A tornado decimated Goodman Elementary School in 2017, mangling the roof and strewing cinder blocks, insulation, furniture and other debris.

The destruction of the Goodman, Mo., school forced the temporary relocation of students and school employees, and a subsequent regrouping to continue instruction that inspired the design of a new campus. In August, the Neosho School District opened the new, $12 million Goodman Elementary campus featuring spacious classrooms, open collaboration spaces, a makerspace and mobile devices, interactive displays and flexible furniture throughout.

It’s a stark contrast to the previous building’s traditional classrooms, tables and chairs.

“The tornado had a silver lining, as it gave us a fresh start,” says Samantha Hamilton, principal of Goodman Elementary. “Our new school is focused on student-centered learning. It’s warm and inviting, and there’s a lot of collaboration space. Before the tornado, we were looking into 21st-century learning and flexible-seating options, but the walls were in the way.”

The destruction of Goodman Elementary is one of many examples of schools forced to rally after a natural disaster to ensure teaching and learning continue. The recovery efforts in Neosho and other districts also underscore how technology can support efforts for academic continuity and how classroom design fosters collaborative, engaged learning.

IT departments play a key role in helping school districts recover and rebuild after natural disasters or other catastrophes damage school buildings. They must ensure business continuity, sift through the damage to salvage whatever technology they can, and equip temporary school sites with network connectivity, computers and other technology that teachers and students need, IT leaders say.

IT leaders must also work with school leaders and architects to design new buildings and ensure proper placement of network cabling and electrical outlets for IT needs.IDC analyst Phil Goodwin estimates that only half of organizations have a workplace recovery strategy, such as providing new workspaces, computers, and network and phone services after a disaster. It’s even more complicated for K–12 schools, he says, because students also need books and other learning materials.