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Deans' Digest | September 3, 2024

Student Life Professional Newsletter

The Importance of Mid-Year Reflection

A Guide for Student Life Professionals

Setting the Stage

As the new semester begins, it's the perfect time to pause and reflect on the progress made during the first half of the school year. A thoughtful mid-year check-in helps ensure that your student life programs, leadership initiatives, and behavioral strategies are aligned with your school's goals and values.

Key Reflection Questions

  • What worked well? Identify programs, initiatives, or strategies that had a positive impact.
  • What could be improved? Pinpoint areas where adjustments might be needed.
  • How is the team doing? Evaluate team morale, workload balance, and collaboration.
  • Are we meeting student needs? Reflect on feedback and observable outcomes from students and staff.
  • What's next? Determine priorities for the remainder of the year.

Mid-Year Evaluation Areas

1. Student Life Initiatives

  • Are participation rates meeting your expectations?
  • What feedback have you received from students and staff?
  • Are the programs addressing key goals (e.g., inclusion, engagement, wellness)?

2. Leadership Development Programs

  • Are student leaders demonstrating growth in skills like communication, decision-making, and teamwork?
  • Are leadership opportunities equitably accessible to all students?
  • What support do student leaders need for the second half of the year?

3. Behavioral Strategies

  • How effective have restorative practices been in addressing conflicts and improving behavior?
  • Are discipline referrals or incidents decreasing?
  • Are there patterns in behavior that suggest areas for additional focus?

4. Staff and Team Dynamics

  • Are staff members feeling supported and equipped to carry out initiatives?
  • Is there a need for professional development or team-building?
  • Are you modeling healthy work-life boundaries and encouraging self-care?

Tech Tool of the Month

Slack (or Microsoft Teams): Streamline communication and collaboration with your student life team. Create channels for different initiatives, share documents, and maintain clear lines of communication—all in one place. Bonus: Set up a "wellness reminders" channel for weekly self-care tips.

Food for Thought

"We don't grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges."
Encourage your team to reflect on how they've navigated challenges so far this year and celebrate their resilience.

A Light Moment

"Mid-year check-ins are like New Year's resolutions—just with better snacks and fewer gym memberships!"

Self-Care Corner

Winter Wellness Tip: With shorter days and busier schedules, prioritize self-care by:
  • Scheduling breaks in your calendar (yes, even a 10-minute walk counts!)
  • Staying hydrated and fueling yourself with nutritious snacks
  • Practicing gratitude—list three things you're thankful for each day

Wisdom Corner

"Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge." – Simon Sinek

Closing Thought

Taking time to reflect isn't just about accountability—it's about growth. A mid-year check-in fosters intentionality, ensures alignment with your values, and sets the stage for an impactful second semester. Let's make the rest of the year count!

Download our Mid-Year Quick Reflection Guide to guide your team through this process!

Deans’ Testimonials

I think it’s a great way to remind us why we love our jobs, and I also like the practical components.
Super helpful and informative, a great way to connect with colleagues in person I never would have met face to face! And it brings to the forefront topics I might not have thought about yet - you don’t know what you don’t know!
I will absolutely recommend to colleagues - it seems like an essential part of Professional Development for Deans.
I would recommend it to colleagues wholeheartedly because of the discussion of focused issues specific to independent schools and deans and bringing issues or topics to my attention that I didn't know I should be thinking about.
It is helpful to hear from Deans' because, as someone mentioned, it is nice to get off the Dean island. Yes, I did recommend it. It is informative and helpful.
Deans' Roundtable is an incredible way to connect with peers and hear from dynamic voices about a school's and dean's opportunity to help young people belong and develop.
One of the best opportunities for deans to get together and talk about the issues we are facing now. You will learn from your peers, be inspired by new ideas and creative problem-solving, and build a list of contacts and resources to return to. This type of experience is what makes the work we do sustainable and rejuvenating.
The Deans’ Roundtable is a fantastic opportunity to connect with your fellow administrators. The information is invaluable and inspirational.
As a first-year associate dean of students, the networking, the presentations, and the inspirations at the Dean's Roundtable promises to help me tackle all the multifaceted issues that I know will arise in year two.
It is a great introduction to the wider community that all share the same concern of making our schools as great as possible for our students.
The Dean's Roundtable was a great opportunity to listen, learn, and get motivated to go back to my school and jump back into the work.
DRT is an amazing conference - perhaps one of the most helpful ones I have attended as a Dean of Students. The programming presented and the relationships formed are invaluable.

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