Early Childhood Recruit ‘em and Retain ‘emocs.archchicago.org/Portals/23/2017-03-14 AMEN...
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Early Childhood Recruit ‘em and Retain ‘em Presented by: Juana Graber, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates IV and V Noreen Walton-Valle, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariate II Julie Ramski, Director of Early Childhood Education Paul Kirk, Principal, St John Vianney School Leticia Isais, Marketing Coordinator, St John Vianney School March 14, 2017
Transcript of Early Childhood Recruit ‘em and Retain ‘emocs.archchicago.org/Portals/23/2017-03-14 AMEN...
Early ChildhoodRecruit ‘em and Retain ‘em
Presented by:
Juana Graber, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates IV and V
Noreen Walton-Valle, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariate II
Julie Ramski, Director of Early Childhood Education
Paul Kirk, Principal, St John Vianney School
Leticia Isais, Marketing Coordinator, St John Vianney School
March 14, 2017
Sharing what works from outside experts
and internal success stories
2Source: Edelman
Keeping you up to date on:
• Current topics
• Helpful hints
• Spotlight on
success stories
• Reminders
Enrollment Management Newsletter
Subscribe to the monthly
newsletter to stay in the loop:
bit.ly/EM-Newsletter
3Source: Edelman
The (OCS Resource) Portal: bit.ly/OCSResourcePortal
• Kurt Lewis, Enrollment Marketing Director, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariate [email protected]
• Juana Graber, Associate Director for Hispanic OutreachEnrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates 4 and [email protected]
• Felicia Horton, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates 3 and [email protected]
• Noreen Walton-Valle, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariate [email protected]
Meet Your…
Enrollment Marketing Team
5Source: Edelman
Send us your newsworthy stories:
• Anne Maselli: Director, [email protected]
• Yasmin Quiroz: Marketing Assistant,
Communications and Marketing Team
6Source: Edelman
Enrollment Marketing Services
The OCS Enrollment Marketing Team is happy to provide the following
services to your school:
Comprehensive Enrollment Management Diagnostic
Development of Enrollment Marketing Management Plan
Ongoing support for your Enrollment Management/Marketing Team
Consultations or presentations on Enrollment Management topics:
Training and support for Parent Ambassadors
Customer Service training and support for your Faculty and Staff
Strategies to improve Retention
7Source: Edelman
OUR GOAL
MORE KIDS IN GREAT CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
This is ultimately your job… but where do you start?
8Source: Edelman
Marketing
Building interest inenrolling in the schools
New Family Sales
Getting newfamilies to enroll
Retention Sales
Getting existingfamilies to re-enroll
Enrollment Management Framework
9Source: Edelman
• Early childhood numbers have been consistently rising across the system
• Parents looking for affordable/excellent option for childcare – early childhood is entry level
• Retention is key
Catholic Early Childhood Education Marketing
Julie RamskiDirector of Early Childhood Education,
Archdiocese of Chicago, Office of Catholic Schools
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Why is Early Childhood Education Important to Catholic Schools?
In the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic School System, preschool and kindergarten account for 25% of the elementary school enrollment.
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What is Early Childhood Education in a Catholic School?
• The preschool programs of the Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic schools serve children who are 3 and/or 4 years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year.
• Kindergarten
• Two-year old programs?
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Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
The Importance of Spiritual Development
• Faith permeates the whole school environment
• Young people involved in faith communities are more likely to
feel supported, valued, and empowered than those not .
• Young people develop a sense of purpose, helping them
understand that their actions are important.
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Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
Seamless Learning Continuum of a PreK-12 System
• Early childhood programs are valued as integral to the
elementary school
• Principles and practices of high quality ECE are viewed as the
foundation of the school community
• Early Childhood Education is advocated and celebrated
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Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
Program Quality Ensured
• Qualified Staff; Engage in professional development
• EC Program meets state requirements
• Curriculum is researched-based and aligned to early learning standards
• Assessment is integrated with curriculum, informs instructions and is
communicated to families
• Program evaluation is conducted annually
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Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
Environment
• Developmentally Appropriate classroom and materials
• Safe, secure, clean
• Groups size & ratio requirements maintained
• Schedule provides a balance of activities
• Classroom well-managed; children well-supervised
• Children engaged, confident, comfortable
Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
School is Part of a Community
School builds relationships with parish, neighborhood and
community organizations and agencies
Families are connected with resources
Children are taught, through service, that their school and
neighborhood are communities for which they have responsibility
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Why Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a DifferenceWhy Catholic Early Childhood Education Makes a Difference
Family & School Partnership
• Parents are welcomed and supported
• Diversity, cultural & ethnic backgrounds and languages are
accepted and fostered
• Communication with families is ongoing
• Opportunities for families to participate
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Julie Ramski
Director of Early Childhood Education
Office of Catholic Schools
Archdiocese of Chicago
312-534-3868
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• Know, Meet and Beat the Competition: Branding
• Generate Leads: Recruitment
• Engage Pre-K and K Families: Communication
Early Childhood Marketing Best Practices
• Ask parents on your marketing team to call local early childhood centers - gather data regarding, hours, prices, programming, deliverables.
• Create analysis - What do these programs offer? How much do they charge?
• Honestly assess how your early childhood program compares with the competition - identify areas of strengths and weaknesses.
Know the Competition
Know the Competition (Know Thyself First)
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• Get to know leader of early childhood centers in your area and invite him/her to tour your school or attend some of your ongoing events.
• Be clear that you are not trying to “steal” their current families.
• Create materials that focus on 1st-8th grade programs to use at EC centers - much more likely to take materials if not seen as direct competition.
• Create partnership - How can you help them?
Meet the Competition
• Develop your own unique Value Proposition specifically about your EC programs
• Can you and your staff speak to what makes your EC program special?
• Put it in writing and consider creating a brochure specifically for EC
Beat the Competition
Early Childhood Curriculum Guide
• Ask your parish office to share names and addresses of those who have been baptized in the past 5 years and new ones; create a database with their contact info
• Send a birthday card each year to children who have been baptized in your parish
• Find your neighborhood parent organizations to partner for events – e.g. NPN (Neighborhood Parent Network)
Generate Leads
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Baptism Cards
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Baptism (Prospective Student) Gift
• Playgroups are a great way for a family to get to know your school - be sure to have EC teachers visit the group and meet the parents and kids e.g. Moms and Tots
• Once families are enrolled in the playgroup, they will have the chance to learn more about your school and hopefully enroll in your Pre-K or K program
• Open House specifically aimed at Pre-K/K parents or invite to age-appropriate events e.g. speaker on discipline
• Event happening in your community that you can sponsoror partner? If not, host your own.
Generate Leads
Early Childhood Open Houses
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Parent – Tot Programs
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Parent – Tot Programs
Targeted Early Childhood Outreach
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Map with clear directions and parking
Targeted Early Childhood Outreach
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• Make parents feel welcome and appreciated from the start of the school year.
• Invite parents to join committees, team, Parent Ambassadors; be careful to invite, not overwhelm
• The more engaged the parent, more likely they are to stay – make them feel welcomed, like they are a part of your school’s “family”
• Personally invite parents to events and activities
• Buddy system with “veteran” parents and new Pre-K parents
• Host social activities for parents to get to know one another
Engage Pre-K and K Families
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Welcome Kindergarten Letter
• Weekly newsletters have a role, but do we want to rely on parents
reading them for all communication? Ditto for online postings
• Email photos of first day before first day ends so they see the kids they
left weeping 2 hours ago having a great time. Weekly photos taken in
the classroom; ask parents to share photos with friends and family.
• At least once – if not more – someone should have a personal
interaction with parents outside of just a scheduled parent/teacher
conference.
• Periodic calls or notes from teachers (1-4 per year) about a specific
student’s accomplishment; usually they just hear from us when there’s a
problem.
• Periodic Open Houses for current families or activities that include
parents.
Maintain a High Level of Communication
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Classroom News
• Are you aware of your current early childhood retention levels? If so,
what are they? Are they improving? Declining?
• What are the top reasons families leave after Pre-K /K? Is there
anything we can do to combat this?
• What are some of the ways that your Pre-K/K program goes above and
beyond to provide an outstanding customer service experience for your
parents?
• How does your school engage parents of Pre –K/K students?
• How are you communicating across grade levels? For example, do
parents of younger children know what’s happening in the Junior High?
• What are some ideas to improve communications within the school?
NEXT: Focus on Retention
Paul KirkPrincipal, [email protected]
Leticia Isais Marketing Coordinator, [email protected]
St. John Vianney School, Northlake, IL
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St. John Vianney School
TEDDY BEAR PARTY
Send out flyer at least two weeks in advance
Promote on Social Media and principals weekly newsletter. (ex. Facebook)
Teddy Bear Party
We have parents invite a friend not enrolled in the school.
We have different activities for the children to make it fun.
The Early Childhood teachers are present and help with this event. (PreK-1st Grade.
Our principal reads them a story.
Happenings at SJV
Boo-Hoo YahooBack to School BBQDaddy Daughter DanceYoung Rembrandts ArtChildren’s ChoirField TripsWacky WednesdayReaders & LeadersPom Poms
SJV Marketing Materials
SJV Marketing Materials
• Right now - analysis and Early Childhood Value Proposition
• Plan summer activities that will appeal to families
• Create cadre of “EC parents” to help promote in the summer - they will be attending many BBQ’s and birthday parties this summer
• Start preparing for next year
It’s already March - What now?
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QUESTIONS?
Month Topic Date
September Developing a Parent Ambassador Program Tuesday,
September 13
November Hosting a Great Open House Tuesday,
November 15
December Preparing for Catholic Schools Week and
Retention Events
Tuesday,
December 13
January Communications and Media Tuesday,
January 17
March Early Childhood Marketing Tuesday,
March 14
April Marketing in a Changing Neighborhood Tuesday,
April 18
May Summer Marketing Strategies Tuesday,
May 16
WEBINARS: 12pm - 1pm
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THANK YOU!
Juana Graber
Julie Ramski
Noreen Walton-Valle
