Private-independent schools depend on three crucial elements to deliver their mission with excellence.
First, the school must deliver the program as promised, providing each student with the tools needed to succeed. Second, students must commit to being active and engaged in their environment and the learning process. And third, parents must support not only their children in their education, but also the school's mission and values. This includes following the rules for conduct and discipline.
You’ve probably run into parents who consistently refuse to follow the guidelines your Leadership Team has set. They can behave inappropriately (either in meetings or during public events or gatherings), make excessive demands, or consistently stir up discontent.
So how do you handle this situation? You don’t want to penalize a student for a parent’s behavior. But ultimately it’s your role to protect the school's long-term viability —and that includes ensuring you support a mission-appropriate culture.
The first step is writing a “parent comportment” policy and including it in your parent handbook. Here is an example of what this policy might look like.
“Our school believes that a positive and constructive working relationship between the School and a student’s parents (or guardians) is essential to the fulfillment of the School’s mission.“
"Thus, the School reserves the right to dismiss and/or not re-enroll a student if the School reasonably concludes that the actions of a parent (or guardian) make such a positive and constructive relationship impossible or otherwise seriously interfere with the School’s accomplishment of its educational purposes."
This clearly outlines what is expected of a parent, and what the consequences are if this balance is not maintained. Include similar language in your enrollment contract. This language must outline expectations and processes that would lead to withholding a re-enrollment contract, and be approved by your school’s legal counsel.
If you find yourself in a situation where a parent has begun causing issues for your faculty and staff, document every problem that arises. Include relevant details and insight from those involved. Also document the actions the school takes to remedy the situation.
While midyear dismissal is your only course of action in some cases, you’re likely to face a lawsuit in those circumstances. If it’s feasible, work with the difficult parent and attempt to keep the situation under control until re-enrollment.
If the situation becomes one that cannot be resolved, you have made the consequences clear. You can choose not to offer a re-enrollment contract if the behavior doesn't change.
Additional ISM Resources:
The Source for School Heads Vol. 17 No. 1 Conversations With New Families: Retention Starts With You
Additional ISM Resources for Members:
I&P Vol. 39 No. 4 Conflict Resolution in the Context of Your Parent Retention and Education Plan
I&P Vol. 43 No. 15 Enrollment Decline That Threatens Your School’s Viability
