Field Notes: A Blog Series by Alex Borders

In our work with schools and mission-driven organizations, we're often invited into moments of change: some joyful, some complex, all deeply human. Field Notes is a space where we share reflections from that work: what we're noticing, what's shifting, and what's possible when we pause to listen more closely. Read on to understand more about what we’re seeing, what we’re learning, and what’s helping organizations move forward.

Field Notes 2
Rowing Together: When Admissions and Advancement Work in Harmony

One of the most powerful shifts we see in schools doesn’t come from a new marketing campaign, a bigger ad budget, or even a beautifully redesigned website. It comes when the people inside the school start speaking with one voice.

Recently, we worked with a school with strong Admissions and Development leaders. Each team cared deeply about the school’s mission and was doing important work. But their messaging was being shaped in silos. Admissions was focused on attracting mission-aligned families. Development was focused on deepening relationships with long-time donors. And the stories they were telling, while all true, weren’t always aligned.

At first glance, this didn’t seem like a big issue. However, over time, the differences created confusion. Board members heard one version of the school’s story, while prospective families heard another. Staff were unsure which message to use at events. The school’s identity started to feel less clear—even to the people working there.

We brought the Admissions and Development teams together for a series of reflective working sessions. We listened. We asked: What do you want families to understand when they first hear about the school? What do you want a donor to remember after a tour? What stories feel most alive for you right now?

Over time, shared themes began to emerge. The teams realized they were working toward the same goals, just using different language. They began naming those goals together, clarifying what they most wanted to express, and noticing where their work could reinforce rather than compete.

The outcome wasn’t a new brand campaign or tagline. It was a shared understanding of how to carry the school’s message - together.

Now, when a family visits the school and later attends a community fundraiser, the message carries through. When a donor asks about the school’s direction, they hear the same vision that welcomes new families each fall. The story feels coherent because the people are rooted in the same truth.

That kind of clarity doesn’t just appear in a brochure or a website; it lives in how a school talks about itself, day after day, person to person.

Are you curious about what this process could look like for your school? Let’s talk. We’d be glad to share how we’ve supported others in finding clarity, connection, and shared language.