If you’re already thinking about the next school year, you’re not alone. For many school and co-op leaders, planning brings a mix of emotions—excitement about new possibilities, anxiety about lingering challenges, hope for growth, and sometimes a little dread about how much there is to manage. All of that is normal. This work matters, and it’s okay to name that it’s heavy sometimes.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, here’s something important to remember: you have done this before. You don’t need a perfect plan right now. You just need a thoughtful starting point and the willingness to learn as you go.
Invite Others Into the Process
Planning is rarely meant to be done alone. If you have a leadership team, invite them into this process early. This might look like a series of short meetings over several weeks or one longer planning day (food, snacks, and breaks highly recommended). Shared planning not only lightens the load—it builds clarity, trust, and alignment.
Start with a Brain Dump
Begin by getting everything out on the table. Invite each person to quietly write down their hopes, fears, questions, concerns, and excitement about the coming year. Silence matters—it gives everyone space to think honestly. Afterward, share together and simply listen.
Look for Patterns
Once everything is shared, step back and look for themes:
What hopes keep coming up?
What challenges feel most pressing?
Where do you sense energy? Where do you sense tension?
These patterns often reveal more than any polished strategic plan ever could.
Name What Matters
Next, talk explicitly about priorities. Helpful categories to consider include:
People (students, parents, mentors, leaders)
The student experience
The parent experience
Training (for mentors, parents, and leaders)
Specific classes or events
Program growth (families, students, mentors)
Program sustainability (financially and relationally)
You don’t have to rank everything yet—just name what matters. Often teams feel relief simply seeing their values reflected out loud.
Decide What Matters Most
Try to agree on the one thing that matters most for the coming year. If that feels impossible, identify the top two or three priorities. This step is less about perfection and more about focus.
Once priorities are clear, ask two powerful questions:
Given our priorities, what will we say no to next year?
Given our priorities, what will we say yes to next year?
These questions create alignment and protect your energy.
When Priorities Compete, Experiment
Sometimes priorities conflict, and there’s no way to honor everything at once. When that happens, consider experimenting. Choose one approach to emphasize for the year and give yourselves permission to adjust mid-year if it’s not working.
Over time, experimenting is often the healthiest way forward. When something doesn’t work, it isn’t a failure—it’s information that helps you decide what to try next.
After more than a decade of experimenting and adjusting, our co-op has learned a great deal about what works and what doesn’t. Relationships have strengthened. Trust has grown. Nothing catastrophic has happened. Planning doesn’t have to be about getting everything right—it can be about moving forward wisely, together.
