Networking...Worth the Time

When I accepted the position at my current school, my best friend challenged me to be involved in my new community. Though I immediately began to worry about the time investment of such a challenge, I knew it was sound advice. I decided to accept the challenge, and I am so glad that I did.  

School administrators have a myriad of tasks every day. The last thing they want to do is add one more thing to their “to do” list. However, this task cannot be ignored as multiple studies have shown that community partnerships impact the developmental accomplishments of children by providing tangible resources and protective factors to the school environment (Bryan et al., 2020). Networking with community partners gives the school not only a physical presence with external stakeholders but increases awareness and builds trust. “Networking is an investment in your business [school]. It takes time, and when done correctly, it can yield great results for years to come” (Diane Helbig).  

I needed a strategy to simplify the time commitment of networking, so I reflected on past experiences where I had been involved in my community. I quickly identified three simple steps which I had previously followed and found great success. I had to ICE the situation. I is for identify, C is for connect, and E is for engage.  

First, identify where there is an opportunity for you to get involved. Seek out others who are actively involved in the community, where many activities occur so that you can pick and choose those that will best fit your busy, school schedule. At my current school, this means that I am an active member of the local chamber of commerce, attending their weekly breakfast plus other community events as possible. In the past, I have been an active volunteer at a shelter in one town and an involved member of the Rotary club in another town. Before you invest any time in networking, take the time to identify which group offers the connections that you need for your school.  

Once you have identified the best group, your next step is to connect with them. This looks different in every situation, but it most often involves taking a little time to get to know them, both as individuals and as professionals. As I meet more people, I ask a lot of questions. I learn as much as I can about who they are, what they do, and why they care so much about the community. When I first joined the chamber, my observation skills were in overdrive as I took in as much information as possible at every meeting. I had to learn who was impactful in our community and what activities really would offer opportunities for me to get our school involved.  

After making those initial connections, the most important step is to engage with those connections. It is not enough to just simply know who and what matters in your community. You must be involved regularly. I take other team members from my school to some events, make contributions, attend ribbon cutting ceremonies and open houses, and have meaningful conversations at these events.  

My engagement continues to grow as more time passes, but the time investment is well worth it. I can refer our school staff to people who can be trusted to meet their personal needs – plumbers, A/C repairs, family lawyers, homeowners’ insurance, automobile repairs, etc. My staff appreciates the referrals as they save time from having to research themselves to find reliable sources. Then, as our large staff of nearly 100 people begin to utilize these businesses for their own needs, those businesses reciprocate and support our school. Anytime I have a need at school, I share it with my community partners. They always step up and help with donations of their time and resources. As a result of my connections, I have recruited three new teachers, countless families who have enrolled students at our school, and several tens of thousands of dollars in school supplies, teacher gifts, and student rewards.  

Yes, it takes time on my part to “ICE” with my community. Some people might say that a school administrator does not have that kind of time to give up. On the other hand, I believe that I cannot afford not to do it. The rewards reaped are well worth the time. I encourage you, in this new school year, to make the time to “ICE” with your community and see the difference it will make.  

Reference: 

Bryan, J., Williams, J.M., Griffin, D. (2020). Fostering educational resilience and opportunities in urban schools through equity-focused school-family-community partnerships. Professional School Counseling, 23(1), 1–14. https://doi/org/10.1177/2156759X19899179