The Most Common Denominator of Thriving Schools
The area school study wrap-up meeting I had this week went just as I predicted. After six years of conducting area school studies with school teams, very little surprises me…not because I know it all, but because the patterns have been remarkably consistent over the years.
One of those patterns? A strikingly common denominator among thriving, healthy schools.
When I sit down to do an area school study with a ministry team, we brainstorm a list of schools to study. We come up with a list that includes
schools we’re receiving students from,
schools we’re losing students to, and
a variety of public, charter, and private schools in the area.
Then we study them. We take a close look at each one’s enrollment, programs, services, facilities, tuition, financial aid, mission and vision, marketing, academics, differentiators, extracurriculars, and more.
And then we come together to share and discuss what we’ve discovered. One of the questions I pose is this: which schools would you categorize as thriving schools?
Around the table we go. This is the easiest question of the night. It’s just not difficult to point out thriving schools. They are easy to spot.
The next question I ask is a little more challenging and a real chance for reflection: what do these thriving schools have in common?
There are some common responses: consistent support, stable finances, growing enrollment, strong leadership. All true.
But the A-HA moment of this meeting is discovering something deeper, something at the root of WHY these schools are thriving.
You see, at Blueprint Schools we’ve come to realize that things like consistent support, stable finances, growing enrollment, and aligned teams are often symptoms of thriving schools, not necessarily what makes these schools thrive.
So we dig a little deeper:
WHY do families want to enroll there?
WHY do people want to support them?
WHY do talented teachers and leaders want to work there?
WHY are church members excited about where their congregation’s school is headed?
And during nearly every meeting, someone eventually points it out. What is the most common of common denominators of thriving schools? What’s at the root?
It’s clarity.
The thriving schools that we study across the country have clarity of vision and clarity of identity. They know who they are and where they are going. They are incredibly easy to spot.
That clarity is shared. It’s not just the board or administration that understands it. Teachers and staff understand it. Students and families understand it. Alumni and supporters understand it. Often, even the broader community outside the ministry understands it, too.
Clarity of vision and identity ATTRACTS.
It’s something I talk about regularly with schools and their teams. Want to boost enrollment? Build a clear identity in response to your community’s needs. Want to build support? Build a clear vision. Want to attract the right board members and faculty and staff? Articulate who you are, where you’re going, and how they can be a part of it.
We’re all starving for clarity in our lives. When a ministry knows who it is and where it’s going, people want to be a part of it.
I often work with people who are deliberating opportunities to serve at other ministries or schools. Their responses tend to fall into one or the other category below:
“I’m not really sure what their plan is or what they are trying to do. I’m not sure how I would fit into the picture…or if I’d be expected to figure that all out on my own.”
“It’s really exciting to hear what they are doing. They have a clear sense of who they are and where they are going. I understand how I’d fit into the process very well.”
What a difference. And what a difference-maker.
Clarity of vision and identity affects everything at the heart of the ministry. Its ripple effects are aligned teams, enthusiastic supporters, and interested families. Excitement, unity, buy-in. Forward motion.
These things–blessed by God–can lead to strong support, healthy enrollment, stable finances, and sustainable growth. The hallmarks of a thriving school.
The area school study wrap-up meeting is one of my favorite parts of our Blueprint Schools process because it’s often the spark for understanding that our schools need more than just more people, programs, or pennies. Yes, those things matter a great deal. But instead of chasing them, we need to build the answers to the following questions:
Who are we?
Where are we going?
And do the people around us know it, too?
Answer these questions first. Then you have what you need to build the rest together.
Let’s Start Answering Some of These Questions Together
Did this article resonate with you? Schedule a free consultation with Blueprint Schools. Share your experience and your questions. Borrow our strategic brain and third party perspective for an hour or so. Together we can find the best, next step for your team (whether that includes Blueprint support or not!). We love helping schools create a clear, compelling Blueprint for your school’s future.
