Engage Your Community

We facilitate strategic conversations that bring all stakeholders together to create aligned priorities and actionable plans.

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Why School-Community Alignment Matters

Builds Trust

Staff see that their feedback went somewhere, making them more likely to participate in the future

Creates Focus

Aligned priorities help boards and leadership focus on what matters most to students

Communities that feel heard are more likely to support levies, initiatives, and change

Drives Support

The Challenge

How might we help build a strong relationship between a public school district and its community? Clear, aligned visions and values for student education are the foundation for meaningful progress.

Common Community Engagement Problems We Solve

Town halls where only the loudest voices are heard

Traditional meetings favor those comfortable speaking publicly, missing quieter perspectives

Surveys that sit on shelves without action

Community input is collected but never translated into actual strategic priorities

Stakeholder groups working in silos

Parents, teachers, business leaders, and students rarely have structured dialogue together

Strategic plans disconnected from community values

District leadership creates plans without meaningful community co-creation

Our Community Engagement Approach: How We Create Shared Vision

We specialize in creating and facilitating conversations so districts can move from ideas to action.

1. Get All Voices and All Stakeholders in the Same Room

We bring together parents, teachers, students, administrators, board members, business leaders, and community organizations for structured dialogue sessions.

Unlike traditional meetings, our facilitation ensures diverse perspectives engage productively together.

2. Create Systems So All Voices Are Heard

We use proven facilitation techniques—small group discussions, anonymous input methods, and structured brainstorming to ensure all members have equal voice.

Every participant leaves feeling heard, not just the loudest voices in the room.

3. Bring Diverse Voices Together to Find Common Ground

Our facilitation process helps groups move past surface-level disagreements to discover shared values and priorities. We guide stakeholders through finding consensus on what matters most for student success.

Communities discover they agree on more than they thought when given the right forum.

4. Build a Unified Message to Support District Leadership

We synthesize community input into clear priorities and recommendations that give your board and superintendent direction. This isn't just a report—it's a roadmap co-created with your community.

District leaders gain community-backed priorities that strengthen decision-making and build support.

What You Get: Tangible Outcomes from Community Engagement

Strategic Plan Input

Clear priorities shaped by authentic community voice that your leadership team can immediately incorporate into strategic planning processes

Board Focus & Alignment

Unified direction that helps board members make decisions aligned with community values rather than reacting to competing pressures

Increased Community Trust

Stakeholders who feel genuinely heard become advocates for your district, supporting initiatives and communicating positively with neighbors

Actionable Priorities

Not just themes or ideas—specific, ranked priorities with community consensus that leadership can act on immediately

Common Questions About Community Engagement for K-12 Districts

  • Traditional town halls often become forums for complaints where only confident public speakers participate. Our facilitated sessions use structured activities, small groups, and inclusive techniques to ensure all attendees, including quieter voices, contribute meaningfully. You get genuine dialogue, not just a microphone line.

  • We recommend including diverse stakeholders: parents (representing different demographics and school levels), teachers, classified staff, administrators, board members, students (middle/high school), local business leaders, faith community representatives, and civic organizations. The more diverse the group, the richer the outcomes.

  • Skilled facilitation is especially valuable in divided communities. We create safe spaces for difficult conversations, help groups focus on shared values (like student success), and use techniques that move past binary thinking. Many districts discover that beneath surface disagreements, common ground exists.

  • Investment varies based on district size, number of sessions, and scope. A typical engagement over 2.5 days ranges from $12,000-$21,000. Contact us for a customized proposal based on your district's specific needs and goals.

  • Yes. We design engagement strategies that reach beyond "the usual suspects." This includes evening sessions, childcare provision, translation services, partnering with trusted community organizations, and using engagement methods that feel accessible to people who aren't typically comfortable in school settings.

Explore A Case Study

Meet Your Facilitators

  • Smiling woman in black jacket posing against a white background

    Shannon Helgeson

    Founder and Senior Facilitator

  • Smiling man looking to the side, wearing a dark shirt, neutral background.

    Ross Herdina

    Founder and Process Facilitator

Express Interest

Contact us for a free consultation and quote for services.

Blog Series

Flowchart of strategic planning sessions over two days, including sessions on practical vision, underlying contradictions, strategic directions, and focused implementation.

5 Key Steps to Effective Strategic Planning in Schools

Text on a light purple background that says, 'Engage Your Community' in bold, dark purple letters.

How To Engage Stakeholders in Your School's Strategic Plan