Assurance: What School Communities Need Most During a Time of Transition

Assurance: What School Communities Need Most During a Time of Transition

Some communities navigate head transitions with a sense of calm, steady optimism while others are more aligned with the qualities of a “Nervous Nellie.” To ensure your school is in the former category, there are a few important steps Boards should take.

What all communities want is assurance that things are under control and that you care about their concerns. Assurance is joined at the hip with good communication—both in writing and in person. How you launch the search is an important tone setter. The first communication is about the departure of the current head and the notice that a new search is coming. This should be followed quickly by the announcement of a Search Committee with Trustees who are well-respected and represent a variety of perspectives and experiences. Providing brief bios of members, both in a letter and on your website, helps others see the breadth of the group. School employees, especially members of the faculty and administration, are usually the most unsettled about transitions: a brief in-person meeting reminds them of the importance of their input in the process.

Once a search is launched, your search consultants can help you craft a communications timeline. You do not want the search to be invisible, nor do you want it to take center stage. Regular updates, incorporated into the school’s normal pattern of communications, keeps the process visible. Let your community know how the search is progressing and that committee members are working hard on their behalf. Have exciting information to share at every stage.

Be mindful of not falling into the trap of over communicating. It may seem counterintuitive but too much time in the spotlight can be as unsettling to a community as no visibility at all. Parents and teachers care most about what happens to their children and students each and every day. You honor the importance of that focus—and keep the school community well-grounded, calm, and hopeful—by keeping the search in perspective. 

By following these simple but important steps, your school can navigate a head transition with clarity, calm, and community trust.