Don't Skip Summer Planning

Aligned to: Plan Your Year 

What This Can Feel Like

By the time summer hits, everyone is ready for a break. Schedules slow down, vacations start, and it feels natural to pause everything until the school year begins. So, planning gets pushed off… or skipped altogether.

Then August arrives, and suddenly everything feels rushed— meetings are reactive, details are unclear, and the year starts in a scramble.

A Better Way To Think About It

Summer planning doesn’t have to be constant or overwhelming. But skipping it altogether makes everything harder later. You will need a few meetings—and they need to be intentional.

A small amount of focused time during the summer creates clarity, alignment, and a much smoother start to the year.

What This Looks Like In Practice

Instead of waiting until the fall, the board sets aside:

• One quick touchpoint to connect

• 1–2 focused planning sessions to align on priorities, calendar, and roles

That’s it.

Because of that early planning, the board shows up strong— ready for “pre–first day of school” events, prepared to support teachers and staff, and organized from day one. Starting unified builds credibility quickly—and makes it easier to engage families, recruit volunteers, and build momentum.

Playbook Pause

• What absolutely needs to be decided before the school year starts?

• When can we realistically connect and hold 1–2 focused planning sessions?

• What would help us show up prepared and organized from day one?

Bottom Line

A little intentional planning in the summer helps you start strong—and that momentum carries all year.