In the independent school world, building an inclusive, socio-economically diverse community means more than just offsetting tuition costs with financial aid. Especially within a largely affluent school community, families receiving financial assistance can sometimes feel inferior and invisible, even if the school has the very best of intentions. How can school administrators ensure that families receiving aid are fully seen, and that their unique concerns and experiences are recognized, acknowledged, and addressed? In this joint presentation, Matt Kessler, Director of Enrollment Management at the Park School in Brookline, MA, and Elisha Meyer, a current Park parent and recipient of financial aid, will share how they have leveraged the school-family partnership to support financial aid recipients from the top of the admission funnel all the way through graduation through opportunities including affinity spaces, application evenings, and parent education. Participants will leave the session with creative new strategies to engage and support families in ways that both maintain the application of a consistent, need-based methodology and builds empathy for the realities of families receiving aid at independent schools.