You've been accepted. Congratulations! Now What?

Signed that contract? Sent in your deposit?

Well, congratulations! You are officially enrolled!

Now, what are you going to do? 

Go ahead and take a moment to bask in the sun, the journey has been long, and it's been intense. But, the road through an independent school requires just as much vision, passion, and strategy, if not more. And it starts now!

Flashback to the first day I entered the gates of our new lower school with my smartly dressed (come on now, you know) five-year-old asking myself, what the heck did we get ourselves into? 

It always surprises folks to learn that we found the admission process to be fun and exciting. However, now enrolled, the same clear advantages that attracted us were effectively associated with the very things that were turning my stomach.

The academic rigor was not my concern. My worries centered around identity, community, and belonging. You see, I worked hard to compensate for the lack thereof during the admission process. And I chose a school that gave my gut the best possible feeling.

At that moment, I began to fret that my spirited-young daughter would internalize implicit biases that she did not yet have the language to comprehend. I also worried as I strained to notice the parallels between my new peer parents and myself, wondering how we would connect.

Here, I offer you the gift of hindsight (two kids later) and the experience of working closely with many newly enrolled families. These five powerful words (all begin with P!) will support this new phase of your family’s educational journey~

Parent.
Play your position as a valued stakeholder in your school community

Participate. 
Voice & visibility is everything, and your perspective is needed. Belong.

Preserve.
Do not check how your family identifies at the door, bring it in!

Persist.
When things go left academically, socially, or emotionally ask for help.

Promote. 
Share what’s good about your child, family, teacher, school with others.

Of course, stay in touch with RIISE. This is how we enroll powerfully as families of color. All the very best!