This episode of the Independent School Moonshot Podcast is sponsored by Blackbaud.

Blackbaud helps independent schools unify admissions, advancement, academics, and finance so leaders spend less time chasing data and more time leading. Visit blackbaud.com to learn more.

How clearly are students helping shape, not just experience, your school’s culture?

This episode features Bill Preble, Professor of Education at New England College and founder of the Center for School Climate and Learning.

With 25 years of experience helping schools surface student voice, Bill outlines a research-based process where students gather data, identify climate gaps, and lead targeted improvement efforts.

For independent schools focused on retention, belonging, or long-term sustainability, this conversation offers a practical model for shifting school culture from the inside out.

Instead of top-down initiatives that can miss the mark, Bill’s approach centers students as active researchers and problem-solvers.

The result is actionable data, stronger adult-student partnerships, and a culture where students feel seen, heard, and invested in the school’s success. It’s a clear path toward healthier communities and more resilient schools.

What You'll Learn from Bill Preble:

• Students are experts in school climate: Students bring critical insights into daily school experiences that adults often miss. Treating them as climate experts reveals patterns and blind spots that otherwise go unnoticed.
• Representation matters in student feedback: True climate insight comes from engaging a diverse range of student voices, not just high achievers or the most visible leaders.
• Data reveals blind spots and builds bridges: When adults and students compare perceptions of school climate, the resulting data often highlights dramatic gaps that can kickstart meaningful dialogue.
• Start small, focus on agency: Students set goals they can act on directly, building ownership and momentum rather than relying on top-down change.
• Celebrate what's working: The "Bright Spots Challenge" highlights effective practices already in place and encourages teachers to share what's working with their colleagues.

Discussion Prompts

• Where do student and adult perceptions of school culture diverge, and why?
• What does authentic student voice look like in our current leadership or decision-making structures?
• How do we identify and scale bright spots within our faculty?
• How can this model support our DEIB goals or retention strategy?
• What would it look like to embed climate data into our strategic planning process?