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 1klewis@archchicago.org

• Juana Graber, Associate Director for Hispanic OutreachEnrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates 4 and 5jgraber@archchicago.org

• Felicia Horton, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariates 3 and 6fhorton@archchicago.org

• Noreen Walton-Valle, Enrollment Marketing Manager, Vicariate 2nwalton@archchicago.org

Meet Your…

Enrollment Marketing Team

5Source: Edelman

Send us your newsworthy stories:

• Anne Maselli: Director, amaselli@archchicago.org

• Yasmin Quiroz: Marketing Assistant,

schoolmarketing@archchicago.org

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

jramski@archchicago.org

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, kirk@sjvsonline.org

Leticia Isais Marketing Coordinator, isais@sjvsonline.org

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

jgraber@archchicago.org

Julie Ramski

jramski@archchicago.org

Noreen Walton-Valle

nwalton@archchicago.org