Declining enrollment, lower funding, and higher wages can lead toward an uncomfortable fiscal reality – closing a school. It is perhaps the most painful and emotional step to take and generates the most passionate opposition. Even if support is elusive, there are ways to engage your community to generate understanding of the realities and pressures guiding the decision.
We will discuss how to navigate the typically turbulent waters of school closure while maintaining trust with your larger community. We’ll also explore how to use timelines and history recaps to honor the legacy and history of a school and its people, and how to help staff, students, and families navigate the dynamics of change.
Declining enrollment, lower funding, and higher wages can lead toward an uncomfortable fiscal reality – closing a school. It is perhaps the most painful and emotional step to take and generates the most passionate opposition. Even if support is elusive, there are ways to engage your community to generate understanding of the realities and pressures guiding the decision.
We will discuss how to navigate the typically turbulent waters of school closure while maintaining trust with your larger community. We’ll also explore how to use timelines and history recaps to honor the legacy and history of a school and its people, and how to help staff, students, and families navigate the dynamics of change.
Topics we’ll cover include:
Engaging the community early
Enduring the protests
Tools to navigate a closure
Managing the variables
The role of formal and informal / social media
