jL | In Practice - Remaining Relevant

Hello Friends,

After working the last 26 of 31 days, most would struggle with the ‘why’ behind providing live music at graduation, but I love it.  Full disclosure: My amazing colleagues handled Grad Band this year, so I could focus on announcing the first 395 graduates. (What can I say…I’m a glutton for punishment).  Not only is graduation band an exciting opportunity to stand with our graduates one last time, it is a subtle way of remaining relevant.  We must remain forever vigilant about remaining relevant to the broader community.  While it is certainly ‘one more ask’ after a marathon of May, the truth is that most of our community has no idea what our day-to-day is like; they just know when we’re not there.  In a world where sending an mp3 is the simple solution, we must guard against exchanging relevance for convenience. 

For me, things like community pep rallies, sending a small group to the tree lighting, and providing students to play taps on Veterans Day or Memorial Day are simple yet critical ways to ensure the community still sees our value.  

As you plan for next year, are there one or two opportunities to do a ‘little extra’ in an effort to build relationships and remind your community why they love to support you?  They may never mention it, but you might be surprised by what doors it can unlock for your students.

Happy Summer - have a great week!

Jeff