After three years, things are starting to look up. Districts are putting the pandemic behind them, hoping to achieve a future that resembles pre-pandemic life. In the interest of moving on, administrators are quickly dropping pandemic policies—a little too quickly.

The future ahead is bright, but we’re not out of the woods just yet. Pandemic policies still have a place in our schools. All they need are some slight adjustments to reflect this new post-pandemic era.

Transitioning into the post-pandemic era

As districts move on from the pandemic, many are tempted to let pandemic-related policies fall by the wayside. They believe that since the pandemic is over, there’s no need for pandemic-related policies. Yes, the worst is over, but policies are just as critical during these post-pandemic times as they were during the pandemic itself.

District administrators must keep stakeholders informed about how pandemic policies are going to look moving forward. Post-pandemic is simply the next phase of the pandemic, so rather than doing away with pandemic policies altogether, administrators have to adapt them to the district’s ever-changing circumstances.

Focus on the future, not the past

It’s easy to understand why district administrators are quick to drop pandemic policies. We’re all eager to move on from the pandemic. We so desperately want things to go back to the way they were. However, we can’t go back to the past. We can only assess where we are right now and move forward with a thoughtful, comprehensive game plan.

Rather than abandoning pandemic policies, district administrators need to make them evolve with the times. Where we are now is not where we were before the pandemic. Things are different now—new health measures, new precautions, new standards for public safety and so on. Current pandemic policies must change to reflect this new post-pandemic era.

Assess what’s working and what’s not

Revisit the pandemic policies that are still in place at your district. Should teachers continue to offer remote learning? Should quarantine requirements stay the same? Should your schools still mandate masks and physical distancing? The answers entirely depend on your district’s unique situation. We’re gradually transitioning away from the pandemic, and policies need to make that gradual transition as well.

We all want to put the pandemic behind us—and we will. But we have to do it the right way. That means changing policies to fit our current needs. With a little patience (and the appropriate post-pandemic policies), we can use our memories of the past as motivation to create an even better future.