Weaving Belonging in a Time of Crisis: Resilient Schools During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Student Excellence in Uncertain Times: Building Ethical Administrative Capacity amid Crisis in K–12 Schools

Abstract

This study examines the strategies and organizational culture of eight resilient Chilean schools that successfully adapted to the challenges of school closures, remote learning, and subsequent reopenings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a longitudinal analysis of secondary data, these schools were identified as maintaining or improving students’ achievement and attendance. Drawing on interviews with 78 participants, eight focus groups, and institutional documents, our analysis reveals that these schools prioritized fostering a sense of belonging through several key practices: establishing a proactive institutional culture, distributed leadership, employing data-driven decision-making, emphasizing attendance and engagement, promoting interprofessional collaboration, and implementing individualized support systems. These practices created a robust ‘ecosystem of belonging’, addressing students’ academic and socioemotional needs in a coordinated and personalized manner.

Authors

• Maria Eugenia Rojas Concha, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso

• Carmen Montecinos, Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso

• Juan Pablo Valenzuela, Universidad de Chile

• Francisco Meneses, Universidad de Chile