Mind the Division Gap
The first time I went to London, I was a young woman traveling with my sister. On our first day, we navigated Paddington Underground Station, bought our tickets, and waited for the train to take us to our first sightseeing expedition. A woman's voice with a lovely British accent told us that the train was approaching and to "mind the gap" when boarding the train.
We looked at each other, and being young, jet-lagged, and maybe not as culturally sensitive as we are now, we thought it was hilarious. In hindsight, the announcement made perfect sense. There is potentially treacherous space between the platform and the train at any train station I have ever been to. And yet, I don't recall a warning elsewhere or not one nearly as delightful.
At your school, how do you guide parents to mind the metaphorical gap between the divisions? I introduced The Six Components of Parent Retention a few years ago, a framework derived from my extensive research with parents at client schools. This framework was designed to empower school leaders by illuminating and addressing parent expectations. It underscores the need for everyone at the school to prioritize parents' needs with the same level of intention as student needs. Ignore expectations and families may seek a school that is better aligned.
In revisiting the Six Components, I want to expand on one of them. While Clear Internal Marketing is still deeply relevant, and schools should continue to help parents see the value of the entire program, the sticking point is painful division changes. If you are seeing increased attrition in the year after a division change or leading up to it or a reduced number of applicants to a particular division, ask yourself these three questions:
One: Is the overarching educational philosophy consistent throughout your school? Of course, teaching 2nd graders is different from teaching 11th graders, but if the philosophy is so radically different that a family cannot recognize the school they knew in Lower School in the Middle or Upper School, that is a problem.
Two: Are the expectations for student responsibilities and self-advocacy realistic in the next division? For example, a school has a traditional form of teacher assessment for students in Lower School and in the Middle School, students are expected to present a portfolio-style review of their work as the primary form of assessment. How does the school prepare both students and parents for this change?
Three: Are faculty in one division disgruntled and venting to students, parents, and among themselves? This is not just a problem in that division but also for the one below it. Leaders and veteran faculty can become set in their ways, romanticize the past, and refuse to consider ways to align with a successful new leader in another division, a new head of school, or a new strategic vision. Essentially, the team loses its focus. Listen to this podcast by Patrick Lencioni titled “The Motivation Vacuum” for more perspective. When parents hear faculty or staff complaining, parents start to lose faith in the program.
Consider this: Two years before students transition to your next division, envision a blinking neon sign in your office flashing, "Mind the Division Gap." It’s a reminder of the importance of clear communication and thorough preparation for division changes. What steps do you need to take to ensure students and parents are well-prepared for success in the next division? If you are seeing unexpected or prolonged attrition at a division change, let's talk about how we can investigate it together. You can’t mind the gap if you don’t understand where the gap is.
The author, Jill Goodman, is a consultant working with independent school leaders to advance their school’s mission, enhance their processes, and bolster their skills. Learn more about all services here.
Photo credit: Katja Anokhina for Unsplash
