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Curated resources to help the business office answer top questions related to COVID-19 concerns.  

This article was last updated on September 10, 2020. New items are indicated in red.

The information contained in the resources below is accurate as of press time. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. Additionally, this information is provided for general educational purposes only. It should not be relied upon as, or in place of, legal or other professional advice. Readers are encouraged to stay informed through news and recommendations for their own communities and also work with their schools’ trusted counsel and partners when addressing specific issues.

To put it mildly, the pandemic is complicating most schools’ planning for the 2020-2021 school year. School leaders are attempting to reopen campuses while providing for social distancing and contagious disease protocols, alongside preparing for other very real challenges, including the possibility of intermittently returning to distance learning, financial uncertainties and unexpected expenses, new regulations and communicating with a community deeply concerned about the health of their loved ones. 

NBOA members have asked for resources to help tackle these challenges. Since this crisis began, we have endeavored to provide support to our diverse membership that will help you make the decisions appropriate for your school. Below we’ve listed some of the common questions and identified some key resources to help develop your schools’ answers.

What does “the new normal” look like?

• NEW Article: COVID-19: Independent School Considerations for the Fall
• NEW Webinar Recording: COVID-19: Your Fall 2020 Questions Answered
• Article: The Business Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: NBOA Flash Survey Findings
  
• Webinar Recording: The Next Normal: Enrollment Trends and Strategies in Uncertain Times
• Article: Navigating the Semi-Normal
• Article: Impossible Is Off the Table: Lessons Learned During COVID-19
• Webinar Recording: Combining Forces: How Private Schools Can Leverage M&A to Survive and Thrive 
• Webinar Recording: The Financial Impact of COVID-19: Survey Results, Scenario Planning and Financial Modeling  

What steps should our school take to keep our campus safe?

• NEW Field Guide: Operating Guidance for Independent School Pandemic Management
• Webinar: COVID-19: Your Fall 2020 Questions Answered
• Article: Considerations for Reopening Independent School Campuses
• Tool: Checklist for Reopening Independent School Campuses
• Webinar Recording: Seizing the Opportunity to Thrive During COVID-19
• Tool: Rosner Campus Space Planning Tool
• Discount Purchasing: PPE Procurement
• Template: Contagious Disease Waiver for Students
• Federal Guidance: CDC Pandemic Protocols

How do I perform projections and stabilize our finances in such an unstable environment?

• Tool: The Long-Range Financial Model for Independent Schools 
• Tool: Composite Financial Index℠
• White Papers: Financial State of the Industry & Key Financial Indicators of Vitality for Independent Schools
• Tool: NBOA Financial Dashboard
• Webinar Recording: Stewarding Endowments through the COVID-19 Crisis
• Webinar Recording: The Financial Impact of COVID-19: Survey Results, Scenario Planning and Financial Modeling  

How do I justify taking a PPP loan, and how do ensure forgiveness?

• NEW Webinar Recording: PPP Loan Forgiveness and Accounting Questions Answered
• Article: The Reputational Minefield of COVID Relief — Round 2
• Federal Guidance: SBA & Department of Treasury FAQs for the PPP Program
• Webinar Recording: The SBA's PPP: How Independent Schools Can Support Their Good Faith Certification and Prepare for a Possible Audit

How do I support my school community during this stressful time?

• Webinar Recording: Change Management: When Culture, Finance and Uncertainty Collide
• Article: Wellness Reimagined: Two Schools’ Approach During COVID-19
• Webinar Recording: Employee Considerations: Questions About Returning to Campus
• Tool: Employee Leave Options 
• Federal Guidance: FFCRA: Questions and Answers

It looks like remote teaching and administrative work may end up being longer term than we thought. What should we be doing to adjust to this new situation?

• Webinar Recording: Performance Management in the Age of COVID-19
• Article: Successfully Managing Remote Employees
• Webinar Recording: Boundaries in a Remote Learning Environment
• Discussion: Recording Zoom Classes
• Article: Remote Hiring Considerations
• Discussion: Remote Onboarding
• Discussion: Employee Agreements