Alaska Smart Start 2020 – Family Support

As we move into the 2020-2021 school year DEED wants to ensure that parents, families, and caregivers are provided with the support and resources to tackle this unusual back-to-school period. Below you’ll find a collection of resources to help you navigate education and stay healthy during a pandemic. 

Caregiver COVID Schooling ECHO Sessions

New ECHO series alert! The Caregiver COVID Schooling ECHO is designed to help parents and caregivers manage their children's education during COVID. The sessions will not focus on a particular delivery method or school district, but rather will provide strategies that can be helpful for parents and caregivers who are managing online, homeschool, and hybrid school models.

DEED Teaching and Learning Support

DEED’s Teaching and Learning Support website, aklearns.org, has tons of resources for families and students! Check out the collection of home learning resources.

Alaska Smart Start 2020 District Plans

Are you curious what your school district or other districts around the state are doing to protect against COVID-19? Check DEED’s District Restart Plan tracker.

DHSS COVID Back-to-School Webpage

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) launched a new COVID-19 page for back-to-school considerations. Designed for parents and caregivers, the page hosts information, resources, and FAQs relating to the health considerations of returning to school.  

CDC Back to School Planning: Checklists to Guide Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers

For many families, back to school planning will look different this year than it has in previous years. Your school will have new policies in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You may also be starting the school year with virtual learning components. Whatever the situation, these checklists are intended to help parents, guardians, and caregivers, plan and prepare for the upcoming school year.

REL COVID-19 Evidence-Based Resources for Parents and Families

In response to COVID-19, the Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and guidance about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic. Scroll down and click the “Parents and Families” tab for a series of informational videos.

Caregiver Chats

Ready to Read Alaska is posting Caregiver Chats on YouTube. Each session provides 15 minutes of training for parents on topics such as Supporting Writing, Reading for Young Children, and Screen Time for Young Children.

DHSS Child and Family Wellbeing Webpage

In times of crisis like the current COVID-19 pandemic, financial problems, stress, and the new demands of having children at home due to school and childcare closures can overwhelm families. DHSS put together a page with information and resources to promote child, youth, and family wellbeing.

DHSS Insights Blog

DHSS Insights provides timely, interesting, health and social services information plus behind-the-scenes news about Alaska’s COVID-19 response and other efforts to protect the health and well-being of Alaskans. Many of the topics are relevant to families, including learning pods and cohorts, sports and recess during COVID, and how to make a plan of support for your family.

Do you have any questions or concerns? Email AKsmartstart2020@alaska.gov. Team members from DEED and DHSS are here to help!