THIS + THIS = School Sustainability
“School sustainability” is one of those terms that’s thrown around in conversations regularly, but rarely (if never) defined. Every school hopes to achieve “sustainability,” yet what is “school sustainability?” What makes a school “sustainable” or “unsustainable?” And if a school isn’t “sustainable” - is there a way to turn the ship around?
Step One: Understand Your Own School’s Current State
Most schools fall into one of two categories when it comes to their pursuit of sustainability: stability-oriented or growth-oriented. This is based on its unique culture, history, and team.
As you read the outlines of both below, think about how you’d define your own school. Is it more stability-oriented or more growth-oriented?
STABILITY-ORIENTED MINISTRIES
The markers of healthy stability in a school ministry include:
A clear, stated mission, values, and vision
A financial model that meets budgetary needs
A strategic plan that lives with the ministry (rather than any one person or leader)
Healthy individuals (spiritual, emotional, and physical wellness) and teams (unity, trust, support)
But if a ministry prizes stability too much, the following unhealthy traits can appear:
Fear of and resistance to change
Paralysis by analysis
In-reach but little-to-no outreach
Stagnant enrollment or enrollment decline
No forward motion in program development, goals, or initiatives
Burned-out or frustrated individuals (due to lack of movement, inability to try something new, and/or feeling of hopelessness)
Financial difficulties due to enrollment decline and/or lack of support
GROWTH-ORIENTED MINISTRIES
The markers of healthy growth in a school ministry include:
Growth endeavors in line with mission, ministry, and values
Deep knowledge of community needs
Continual program development to meet community needs
Consistent marketing and an ongoing harvest strategy
A culture that seeks growth not only numerically, but in excellence, support, culture, and unity
But if a ministry places too much emphasis on growth (or grows too fast), the following unhealthy traits can appear:
Poor or shallow integration of new processes and programs
Decline in program excellence and/or family satisfaction
Outreach with little-to-no in-reach
Poor retention of not only families but also of faculty, staff, and administration
Breakdown in communication - and resulting frustrations/confusion
Faculty and staff burnout - overwhelm due to overflowing classrooms or expanded duties, lack of support, and/or disconnection (ie: feeling like just a “cog in the machine” rather than having a clear purpose/place on the school team)
Loss of culture, unity, and identity - the feeling of “I don’t even know who we are anymore.”
Step Two: Understand a Simple Formula (or an Iconic Picture)
While each kind of ministry above has positives and negatives, which one leads to true sustainability? The answer is BOTH.
Sustainable schools are schools that have moved from merely surviving from year-to-year to thriving year-after-year because they are both stable AND growing.
This simple, yet powerful formula provides a big-picture breakdown of what it takes to achieve and preserve sustainability:
STABILITY + GROWTH = SUSTAINABILITY
If you’re not into formulas, a picture that might help. Think of all the historic brick school buildings across the country, ones that are often covered by ever-growing ivy vines. These building are all great illustrations: sustainable schools are schools that are both stable (bricks) and growing (ivy vines)!
So why did the article begin with the request to define your own school as stability-oriented or growth-oriented? When you understand where you are as a school (stability-oriented or growth-oriented) you can begin to work on balancing out your current state with the other state. Stable schools can push themselves to grow, while growing schools can push themselves to pursue the counterbalance of stability. BOTH are needed to achieve and then preserve “school sustainability.”
Your school’s mission does not need to be held back by a lack of sustainability! Blueprint Schools is here to help your school thrive by providing both stability and growth, depending on your unique situation. Schedule a consultation or learn more about the Blueprint Partnership.
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