The COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront disparities and inequities in U.S. K-12 public school systems that affected both educators and the students they served--not only during school closures but also after in-person instruction resumed. The purpose of this scholarly essay is to shed light on the levels of isolation that occurred during the pandemic and still affect educators in K-12 public schools as they seek to foster academically rigorous and inclusive school communities. Recognizing, and then quickly responding to, historic events by implementing strategies that take into account the social determinants of learning and health is the starting point to helping the education stakeholders heal, which will then facilitate students to regain their personal and academic confidence and abilities as we move to a post-pandemic world.