Meeting 3

Topic: Marketing & Enrollment

At this meeting, we visited Bethany Lutheran School in Naperville.
What type of marketing tools do you use to increase enrollment?  Here are some ideas from those directors who attended the meeting December 1:

-Set up "public relations boards" (using display boards) to highlight what is going on in each of the grade level classrooms.
-CONSIDER EVERY SPECIAL EVENT AN OPEN HOUSE EVENT!
-Keep your staff informed when tours are being taken and "coach" them beforehand so they know what to say to the new families on the tour. 
-SIGN! SIGN! EVERYWHERE A SIGN, SIGN! It is important to make sure that the signs publicizing your school are visible. If you are able to change your sign, keep it up-to-date and continuously post information to keep people interested. 
-Signicade Information: http://www.plasticade.com/sign_frames/signicade/
-If your school cannot be easily seen, think of creative ways to get your name and location out in the community. When attending Open Houses/Library Fairs, put a picture of your school on the display board so people know what the building looks like.
-Ask your local grocery store if you can set up a table and pass out a box of sidewalk chalk to young families as they leave the store. Personalize the box of chalk with your school's information.
-Get to know the public school screening people in your district. Sometimes they allow private schools to distribute brochures at the screening events for families whose children do not qualify for the free preschool programs.
-Look into the option of having subsidized families attend your school: http://www.inccrra.org/
-Call your local Barnes & Nobel. They will host an "open house" at their store as a community outreach tool.  Preschool staff will read books to families as they enter Barnes & Nobel. You can even set up a craft center as well! Encourage current school families to attend as well.
-Attend preschool fairs/open houses at the local libraries
-Put together a staff newsletter which tells a little bit about each staff person and a few special activities those teachers complete in their classroom.  Send this letter out to church families with children who do not attend your school.