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The coronavirus pandemic has created challenges for organizations in every field, but those focusing on education are particularly tested.
The Cooperative Association for Special Education has worked to maintain its workplace culture focused on communication while continuing to serve schools and students.
The Glen Ellyn-based organization provides services for students with physical, emotional, developmental and other disabilities and coaching and training to school staff. Its 198 employees include nurses; physical, occupational and speech language therapists; vision, hearing, special education and adapted physical education teachers; psychologists; social workers; and behavior/academic coaches, among others. They serve students ages 3 to 22 in school districts in DuPage and Cook counties.
When schools were closed to in-person learning in March, CASE staff worked remotely via Zoom and other platforms. When the new school year began in the fall, staff either returned to work in person, worked remotely from home or in school buildings, or did both in school districts offering a combination of in-person and remote instruction.
Executive Director Mary Furbush had one-on-one discussions with staff concerning special accommodations they might need and issues related to coming back to work. Only two people opted not to return due to COVID-19 concerns and other issues, she said.
During the difficult times, communication has been critical, Furbush said. Lessening staff members' unease enables them to perform at their best levels for their students, she said.
“Accessibility of leaders is important,” she said. “People are worried. Information is changing every day, so it’s important that I answer the phone, that my administrators answer the phone. Anyone that works in my office knows that their first job is always to take care of the staff. Accessibility in communication is No. 1.”
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The Cooperative Association for Special Education is ranked No. 1 among small employers in the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.
In the summer, Furbush scheduled open Zoom office hours. “Anybody that worked here could pop in during the meeting and ask anything they wanted,” she said. “I think those things decrease anxiety and decrease stress.”
Then at the start of the school year, CASE staged a drive-thru kickoff.
“They set up a tent and had welcome back bags for us with coupons for CASE apparel, with candy,” said Caron Jones, an occupational therapist who has worked for CASE for 14 years. “They provided face shields for people who needed it. They had music playing. CASE still tries to keep that positive culture and morale. … They consistently value people and relationships.”
The efforts are part of the positive workplace environment CASE seeks to maintain for employees passionate about the mission of their work.
“We have high expectations of our staff, and we have a high level of trust," Furbush said. "They have a high level of expertise, and we support that.”
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During the pandemic, the company has kept staffers current on COVID-19, with information that’s regularly updated with guidance from government agencies and school districts.
“That running document was brilliant,” said Tracy Mack, who has worked for CASE for 25 years. “Any time there was an update we got an email.”
Mack teaches deaf and hearing-impaired students and counsels school staff. She also conducts student evaluations at schools.
“We’ve got tons of PPE (personal protective equipment),” she said. “We have masks, face shields and plastic glass dividers, extra equipment for students, so a student doesn’t have to share. They’ve done a good job of making us feel safe and giving us the tools we need to be safe.”
That’s important to Mack, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.
“They’ve made me feel comfortable about working in this pandemic,” she said. “I feel safe. I feel like I’m keeping my family safe, the students safe.”
Jones found the association’s commitment to its employees was obvious as she tried to balance work and family. She and her husband have second, fourth and sixth grade boys.
"My husband works full-time in the schools too. We had five people in our house trying to do school all from the home. Even during that time, they (staff leaders) were supportive. ... They recognized everybody was trying to do the best that they can in the environment we were in.”
She appreciates “the flexibility, that leeway, that trust,” she said.
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Other initiatives are underway.
In the wake of the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and the civil protests that followed, Furbush received requests from staff that CASE address racial justice issues. In a letter to staff, she committed to “develop staff trainings on working with students of trauma that has been caused by racism and look for opportunities to share with our districts.”
She also committed to update CASE’s website with resources on equity and race and to form a team where staff can share ideas and learning experiences on issues of equity.
Working Lunch
Professional development and collaboration remain vital components of CASE’s culture. Growth is encouraged through learning teams that bring together staffers with the same jobs and credentials to learn from each other, Furbush said. Staff members have continued to meet and collaborate via emails and video conferencing online. Collaboration is what Mack likes the most about working at CASE.
“It’s the people I work with, the support, that’s really the key, the brainstorming, problem solving,” she said. “We have group emails and can reach out to the whole group. It’s a great sharing culture.”
Francine Knowles is a freelance writer.
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