Launching and sustaining a Professional Development School (PDS) is nothing short of a journey into new, often uncharted, territories. There are literally new environments to explore and new relationships to build. After a year of investigating the work of university faculty assigned to five PDS sites, sociological theories of acculturation emerged as foundational to starting a new university-school relationship as well as sustaining current relationships during leadership transitions. Evidence is presented from qualitative data analysis of faculty and school personnel and will be presented for those new to PDS work and others finding themselves amid change.