School Consolidations at Ground Level
September 01, 2025
A studyās findings about what five principals learned about the emotional merger process
School consolidations present unique challenges for principals. These stem from the need to onboard an outsized group of students, parents and staff members concurrently. Working professionals in any field are familiar with feeling new to an organization and struggling to fit in. It can take weeks or months.
When two schools merge, several hundred students plus parents and staff members experience that feeling simultaneously. A principal who recently led a consolidation of two schools put it this way: āUsually, growth happens incrementally. This is like you shut down, youāre at this number. You open up, youāre [at] that number, like āBoom.āā
Principals navigating a consolidation often are surprised by the scale of the change. One principal involved in a study I conducted lamented, āI feel like I needed somebody to say, āHey, this is going to be really, really hard.ā... Itās not a normal year. Itās not a normal principal job. ā¦ We had no idea what was coming.ā
This sentiment was a prominent theme voiced in a recent study of widespread school consolidations in one large suburban school district in a Western state. To give leaders facing mergers a heads-up, Iām sharing some of the significant reflections from the study participants, consisting of five principals and a district-level liaison tasked with supporting all consolidating schools.
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Collective Leadership During School Consolidation
By Joaquin Brown
As the principal of Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary in Clarendon County, S.C., Iāve always believed that leadership shouldnāt rest solely on my shoulders. Rather, leadership is most powerful when it is collective and taps into the experience and expertise of all educators in the school.
This belief never felt more relevant than during our recent merger with Summerton Early Childhood Center. When two schools, with their own histories, cultures and traditions, come together, the process is complex. With a willingness to listen, strong support at the district administrative level and the implementation of a collective leadership approach, weāve turned a time of difficult change into a time of growth.
I relied on Mira Educationās Collective Leadership Conditions Matrix, which helps school leaders analyze conditions that research links with successful change efforts, such as merging two schools.
Consolidating two school communities around one unified vision is no small task. From the beginning, I knew we had the right ingredients for success: a dedicated staff, engaged families and a district team that genuinely supported us.
Growing Together
As a first step, I met one-on-one with staff ā those at Summerton serving 144 students in prekindergarten and those at my own 137-student K-6 school ā so they could voice concerns, share ideas and take ownership of the transition. I assured staff that in our new school we would keep the practices and programs that were working and address the things that were not working at one school or the other.
Through this process, leadership became something we practiced together, rather than doing something to them. For example, rather than reviewing data, identifying areas for improvement and mandating improvement strategies in isolation, we have structures in place for teachers to collectively engage in that work and make related decisions.
One big challenge we faced early on was a concern from families about classroom sizes. Families from Summerton were concerned classroom space at the elementary school may not accommodate the needs of early childhood learners. Concerns included having enough space for academic play, ensuring appropriately sized furniture and providing easy access to bathrooms.
Rather than brushing aside those concerns, we hosted town hall meetings, walked through the building together so families could see how we were accommodating early learnersā needs and collaborated on additional solutions.
District leadership worked closely with us by participating in town hall meetings and exploring how they could support solutions to family concerns. The district gave us the flexibility to shape our schoolās identity while ensuring we had the tools and guidance to do it well. That kind of partnership sent a strong message: āWe trust you, and weāre in this with you.ā
In addition to family concerns, a staff member had similar reservations about classroom sizes, a factor that contributed to uneasiness among families. In response, I met with the individual to discuss our respective concerns. Because we live our values related to collective leadership, we worked together to design and implement mutually acceptable solutions.
In the end, that staff member helped lead school tours with parents to explain how we would accommodate their childrenās specific needs. After becoming a trusted voice who helped build rapport across our school community, this staff member is now a strong advocate for the co-created vision for our school.
This experience serves as a powerful example of what can happen when families, schools and their district work in partnership. Parents believed their voices mattered, and students benefited from classrooms where they could be seen, heard and supported.
Relationships Rule
This experience has reaffirmed what Iāve always known: Great schools are built on relationships, not just rules. Our sustained focus on family engagement, district partnership and staff collaboration culminated in a milestone. We are incredibly proud Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary School earned its first state rating of excellent on our school report card in 2024.
When districts support schools, when leaders listen and when everyone feels ownership of the work, transformation is not only possible, itās powerful.
Joaquin Brown is principal of Dr. Rose H. Wilder Elementary School in Summerton, S.C. Lori Nazareno, head of school design and network at Mira Education in Chapel Hill, N.C., provided support for this article.
The Weight of a School Closing ā¦ or Many
By Jane Stavem
I met a colleague from another state last spring who was facing the unthinkable task for any school district superintendent: closing multiple schools for this fall.
And not just one or two, but 10 schools.
Iāve been lucky. During my years as an administrator in multiple school districts in three states, the only time Iāve been involved in closing a school was when a brand-new one was opening on site in its place. Iāve never had to completely dismantle an existing school. But Iāve worked with many people in the aftermath of that experience. It always feels like a loss. A deep, personal loss.
For students, families and staff, a school is more than a building. Itās memories, identity and community. Seeing something you loved and invested in disappear is heartbreaking.
And then thereās the flip side: the leaders who make those tough calls. They donāt just wake up one day and decide, āHey, letās shut this place down.ā They endure months of angry community meetings, gut-wrenching testimonies and sometimes even real hatred and threats.
Typical Reasons
Most school closures happen for familiar reasons:
Neighborhood shifts: populations move, demographics change.
Gentrification: some areas boom, others dwindle.
Repurposing: a building sometimes is needed for something else.
Then thereās district consolidation. While it technically keeps schools open, it often means merging rival communities, disrupting generations of school pride and wiping out part of a townās identity in the process.
Closing 10 schools at once, though, is a next-level challenge for any school system leader.
Genuine Challenges
Closing multiple schools isnāt just about locking the doors and turning off the lights. Itās about:
Blending student populations (aka instant rivalries).
Relocating staff (some willingly, some not so).
Eliminating positions (the worst part).
During my conversation with this colleague, whose district is located in California, we talked about both the practical and emotional toll of school closures. Because when a school disappears, so do pieces of identity.
What if you were a Tiger with black and orange colors, and now youāre suddenly an Eagle wearing blue and green? Thatās an adjustment.
And what about all the memories? Awards, trophies, photos and memorabilia? Schools need a plan to respectfully handle these pieces of history. Because trust me, if you donāt? People will not forget.
Navigating a Closure
Should you find yourself in the unenviable position of closing a school or multiple schools, here are some strategies to navigate the final months.
Acknowledge the loss. Give people space to talk about their feelings. Losing a school is losing a part of life. Donāt downplay it.
Plan closure events. Host ceremonies, reunions or memory walks to honor the schoolās legacy. Let people celebrate the good times before the final bell rings.
Support transitions. If students and staff are moving to a new school, start working with that school now. Help build a welcoming environment before day one.
Be mindful of your words. āWell, youāll make new friends!ā sounds nice, but it can be dismissive. Instead, try these lines: āI know youāll miss this place. What do you love most about it?ā or āYouāre a great friend to others ā no wonder you have so many!ā
Prepare leaders to guide change. Not everyone instinctively knows how to handle a transition this big. Provide a roadmap, training and ongoing support.
Understand that change isnāt instant. For some, moving on will be easy. For others, it will take months ā or years. Respect the process.
Educate yourself on change management. Read up on change theory. Understanding the psychology of transitions makes a huge difference.
Jane Stavem is a deputy commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Education in Lincoln, Neb.
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