Being able to lead through a crisis as an administrator comes with the job description — but many spent 2020 navigating several at once. While adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic and the emotional toll of protests over systemic racism, many district and school leaders have also faced everything from windstorms and wildfires to hurricanes and earthquakes.

Through it all, superintendents and school leaders have overcome obstacles many say could not have been planned for despite emergency plans and protocols. To gain more insight, we spoke to four leaders who say they came out of multiple crises better for it.

Heidi Sipe — Umatilla School District

Challenge: As superintendent of a small rural district with one of the largest English language learner (ELL) populations in Oregon, Heidi Sipe faced an uphill battle communicating with families through wildfires, a windstorm that took down a graduation and COVID-19.

Solution: Sipe tapped social media to reach her district's students and families, regularly updating them on everything from meal bus routes to instructional changes. Sipe and her assistant also recorded regular Facebook live streams in her living room, staying six feet apart in front of her fireplace as they discussed changes and answered questions in both English and Spanish.

"We’re seeing parents interacting in new ways with those opportunities. Though this has been stressful, we have really seen some improvement [in communication]," Sipe said.

Read the full article about schools navigating natural disasters by Naaz Modan at Education Dive.