preferred a hybrid schedule and other social distancing measures.
Courtesy of Dixie Rae Garrison
School & District Management 1,000 Students, No Social Distancing, and a Fight to Keep the Virus Out
A principal describes the "nightmare" job of keeping more than 1,000 people safe in the fast-moving pandemic.
Denisa R. Superville, January 14, 2021
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4 min read
Nigena Livingston, founder and head of School at the URBAN ACT Academy in Indianapolis, Ind.
Nigena Livingston, founder and head of school at the URBAN ACT Academy in Indianapolis, makes swift decisions in responding to the threat of COVID-19 in her school community.
Courtesy of Nigena Livingston
School & District Management A School Leader Who Calls Her Own Shots on Battling the Coronavirus
A charter school founder uses her autonomy to move swiftly on everything from classroom shutdowns to remote schooling.
Denisa R. Superville, January 14, 2021
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3 min read
Andy McGill, K-12 assistant principal at West Liberty-Salem Local School District in West Liberty, Ohio.
Andy McGill, K-12 assistant principal at West Liberty-Salem Local School District in Ohio, includes coronavirus response among his administrative duties.
Courtesy of Andy McGill
School & District Management A COVID-19 Lull Gives Way to ‘Borderline Insanity’
When the number of cases started to rise steeply, a school community hammered out a routine. Then a basketball player tested positive.
Denisa R. Superville, January 14, 2021
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3 min read
Herb Cox, principal of Midway Middle School in Hewitt, Texas, credits stringent safety measures for the low number of coronavirus cases at his his.
Herb Cox, principal of Midway Middle School in Hewitt, Texas, credits stringent safety measures for the low number of coronavirus cases at his school.
Courtesy of Herb Cox
School & District Management Color-Coded Tracking Sheets and Swift Isolation: One Principal's COVID-19 Approach
In a sort of honor system, a principal relies on parents to flag COVID-19 infections at home. Then the staff swings into action.
Denisa R. Superville, January 14, 2021
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3 min read
Dave Steckler, principal at Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan, N.D., COVID-19 and and has dealt with the logistical issues around staff and students who were infected.
Dave Steckler, principal at Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan, North Dakota, recovered from COVID-19, and dealt with the logistical issues around staff and students who were infected.
Tom Stromme for Education Week
School & District Management This Principal Knows How the Virus Can Upend a School. He Caught It Himself
Positive cases, contact tracing, and quarantines demand maximum flexibility.
Denisa R. Superville, January 14, 2021
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3 min read