Next Steps for a “No”
Receiving a no is a disappointing outcome. Before moving ahead, take a beat to appreciate the effort you put into making your pitch. Remember that a no now does not mean a no forever. Your pitch can change, school priorities may shift, or your administrator themself may move on.
Understanding the No
Before moving forward, make sure you have a clear understanding of why your request was declined. It may be that it had nothing at all to do with you. Be it budgets, scheduling, staffing issues, or competing priorities, there are many reasons your administration responded the way they did. Follow up to understand their motivation and determine how open the door is to another pitch in the future, and when.
Evaluating Your Pitch
Based on your administrator’s response, do your best to gauge whether adjustments in your pitch might have made a difference. Could you have positioned a closer tie to a specific subject matter they’ve revealed is their focus? Was your suggested course structure appropriate? Could additional teaching certifications help demonstrate your credentials? Was your balance of students, parents, and peer admins/advocates right? Were there any tips in the materials that you skipped over last time and could now incorporate? If you met with your admin in person, consider both what they said, but also the nonverbal communication during your pitch. Revisit and revise to make any changes moving forward.
Staying Motivated
You’ve learned valuable information and gained experience making this type of request. Build out your next steps for making the pitch again. Maybe it’s not the full court press every year, but a consistent reminder of your desire and the alignment with school goals. We’ve heard from coaches who lobbied for classes for years before receiving them. If you believe in the value, keep after it.
Requesting Help
If you believe additional support from the NSDA would be valuable, send an email to annie.reisener@speechanddebate.org sharing your story. We can also connect you with an administrator willing to write a letter directly to your administrator to help make the case.