David Weiss, the superintendent in Long Beach, N.Y., wrestled with a slew of considerations last week as he weighed when to restart school, nine days after Hurricane Sandy wrecked his community. Just one of seven buildings had most of the essentials: electricity, heat, working fire alarms, sewage, and food. And, with many students and staff members lacking transportation--and most of the bus fleet out of action--would anyone be able to get there? District administrators and school leaders in the tri-state region of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut faced the same decisions about restarting school last week. Reopening schools in the wake of a natural disaster is one of the most difficult challenges administrators encounter as they find themselves thrust into the role of crisis manager. "This is the worst thing that's ever happened in our community, and it feels overwhelming in certain moments," Mr. Weiss said. "But you've got to prioritize and work, piece by piece, to bring the system back online." (Contains 3 resources.)