Navigating the complexity of school closures, remote learning, and reopening structures is challenging work. Amid the cloud of uncertainty brought to schools by the spread of COVID-19, the ability to look further out, practice flexibility, rehearse critical decisions, and build capacity within school leadership is critical. As part of our ongoing work designing solutions for schools amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the K12 Lab is hosting a course in collaboration with the National Association for Independent Schools. This course is available for teachers, school leaders and other members of the school community via a google form registration.

Scenario Planning

Thursday July 9, July 16, July 23 8-11AM PST

Session One offers an overview of scenario planning and its applicability to school planning. In this session participants will learn about and apply the strategies scenario planning included: of long-term thinking, outside-in perspective taking and diverse and equitable perspectives. Participants will examine how different scenarios for the fall may impact the needs of their students, teachers and parents.

In Session Two participants will brainstorm considerations for their context including what will be important for: teaching and learning, safety, wellbeing and culture, parents and communication. School teams will form prototyping groups and begin designing possible prototypes to test with their broader community.

Session Three guides participants to reflect on the prototypes they developed and tested. They will work in scenario groups to develop a google presentation for other scenario groups to highlight the prototype they have develop and use a consultancy protocol to get feedback on a challenge and wondering they still facing as a result of their design work

You will learn Stanford d.school tools to:

  • Imagine multiple futures amid uncertainty

  • Craft prototypes to address a variety of needs

  • Foster collaborative mindsets with colleagues

As an outcome you will have

  • Proven techniques for running a scenario planning sprint with your colleagues 

  • Digital tools to facilitate and capture your outcome

  • Actionable prototypes for implementing a fall school reopening

What’s the pricing for this opportunity?

We think this experience works best if you attend with a diverse team consisting of more than 3 participants. As such, we’ve priced the opportunity to encourage schools to bring a large, diverse team. The base cost for 3 participants is $1500 and each additional member is priced at $400.

Do you offer financial aid?

Equity is at the core of the K12 Lab mission, and we know that cost can be a barrier to opportunities for schools and educators. If you or members of your organization would like to participate but require a cost subsidy or scholarship, please write us. Send an email to k12@dschool.stanford.edu with the subject title “Scenario Planning Scholarship.”

Who from my school should take part in this opportunity?

We think this experience works best if you attend with a diverse team consisting of more than 3 participants. As such, we’ve priced the opportunity to encourage schools to bring a large, diverse team. Ideal teams include administrators, teachers, students, parents and other members of your school community.

What’s the origin of this opportunity?

Inspired and supported by the work of our in-house futurist and designer in residence, Lisa Kay Solomon, the K12 Lab, has been collaborating with Graded, the International School of Sao Paulo to develop tools to facilitate scenario thinking in preparation for Fall 2020. When we began our work with Graded, we knew it was impossible to predict the exact structure and the condition of the upcoming school year. Through working with Lisa, however we developed tools to collaboratively equip our schools to imagine and plan for multiple possible futures now–better preparing ourselves for a future that has yet to unfold.

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