Let's be real: You're probably sitting in your school office right now, reviewing a printed newsletter that's about to be mailed to parents – the same way you've communicated for years. Meanwhile, those same parents are scrolling through Instagram, completely missing your important announcements because that beautiful newsletter is still sitting unopened somewhere in their home.
This disconnect isn't just frustrating – it's becoming a serious problem for schools trying to maintain enrollment and community engagement. The good news? You don't have to choose between abandoning your institutional values and embracing effective communication. There's a practical middle path.
As someone who works with educational institutions on their digital strategies, I get it. Your hesitation about social media isn't just technological resistance – it comes from legitimate concerns about privacy, resource allocation, maintaining appropriate boundaries, and protecting your school's reputation. These are all valid considerations for any thoughtful administrator.
This article isn't going to suggest you need accounts on every trending platform or that you should transform your distinguished institution into a TikTok sensation overnight. Instead, we're going to look at the measurable benefits of strategic, controlled social media use within an educational context and address those specific concerns that make you pause before creating that first school Instagram account.
Addressing Common Concerns of Education Leaders
Let's tackle your biggest worries head-on with practical solutions.
Budget Allocation and Fiscal Responsibility
"We just can't justify hiring a social media manager when we need another math teacher."
I hear this concern all the time, and it's completely valid when you're scrutinizing budgets. The good news is that effective school social media rarely requires a dedicated full-time position.
Recent data shows that colleges and universities investing strategically in social media are seeing measurable enrollment increases. Educational institutions need a strong presence on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Snapchat to reach prospective students effectively. This principle applies to K-12 institutions, too.
The practical solution? You likely already have staff members who understand your school's values and can incorporate social media management into their existing roles with proper training and clearly defined time boundaries. When comparing the cost-per-impression of social media versus traditional recruitment mailings or print advertising, the ROI becomes much clearer.
Privacy and Security for Student Information
Nothing concerns school leaders more than student privacy – and rightfully so. This isn't just about avoiding liability; it's about maintaining the trust families place in your institution.
The solution isn't avoiding social media but creating robust policies around:
- Which students can be featured (based on signed media releases)
- What identifying information can accompany photos
- Who approves content before posting
- How location tagging is handled
With proper guidelines, social media actually offers more control than many traditional forms of school publicity, as content can be immediately modified or removed if concerns arise.
Time Management and Staffing Implications
"Our teachers and administrators are already stretched too thin."
This practical concern resonates with anyone familiar with the demands placed on educational professionals. The key is implementing systems that make social media management efficient rather than burdensome:
- Use content scheduling tools to batch-prepare posts
- Create simple approval workflows that don't require excessive reviews
- Focus on 1-2 platforms rather than trying to be everywhere
- Repurpose content already being created for other school communications
When managed properly, social media becomes part of your existing communication strategy, not an additional burden on top of everything else.
Control Over School Messaging and Brand
Maintaining control over your school's reputation and messaging is a legitimate concern. A single inappropriate post could potentially undo years of thoughtful brand development.
This is precisely why a measured social media approach works better for educational institutions than spontaneous, unregulated posting. Successful schools implement:
- Clear review protocols before anything is posted
- Specific voice and tone guidelines that reflect institutional values
- Limited access to account credentials
- Regular audits of content performance and alignment with school mission
When implemented thoughtfully, social media offers unprecedented control over your school's narrative, allowing you to systematically highlight your unique educational programs.
Legal and Liability Concerns
The regulatory landscape for schools is already complex, and social media introduces additional considerations around FERPA compliance, copyright issues, and potential liability for online interactions.
Research shows that while social networking sites may expose students to potential risks, early studies suggest their use in educational settings can promote academic learning and increase student engagement. Before implementing social media, it's essential that schools formulate strong policies.
Developing clear social media guidelines that address these concerns proactively—and ensuring all relevant staff receive proper training—provides the foundation for legally sound social media use.
The Communication Gap Schools Face Today
While traditional schools have been perfecting their printed newsletters and formal communication channels, the way families consume information has completely transformed.
The Evolution of Parent Communication Preferences
Today, more than 9 out of 10 teachers utilize social media in the classroom in some capacity, with over 8 in 10 believing it benefits students. WiFiTalents said, "96% of teachers use social media in the classroom in some capacity, and 83% believe these platforms benefit their students' learning experience." This digital landscape is reshaping education and connection methods. With nearly 8 in 10 parents monitoring their teens' online presence and about 7 in 10 teens navigating multiple platforms, social media has become central for academic discourse and social interactions.
This shift spans demographics and income levels. Parents in their 30s, 40s, and increasingly their 50s expect information to be available when and where they consume other content. Waiting for a quarterly newsletter or even a weekly email digest feels increasingly disconnected from how they manage the rest of their lives.
Where Families Actually Seek School Information
Research indicates that 96% of students with internet access use at least one social network. Social media can quickly become the primary communication channel since parents are typically busy with work and cannot attend school meetings, yet still want to stay connected with school events and check on their children.
Research indicates that more than 9 out of 10 students with internet access use at least one social network. "Statistics show that 96% of students that have internet access are using at least one social network," reports the Center for Social Impact Communication. Social media can quickly become the primary communication channel since parents are typically busy with work and cannot attend school meetings, yet still want to stay connected with school events and check on their children.
The first place many prospective families look when considering a school is no longer your brochure or even your website—it's your social media presence. An inactive or non-existent social profile sends an immediate signal about your institution's relevance and connection to modern family life.
The Disconnect Between Traditional Methods and Modern Families
Many schools are investing significant resources in communication methods that reach only a fraction of their intended audience. Beautiful printed materials sit unread, emails get filtered into promotion tabs, and important announcements are missed because they're not delivered through channels where parents already direct their attention.
This isn't about abandoning traditional communication—it's about recognizing that a multi-channel approach is now necessary to effectively reach your entire community.
Missed Opportunities When Schools Remain Offline
When schools opt out of social media entirely, they miss strategic opportunities beyond just basic communication:
- Real-time storytelling about student achievements
- Showcasing faculty expertise and teaching methodology
- Demonstrating your values in action through visual content
- Building community among parents who may never meet face-to-face
- Reach prospective families in their discovery phase
Each of these missed opportunities eventually translates to concrete challenges in enrollment, retention, and community building.
Measurable Enrollment and Retention Benefits
Let's move beyond theory to examine concrete ways strategic social media use translates to enrollment and retention benefits.
Converting Social Media Engagement to Tangible Enrollment Numbers
According to recent research, more than 4 out of 10 school officials can directly attribute increased enrollment to their social media strategy. This isn't surprising when we consider that "63% of students use social media to research universities and colleges," according to the 2017 Social Admissions Report.
Schools with active, strategic social media presences are seeing measurable impacts on their enrollment funnels:
- Higher conversion rates from inquiry to campus visit
- Increased yield from accepted students to enrollment
- More direct inquiries from followers who discover the school organically
Cost-Per-Enrollment Comparison: Traditional vs. Social Media Methods
Traditional enrollment marketing often involves significant expenses:
- Glossy viewbooks: $5-15 per unit
- Direct mail campaigns: $1-3 per piece
- College fair attendance: $500-5,000 per event plus travel
- Print advertising: $500-5,000 per placement
When calculating your cost-per-enrolled-student, these traditional methods often result in figures from several hundred to several thousand dollars per new enrollment.
By contrast, even schools investing in paid social media promotion typically see a cost-per-lead of $3-15 and a much lower overall cost-per-enrollment when properly targeting their ideal family demographics.
Community Retention Impact of Ongoing Communication
Enrollment is just the beginning—retention depends on families feeling connected to the school community throughout their journey.
Research shows that 75% of teachers use social media to communicate with students and parents about school events, and 63% of students say they prefer studying in groups online through social media platforms.
Schools utilizing social media effectively find that regular, authentic glimpses into classroom life, student achievements, and community events create stronger bonds between families and the institution. These connections translate directly to improved retention rates, particularly during transition years when families traditionally reconsider their options.
Quantifiable Indicators of Social Media ROI for Education
Beyond anecdotal evidence, schools can measure concrete returns on their social media investment through:
- Tracked conversions from social channels to inquiry forms
- Engagement rates on content featuring specific programs or offerings
- Attendance increases at events promoted through social channels
- Time spent on website pages accessed via social media links
- Application increases from geographic areas targeted with social campaigns
These metrics provide the quantitative evidence that budget-conscious boards and administrators need to justify ongoing investment in social media strategies.
Community Relationship Building on Controlled Terms
One of the most compelling aspects of institutional social media is the ability to foster community connections while maintaining appropriate boundaries.
How Controlled Social Presence Differs from Personal Social Media
Many educators and administrators have valid concerns about social media based on their personal experiences with these platforms. The key distinction is that institutional social media operates under completely different parameters:
- All content is professionally reviewed before posting
- Interactions occur on public, visible channels
- Communication remains mission-focused rather than personal
- Clear boundaries exist between school content and individual accounts
This controlled approach preserves professional distance while still allowing for authentic community building.
School Policies That Establish Clear Boundaries
Successful school social media programs begin with comprehensive policies addressing the following:
- Who creates and approves content
- What subjects and events are appropriate to feature
- How student privacy is protected
- Protocols for responding to comments and messages
- Crisis communication procedures
- Guidelines for staff personal accounts that identify their school affiliation
These policies create the guardrails that prevent most potential issues while allowing the benefits of social engagement to flourish.
Content Approval Processes That Ensure Oversight
Unlike personal social media where impulsive posting is common, effective school social media implements approval workflows that might include:
- Initial content creation by designated staff
- Review by department head or program director
- Final approval by communications director or administrator
- Scheduled posting at strategic times
This process ensures that nothing appears on your school's accounts without appropriate oversight.
Scheduled vs. Spontaneous Posting Approaches
The most successful school social media strategies balance planned content with the flexibility to highlight unexpected moments of excellence. This typically includes:
- A content calendar aligned with the school year and key events
- Pre-approved content themes that regularly feature diverse aspects of school life
- Clear protocols for "real-time" posting during special events
- Guidelines for when immediate approval might be bypassed (with subsequent review)
This balanced approach provides consistency while still maintaining authenticity.
Staff Training to Maintain Professional Standards
Comprehensive training is essential for anyone involved in your school's social media presence. Effective training covers:
- Platform-specific technical skills
- Understanding of school voice and messaging priorities
- Privacy and security protocols
- Community management techniques
- Crisis response procedures
When staff understand both the "how" and "why" behind your social media strategy, they become more effective ambassadors for your institution.
Crisis Communication Advantages
Perhaps no area demonstrates the tactical advantage of social media more clearly than crisis communication—those moments when rapid, accurate information dissemination becomes critically important.
Real-World Examples of Schools Benefiting from Direct Communication Channels
Social media has become integral for crisis communication in school environments. Making strategic use of school social media platforms is vital to overall crisis communication planning. The greatest advantage is the ability to provide instant, real-time updates when crises strike, such as security threats, legal battles, or other emergencies.
Schools with established social media presences have successfully navigated various crisis situations:
- Weather emergencies requiring schedule changes
- Facility issues necessitating temporary relocations
- Community concerns requiring fact-based clarification
- Security situations demanding precise instructions
In each case, having direct channels to immediately reach parents significantly improved outcomes.
Weather-Related Closing Announcement Effectiveness
Few scenarios better illustrate social media's practical value than weather-related closings or delays:
Traditional method: The school administrator calls local radio/TV stations, which may announce your closing among dozens of others, assuming parents are watching or listening at the right moment.
Social media approach: Direct announcements reach parents' phones with push notifications, can be updated with developing information, allow for questions, and can be easily shared with other family members responsible for students.
The efficiency gain is unmistakable, particularly for working parents who need to make immediate childcare arrangements.
Security Situation Management Improvements
During any security concern—from a minor issue to a serious emergency—communication clarity becomes paramount. Social media provides:
- A direct channel controlled by school leadership
- The ability to update information as situations evolve
- Reduction of panic through transparent communication
- A single authoritative source that discourages rumor spread
These advantages can literally save lives in serious situations and prevent unnecessary panic in minor ones.
Rumor Control and Fact Distribution Capabilities
Social media has essential benefits for crisis management, including crisis prevention, crisis intervention, and postvention. "Social media offers schools the ability to share important information quickly when a crisis strikes," notes crisis communications expert Michael Reyes with KALIX Marketing, "keeping students, parents, and staff informed and reducing anxiety." This three-stage approach to crisis communication provides schools with unprecedented control over information flow during emergencies.
When misinformation begins circulating about your school—whether about curriculum changes, personnel decisions, or more serious matters—social media provides a platform for direct, authoritative correction. Without this channel, rumors can fester for days or weeks before being addressed through traditional communication methods.
Speed of Information Dissemination in Critical Situations
Historically, schools could assess crisis threats or situations patiently over time. However, the speed of information exchanged via social media, both accurate and inaccurate, now requires quick thinking and responding.
When every minute counts, the ability to instantly reach your community with accurate information becomes not just convenient but essential. Schools without this capability find themselves perpetually reacting to situations after narratives have already formed.
Showcasing Educational Excellence with Minimal Resources
Beyond crisis management, social media offers schools unprecedented opportunities to highlight their educational program with remarkably efficient resource use.
Simple Content Strategies That Highlight Existing Activities
The most effective school social media doesn't require creating new events or activities—it simply makes visible what's already happening in classrooms, on playing fields, in art studios, and throughout your campus.
Successful approaches include:
- "Day in the life" features following different grade levels
- Faculty spotlight series highlighting teacher expertise
- Behind-the-scenes glimpses of program preparation
- Student takeovers (with appropriate oversight)
- Quick celebration posts for achievements large and small
These content types require minimal additional effort while providing substantial visibility for your program's strengths.
Student Achievement Recognition Opportunities
Social networking in schools provides powerful tools for recognizing student achievements. "Social networking enhances communication between teachers and students, helps foster a professional community of educators, encourages collaboration when dealing with everyday teaching issues, and facilitates information exchange in an informal setting," reports education researcher Dr. Jennifer Larson. (Source: MarkInStyle) These communication channels allow schools to celebrate student successes well beyond the classroom walls, reaching parents, community members, and even potential future students.
Social media provides an ideal platform for recognizing student achievements that might otherwise go unnoticed beyond a small circle:
- Academic competition results
- Athletic accomplishments
- Community service initiatives
- Creative performances and exhibitions
- Character-based achievements reflecting school values
These recognition opportunities strengthen student connection to the institution while simultaneously demonstrating your program's quality to prospective families.
Faculty Expertise Demonstration Examples
Your teachers likely represent an extraordinary collection of subject expertise, teaching wisdom, and professional accomplishments that remain largely invisible to your broader community.
Simple social content can spotlight this expertise:
- Brief video explanations of academic concepts
- Sharing articles or research your teachers have published
- Highlighting professional development they've completed or led
- Demonstrating innovative teaching methods in action
- Featuring interdisciplinary collaboration between departments
This content simultaneously builds teacher morale, establishes institutional credibility, and demonstrates the quality of instruction students receive.
Classroom Learning Moments That Build Community Pride
The daily moments of discovery, achievement, and growth happening in your classrooms represent the essence of your educational mission—yet traditionally, only students directly involved would witness them.
Strategic social media allows you to capture and share these moments:
- Science experiments yielding surprising results
- Historical simulations bring the past to life
- Mathematical concepts visualized in creative ways
- Literature discussions revealing deep student insights
- Collaborative projects demonstrating multiple skills
These authentic glimpses into learning showcase your educational approach far more effectively than any marketing language ever could.
Low-Cost, High-Impact Content Ideas for Resource-Constrained Schools
Schools with limited budgets can implement high-impact social strategies with minimal investment:
- Student photographers capturing candid learning moments (with faculty oversight)
- Simple smartphone videos of special events or projects
- Carousel posts featuring student work with permission
- Resharing relevant educational content with your institution's perspective
- Quick celebration posts highlighting achievements
The most engaging content often comes from authentic moments that require no production budget—just an attentive eye and a smartphone camera.
Phased Implementation for Risk-Averse Institutions
For schools hesitant about diving into social media, a gradual, controlled implementation offers the ideal balance between caution and progress.
Starting with a Single, Controlled Platform Approach
Rather than attempting to establish a presence on multiple platforms simultaneously, technology-skeptical schools find success by:
- Selecting one platform most aligned with their target audience demographics
- Developing comprehensive policies and procedures specifically for that platform
- Training a limited team on best practices and institutional voice
- Creating a content calendar focusing on "safe" topics with broad appeal
- Establishing clear metrics to evaluate effectiveness
This focused approach allows for skill development and confidence-building before expanding further.
Limited Pilot Programs with Defined Success Metrics
Effective implementation often begins with a clearly defined pilot program:
- Specific timeframe (one semester or academic year)
- Limited scope (e.g., featuring only certain programs or grade levels)
- Pre-determined evaluation points
- Specific goals related to engagement, reach, and conversions
- Regular reporting to administration and board
This structured pilot provides the data needed to make informed decisions about broader implementation.
Gradual Expansion Based on Data-Driven Results
Social media's influence on prospective students continues to grow, with 78% of consumers agreeing that a brand's social media presence impacts their trust more than it did a year ago. This figure rises to 88% for younger audiences, making social media essential for connecting with and recruiting prospective students.
As initial social media efforts demonstrate measurable results, gradual expansion might include the following:
- Adding additional platforms strategically based on audience demographics
- Expanding content to include more programs and grade levels
- Involving more staff in content creation (with consistent oversight)
- Implementing more sophisticated measurement tools
- Developing platform-specific strategies that leverage each channel's strengths
This methodical growth ensures that risks remain controlled while benefits increase.
Content Calendar Oversight by Administration
Maintaining administrative visibility into planned content remains essential throughout implementation:
- Regular review of upcoming content themes and specific posts
- Clear alignment with institutional messaging priorities
- Balanced representation of programs and departments
- Strategic timing related to enrollment cycles and school events
- Appropriate tone and messaging consistent with school culture
This oversight ensures that social media remains aligned with institutional goals while still allowing for authentic engagement.
Board Involvement in Strategy and Policy Development
For many schools, board support proves essential for successful social media adoption. Effective approaches include:
- Board committee involvement in initial policy development
- Regular reports on social media metrics and milestone achievements
- Education about platform evolution and best practices
- Transparent discussion of challenges and solutions
- Strategic input on long-term goals and resource allocation
When board members understand both the strategic importance and the risk management aspects of social media, they become valuable advocates rather than obstacles.
Competitive Disadvantage of Remaining Offline
As peer institutions embrace strategic social media use, schools that remain entirely offline face increasing disadvantages in key competitive areas.
Local Competitive Landscape Analysis
With over 34,576 private schools in the United States enrolling more than 5.7 million students, standing out requires innovative and strategic marketing efforts. Marketing is critically important for private schools to establish a unique identity in a crowded educational marketplace.
A straightforward audit of peer institutions in your region likely reveals:
- Most have established social media presences on multiple platforms
- Many are using these channels to effectively highlight distinctive programs
- Some are creating sophisticated content that resonates with prospective families
- A few are demonstrating true thought leadership that builds their reputation
As social media becomes standard practice rather than innovation, schools without this presence appear increasingly outdated.
Parent Perception Research on Schools Without Online Presence
According to research, social media platforms are playing a paramount role for today's online undergraduate and graduate students. Nearly 50% of undergraduate students and 44% of graduate online students prefer to be contacted by schools via email, while colleges failing to use social media channels to reach prospective students are missing the target.
While K-12 specific research is still emerging, higher education studies consistently show that:
- Prospective families increasingly expect to "preview" school culture through social channels
- Absence from social platforms raises questions about an institution's contemporary relevance
- Parents evaluate technological sophistication based partly on digital presence
- Families increasingly rely on social validation and shared experiences when making educational choices
These perception challenges create enrollment headwinds that are difficult to overcome with traditional marketing alone.
Recruitment Challenges in a Digitally Connected World
With social media users projected to reach 6 billion by 2028 (that's nearly 3 out of 4 people worldwide) and social media advertising spending projected to hit $345 billion by 2029, schools must optimize their social media presence. "A 2025 study estimates that social media users will reach 6 billion people by 2028," reports Higher Education Marketing in their latest digital trends analysis. As younger audiences increasingly use platforms like Instagram and TikTok for search purposes, optimizing school social media channels for search becomes essential.
Schools without a social media presence face significant recruitment disadvantages:
- Reduced visibility during initial family research phases
- Fewer opportunities to demonstrate distinctive program elements
- Limited ability to leverage current parent and student advocacy
- Decreased engagement with prospective families between campus visits
- Narrower channels for addressing questions and concerns
These disadvantages compound throughout the recruitment funnel, resulting in fewer inquiries, applications, and ultimately, enrollments.
Community Engagement Differences Between Connected and Disconnected Schools
Beyond recruitment, community engagement metrics show significant differences between schools with and without strategic social media:
- Event attendance typically increases when promotion includes social channels
- Parent volunteering rises when opportunities are highlighted through social content
- Fundraising campaigns achieve broader participation with social components
- Alumni remain more connected to schools maintaining social presence
- School traditions and culture are reinforced through consistent social storytelling
These engagement differences eventually translate to tangible impacts on retention and institutional advancement.
Long-Term Reputational Implications of Digital Absence
Perhaps most concerning are the long-term reputational implications of remaining digitally disconnected:
- Increasing the perception gap between your actual educational excellence and public awareness
- Growing association of digital absence with overall institutional stagnation
- Difficulty attracting forward-thinking faculty and administrators
- Challenges communicating your distinct educational approach to prospective families
- Reduced ability to shape your own narrative in the public sphere
As digital integration continues across all sectors of society, schools maintaining complete digital abstinence risk being perceived as deliberately archaic rather than thoughtfully traditional.
FAQ Section: Social Media for Traditional Schools
How much time does effective school social media management really require?
For most schools, effective social media can be maintained with 5-10 dedicated hours per week, distributed appropriately across team members. This typically involves:
- 2-3 hours for content planning and creation
- 1-2 hours for approval processes and scheduling
- 1-2 hours for community management and engagement
- 1-2 hours for evaluation and strategy adjustment
Schools with more sophisticated strategies or multiple platforms may require additional time, but the incremental increase is rarely proportional to the expanded scope.
What social platforms are most appropriate for educational institutions?
While specific platform recommendations should be based on your target audience demographics and institutional goals, most schools find success beginning with:
- Instagram for visual storytelling and community building
- Facebook for parent communication and event promotion
- LinkedIn for faculty spotlight and upper school/alumni networking
- Twitter for time-sensitive announcements and broader educational conversations
Platform selection should be strategic rather than attempting to maintain a presence everywhere, focusing resources where your specific community already engages.
How can schools protect student privacy while maintaining an online presence?
Effective privacy protection includes:
- Comprehensive media release forms specifically addressing social media
- Clear internal guidelines about identifying information in captions
- Regular review of platforms' changing privacy policies
- Careful consideration of location tagging and check-in features
- Ongoing education for staff about potential privacy pitfalls
With these protections in place, schools can maintain a robust social presence while respecting student privacy.
What is the minimum budget needed for effective school social media?
Basic social media can be implemented with minimal direct costs beyond staff time allocation. Essential budget considerations include:
- Professional development/training for staff managing accounts
- Basic equipment (smartphone with good camera capability)
- Optional premium scheduling tools ($20-100/month)
- Strategic paid promotion for key enrollment content ($500-2,000/year)
While additional investment can accelerate results, effective social media doesn't require significant financial outlay to begin seeing benefits.
How can board members maintain appropriate oversight of social media activities?
Appropriate board oversight typically includes:
- Involvement in initial policy development
- Regular review of high-level metrics rather than individual posts
- Quarterly reports connecting social strategy to institutional goals
- Annual evaluation of ROI and strategy refinement
- Clear escalation procedures for potential issues
This balanced approach keeps board members appropriately informed without micromanaging day-to-day content decisions.
Conclusion
The data is clear: strategic social media adoption offers significant benefits for educational institutions across enrollment, retention, community building, and crisis communication metrics. Yet the key to success isn't jumping headfirst into every platform – it's thoughtful implementation that respects your institutional values while embracing modern communication realities.
For school leaders hesitant about social media, you don't need to make radical changes or compromise your traditional values. Instead, controlled implementation with proper oversight allows your school to maintain its distinctive character while gaining the increasingly essential benefits of direct digital communication with your community.
As you consider your institution's approach to social media, remember that the question is no longer whether to establish a presence but how to do so in a way that aligns with your educational mission, respects your community's expectations, and advances your strategic goals. The schools that will thrive in the coming decade will be those that thoughtfully bridge traditional educational excellence with contemporary communication practices.
Your school's values and educational quality deserve to be visible to current and prospective families alike. Strategic social media offers the opportunity to share your story on your terms – an opportunity increasingly essential in today's educational landscape.
Call to Action
Ready to develop a strategic social media approach for your school? Contact me for a consultation on policy development, implementation planning, and training resources tailored to your institution's specific needs and concerns.
