Weaving Community

André Withers | January 16, 2025

Many school heads struggle to hold their school communities together, given polarization and the shifting commitment to DEI, growing ideological divides, and the perception that we have little in common with those who might vote or worship differently than we do. “Wedge issues,” as I like to call them, can distract us from the deep and fertile ground of shared values. Schools offer us the perfect venue for rebuilding and reweaving community, where a shared commitment to the health, wellbeing, and learning of each child can and should provide guidance and foster shared commitment to action. So how, within school communities, might we do the important work of reweaving? Of strengthening the fibers that hold us in community?

If you find yourself eager to strengthen the sense of community at your school, here are some approaches you might consider to foster stronger bonds within the community. Some, like Lick Wilmerding, have used approaches developed by The Aspen Institute called Weave: The Social Fabric Project, founded by David Brooks. Others have followed Franklin McCallie’s lead and brought folks together to break bread and listen to one another. Community, by Peter Block, provides guidance on ways to shape a powerful, community-based approach to help members of a community address what they see as the most pressing issues. Restorative practices provide tools to safely revisit suffering and come to agreement on how to move forward, but it is imperative to note that practices can be very harmful if not well facilitated. While not a quick fix, The Institute for Restorative Practices offers training and a pathway for schools.

So what do these approaches have in common? A clear invitation to those eager to strengthen the warp threads of the community. Participation is always voluntary. Breaking bread to build community is primal and helps heal. Well-crafted, open-ended guiding questions can help folks talk about what really matters. Norms help. Trained facilitators can be really important for some of the more complex approaches, including Peter Block’s approach and restorative practices.

While the Head of School wears many hats, one of the most important is Head Community Weaver. Holding children, parents, faculty, staff and alumni in community–in weft and warp– while navigating the tensions of social media and political change, interpersonal conflict and competing values has never been more critical. It is only within a caring, strongly woven community that children can truly flourish. Now, quite acutely, we are called to do this essential work for and with our communities.

Interested in learning more about how we can help?

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