Treat #3: Mine for Meaning

Today’s treat in our School Admission: Treat or Treat series encourages prospective families to mine for meaning. November is the month to start combing through school websites, parent forums on Niche.com, NextDoor.com, GreatSchools.org, and others to understand the why behind the why.

What to Look For:

• On school websites, take time to read the “About Us” tab. Read the introduction letter from the current head of school. What does he/she highlight? How do these items connect back to your value system you’ve identified yesterday?

• Read the Mission Statement. Every school has one. With that lens in place, now pursue the school website, looking for direct links of academic, extracurricular, and student life activities that should relate back to the mission statement.

• Find the Strategic Plan. Is it visible on the website? This resource provides forecasting into a 5, 10 or 15-year plan and direction of the school. How will their objectives impact pedagogy, teacher facilitation, student interaction, overall learning, and administrative leadership? How will the strategic plan sculpt innovation, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity across all grades?

• Dig to uncover Core Values. You’ve identified yours yesterday in Treat #3. Now it’s time to bring back to Venn Diagram to see overlaps between your family’s values and a prospective school’s. Where is the common ground? Where do your non-negotiables end up?

• What is the school’s emphasis? Sure, every school is striving to be “whole-child focused” and implement a “holistic” education, but each school leans towards an individualized emphasis. Is it athletics? College planning? Fine arts? Incredibly innovative science labs? Global exchange programs? Leadership development? Hone in on each school’s emphasis and then look for overlaps within your values.

Join us tomorrow as we share Treat #4: Compiling a Short List!