With a month only a month left until school starts, it’s time to really start thinking about your school, the events happening, and how YOU can get involved.
When families visit the school, they want to meet the principal, the teacher(s), and the support staff who will interact with their children – and for good reason! You, yes, every single one of you, are an important piece and the TRUE selling point of your school. Parents want to meet their child’s teacher(s); they want to really know that they’re leaving their child in good hands for the majority of the day; they want to see your classroom, and visit the spaces you will be teaching their child. If you had a child in school, wouldn’t you want to meet their teacher? Well, our parents are no different.
Even though summer is in full swing, there are still some really exciting ways to get involved with your school, and build recruitment at the same time! Below you’ll find 10 EASY ways to help grow your school.
1– Come to the School During School Events
Right? This one is a no-brainer. But, it’s summer and you’re busy. We understand that. However, most summer events are no longer than 2 hours. No sitter? No worries. Building a school community means being personable. Check with your School Leader ahead of time- perhaps there’s an upcoming event that your family can join in on, too!
2– Share Events with Your Facebook Friends
Does your school have an event coming up? THEN, SHARE IT! That’s right. Go to your school’s Facebook page, find the upcoming event’s post, and share it on your page. Write something like: “I’m so excited to work for such a fun school! Want something fun to do on (DATE)? Come to (TAG YOUR SCHOOL) and join in on the fun!”
3– Check in with Your School’s Social Media Reporter
Are you going somewhere fun with your family, spending time around town or at your home, doing some sort of educational activity (perhaps reading your child a bedtime story)? Then SHARE IT with your reporter! Families love to know that they’re sending their children to a family school full of staff who also love having fun and learning!
4– Write a Welcome, Memory, or a “Can’t Wait To Meet You” Note
Check in with your School Leader to see if there are some new or prospective students you can write to. School leaders have branded note cards that you can utilize to send fun or heartfelt letters to families. And writing letters* will boost your mood – who doesn’t love that fun, nostalgic feeling? *Please note: Fuzzy doodle pen not included.
5– Wear a New Hat- Be a School Tour Guide
Only have an hour to spare? See if your school has any upcoming scheduled tours and join in on the experience. Parents enjoy touring schools, but it’s even more exciting with staff members who can show them the ins and outs of a classroom!
6– Share your Ideas
Do you have a fun recruitment idea that you believe your school should implement? Take the reins and run! What’s quicker than an email? Send your School Leader a quick email of exciting events that you think could make an impact. After all, you know what families in the area would enjoy!
7– Park It
Parks are such a fun place to meet other families and build your school community. Join your School Leader and other staff members, families, and students at a local park. Kids are definitely encouraged to join!
8– Be a School Messenger
There is always a great need for fliers to be delivered around town to various businesses. If you’re trekking the town, pick up a stack of fliers from the school and ask to post them in local businesses. If your school has an event coming up then take an event flier out!
9– Make a Call
Those pending applications are coming in quicker than one would think! Perhaps your School Leader needs some help contacting families and inviting them to the school. Your marketing representative can whip up an interactive script for you to use. Even if you only contact one family and introduce yourself as an educator at the school, that’s a win!
10– Blog!
You read that right! We are always looking to build school blogs, and what better way than to have a fellow educator or staff member share some of their insight? Have a fun lesson you enjoy teaching in your environmental science class? Write about it! Do you take your students on an educational field trip that’s had a lasting imprint on them? Share that story! YOU have experienced the oh so awesome things at your academy first-hand… so SHARE those stories with the rest of the community.
There you have it! 10 EASY and FUN ways to get involved. And if you missed it before, there really is something for everyone in that list. School Leaders, feel free to reach out to your school staff members who you think could take on one of these ideas, make it their own, and really draw some positive community interaction from it.