Every school faces the challenge of fostering authentic connection and belonging—whether navigating major transitions, welcoming new student populations, or simply strengthening existing bonds. At Powderhorn Elementary in Colorado, where I serve as principal, this imperative became especially crucial during the 2023-24 academic year as we became the "welcoming school" for a neighboring elementary school that closed. Our experience, while specific to school consolidation, revealed universal strategies for building community that resonate far beyond our context.
The closure itself reflects a broader trend: Across the country, rural, suburban, and urban districts are consolidating schools to address declining enrollment and shifting demographics. It's an emotionally complex process—students, families, and staff maintain deep ties to their schools, and transitions affect both communities profoundly. Despite having a year to prepare, we faced significant challenges. Yet, through intentional planning, we discovered ways to foster belonging that can apply to any school seeking to deepen connections.
Our framework—built on outreach, engagement, and gathering—offers practical strategies for school leaders facing various community-building challenges, from post-pandemic reconnection to demographic shifts to grade-level transitions. The success of our approach stemmed from intention at every stage: purpose-driven planning, active listening, and measured steps that built trust over time.
Initial Outreach: Listening to Learn
Major transitions in school communities generate intense emotions that require time and space to process. Simple actions, thoughtfully executed, can create the foundation for trust. In our case, even choosing the term “welcoming” over “receiving” was intentional, signaling our commitment to genuine inclusion toward the students who would be joining our community.
Major transitions in school communities generate intense emotions that require time and space to process.
We started with listening, taking an open, curious stance to understand everyone’s emotions. Specifically, in the first three months after the closure announcement, I participated in forums and town halls to hear from both communities. Being honest about not having all the answers while carefully noting concerns helped build my credibility as principal. The intention was to be present, listen, learn, and start to engender trust by choosing to engage in difficult conversations. This approach—pausing to listen before rushing to solutions—proves valuable whether you're managing a school merger or simply working to strengthen school-community bonds.
By January 2023, we were ready to move forward with action. I convened three distinct planning committees focused on fostering connection for (1) students, (2) families, and (3) staff. Each committee included representation from both school communities and grounded their work in building authentic relationships. The relationships I had developed through fall community meetings proved invaluable in recruiting diverse family participation in each of the committees. We then established consistent communication channels, including a comprehensive listserv, to keep families informed and involved in key decisions about the upcoming academic year. This regular cadence of communication created multiple touchpoints for relationship-building, a practice that can strengthen any school community.
Intensifying Engagement: Relationship-Building
In early spring before the transition, we expanded our outreach to focus on direct relationship-building. A student committee proposed what became one of our most successful initiatives: a Pen Pal program between the schools. The student committee created a lesson plan that teachers in both buildings used to scaffold the activity, allowing students to introduce and share about themselves authentically. We carefully matched "pals" to enable personalized exchanges over time, with my colleague principal and I personally shuttling letters between buildings.
In April, we activated an idea from our family committee: parent ambassadors. We elicited volunteer Powderhorn families to call incoming families, matching them based on their children’s grade level. I provided a basic script and talking points to start conversations, but most families naturally found common ground discussing their children's experiences and sharing insights about school life. These personal connections created an informal support network that proved invaluable during the transition and beyond.
While we developed these approaches for our merger, they can work in many contexts. Connecting students through written exchange can help bridge grade levels within a school, allow students to connect with nearby schools, or even create mentorship opportunities between elementary and high school students. The family ambassador concept adapts well to welcoming any new families or creating support networks within existing school communities.
Formal Events: Gathering
Once we had established initial relationships, we planned in-person gatherings to grow them at a deeper level. First, we hosted a family game night. We invited all families to Powderhorn for an evening of food and board games, creating common ground through shared activities while keeping the structure informal enough for natural interactions to flourish. By design, it occurred after students had exchanged letters with their pen pals and ambassadors had placed calls in the hopes students and families would want to meet each other. The plan worked! Many students were eager to meet, and our terrific turnout proved it. We also organized volunteers from the local high school to oversee the games so it was easier for parents and caregivers to chat with each other.
Soon after, we held another event: Camp Powderhorn, where we invited all students making the transition on a field trip to their new school. Our pen pals made up a cheering party when the students stepped off the buses. Students were assigned to their appropriate grade-level classes to participate in community-building activities staff had planned. Student ambassadors from Powderhorn also led tours throughout the day.
Finally, in August of 2023, we hosted an ice cream social. Our goal was to host another fun, informal gathering to recharge relationships after the summer break. Beyond the universal draw of ice cream, the event offered natural opportunities for students to meet teachers, families to reconnect, and pen pals to strengthen their bonds just days before the new school year began.
When Intention Becomes Connection
We would not have been as successful throughout the 2023-24 academic year if we had not been intentional in our planning the previous twelve months. By centering connection as our core purpose and being deliberate about the timing, substance, and sequence of community interactions, we created a lasting impact that extended far beyond managing a school merger.
94 percent of students reported having an adult who cared for and believed in them—a crucial metric for any school community.
The data tells a compelling story about what's possible when schools prioritize belonging. Our attendance exceeded the district average and improved from the prior year, despite the added challenge of longer commutes for many students. Even more telling, by Spring 2024, 94 percent of students reported having an adult at Powderhorn who cared for and believed in them—a crucial metric for any school community. An even higher percentage reported having a friend at school.
While these quantitative measures affirm our approach, the daily evidence of success appears in the hallways and classrooms: genuine smiles, spontaneous interactions, and the countless small moments that signal true belonging. These indicators of authentic connection, whether in a merged school community or any educational setting, ultimately matter most.
Leading Through Change
Creating equitable, high-performing, and safe schools today requires a leader willing to overcome adversity, stay persistent, and take smart risks.
