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Alive & Well: Mantras from the Field
The document emphasizes the importance of a well-executed academic program aligned with the school’s mission and the necessity of a strong governing body. It stresses the value of personalized enrollment management, faculty engagement, and effective marketing to enhance the school’s reputation and increase enrollment. Collaboration and resource maximization, including leveraging alumni networks, are highlighted as crucial strategies for school advancement.
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Alive & Well: Mantras from the Field
- 1. Peter Gow [email_address]Alive & Well: Mantras from the Field
- 2. The core strengthof the school must be a dynamic and well-executed academic program that explicitly reflects the mission
- 3. Developing a smart,skilled governing body is the most important thing a school must do
- 4. You can’t beall things to all people, but know who you are , and for whom
- 5. Strategic vision andbranding are complementary and go hand in hand; the strength of one underscores the power of the other
- 6. Enrollment management ispersonal; go “high touch,” get families on your campus, connect with your community
- 7. Treat adults—especially yourfaculty—like grownups
- 8. Strengthen advancement functions.Admission, development, and communications are more important than ever
- 9. Teachers are yourfront-line marketing force; help them to do their very best—as if their jobs depended on it!
- 10. The last thingfamilies want to give up is the education of their children at your school; help them stay
- 11. Use your nationalresources; a strong, far-flung alumni/ae base can be a powerful asset even to a “local” school
- 12. Marketing is nota dirty word, and advancing your school’s name and reputation is the only way to expand your base of potential customers
- 13. Take care ofyour campus; “Green” is not just a color or a fad
- 14. It may notbe in The Plan, but when an extraordinary opportunity knocks, don’t ignore it
- 15. Maximize the revenuestream from new sources
- 16. Don’t be afraidto collaborate; we’re all in this together
- 17. See the NAISSustainable Schools for the 21st Century website for more resources: http://www.nais.org/sustainable/index.cfm?ItemNumber=147756
- 18.
Editor's Notes
- #2 For titles and subtitles each word capitalized except articles and prepositions and conjunctions for four or fewer letters. Title and subtitle text appears black on clear/white backgrounds.
- #3 --IF YOU’RE NOT A GOOD SCHOOL—WITH A STRONG FACULTY, ENGAGING AND HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS, EXCITING EXTRACURRICULARS, AND A POSITIVE, WARM COMMUNITY—YOU’RE NOT GONNA BE A SCHOOL AT ALL --UNDERSTAND YOUR MISSION, AND UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR CONSTITUENTS DO, TOO --LOOK AFTER YOUR PROGRAMS—DON’T REST ON YOUR LAURELS, DON’T ASSUME YOU’RE OFFERING THE BEST EDUCATION IN TOWN, THAT YOUR EXPERIENCED AND WELL-PAID FACULTY ARE UNTOUCHABLE --LEVERAGE RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY (THIS BUILDS CONNECTIONS, TOO) --INVEST IN R&D: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INTERNAL RESEARCH, COMMUNITY SURVEYS --WHEN YOU SUSPECT YOU HAVE A DEFICIT OR A PROBLEM, YOU PROBABLY DO—FIX IT!
- #4 --DO YOU KNOW WHO YOUR NEXT BOARD CHAIR AFTER THE NEXT BOARD CHAIR WILL BE? --THE COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BODY IN THE SCHOOL—IDENTIFYING, VETTING, AND RECRUITING TRUSTEES IS A CRITICAL FUNCTION OF SCHOOL SUSTAINABILITY --BOARD ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL—THEY NEED TO KNOW THE SCHOOL, KNOW THE STRATEGIC GOALS, UNDERSTAND THE BRAND, AND ABOVE ALL KNOW THEIR ROLE --DON’T LET OLD BLOOD IMPEDE CHANGE OR GO STALE, AND DON’T LET NEW BLOOD STEER THE SHIP OFF COURSE
- #5 --MANY SCHOOLS—PARTICULARLY “ONLY SHOWS IN TOWN”—TEMPTED TO KEEP MATCHING PROGRAMS WITH COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PAROCHIAL RIVALS (LET’S ADD ANOTHER THREE AP CLASSES OR A BOWLING TEAM OR …) --KNOW WHAT YOU DO BEST—TAKE SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT CORE EXPERIENCES AND VALUES THAT REALLY DIFFERENTIATE YOUR SCHOOL --IF YOU REALLY CAN’T SERVE A KID OR MEET A FAMILY’S EXPECTATIONS, BE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO SAY SO --FILLING DESKS WITH KIDS YOU CAN’T SERVE WILL—OR ANYTHING THAT COULD DEVALUE YOUR BRAND—WILL TAKE YEARS TO REPAIR ‘ --BUILD ON THOSE FUNCTIONS IN A DELIBERATE, MEANINGFUL WAY --THEN MAKE SURE THE WORLD KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO
- #6 --YOUR BRAND IS THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOUR SCHOOL OFFERS STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS (YES!)—AND THE MENTAL/EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT OTHERS HAVE WHEN THEY HEAR OR THINK ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL --THINK OF YOUR BRAND AS A KIND OF A TRUTH, A SET OF KNOWNS FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS, THAT PEOPLE CARRY AROUND IN THEIR HEADS AND HEARTS --TO SUSTAIN THE TRUTH OF THAT BRAND, YOUR STRATEGIC VISION MUST STRENGTHEN THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOUR SCHOOL IS KNOWN AND EXPECTED TO OFFER --DON’T FORGET THIS!
- #7 -- SHOW, DON’T TELL !--AUTHENTIC VISITING EXPERIENCE PLAYS BETTER THAN CANNED EVENTS—DO YOUR OPEN HOUSES WHEN SCHOOL IS HAPPENING --DON’T FORGET TO ASK FAMILIES ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR SCHOOL AND ITS MISSION --USE AND EDUCATE YOUR FACULTY IN THE ADMISSION PROCESS—INTERVIEWERS, READERS --WHEREVER LEADERS OR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SCHOOL (PARENTS, STUDENTS, FACULTY, ALUMS) ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, SEE THIS AS A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY
- #8 --DON’T KEEP SECRETS; BUT DON’T TRUMPET TROUBLE UNTIL YOU HAVE TO (BUT WHEN YOU HAVE TO, DO) --ASSUME THAT FAMILIES AND FACULTY ARE COMPETENT TO UNDERSTAND FINANCES; SHARE THESE (YOUR 990 IS PUBLIC RECORD, ANYHOW) --GROWN-UPS KNOW THAT IT’S CRITICAL TO HELP KIDS FEEL SECURE—PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO DO THIS WELL
- #9 --REVIEW CURRENT PRACTICE AND MATERIALS—ARE YOU WORKING SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER DIGITAL RESOURCES HARD ENOUGH --LOOK AT STRATEGIES TO BUILD LONG-RANGE POTENTIAL; BIG DONORS WERE ONCE LITTLE DONORS --CAN YOU PROVIDE ALL THE WARM SERVICE TO APPLICANT FAMILIES THAT YOU WANT AND NEED TO --HIGH-TOUCH WORKS IN ALL DEVELOPMENT AREAS—IT’S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS --DONORS IN THE 21 ST -CENTURY WANT TO MAKE THEIR SUPPORT MEANINGFUL—LOOK AT CORE VALUES AS WELL AS CORE PROGRAMS TO HELP CREATE OPPORTUNITIES --STRENGTHEN DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN ADD TO, INCIDENTALLY --IS YOUR SCHOOL FUN TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH?
- #10 --YOUR TEACHERS HAVE DAILY CONTACT WITH CUSTOMERS, ALL DAY --THEIR HAPPINESS MATTERS, BUT SO DOES THEIR TALENT, ENTHUSIASM, AND PROFESSIONALISM --PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SHOULD BE A PRIORITY --AVERT FACULTY—PARENT SCHISMS SHOULD YOU SEE THEM; DON’T LET TOXICITY SPREAD --IT’S OKAY TO REMIND FACULTY THAT THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK IS A POCKETBOOK ISSUE (BUT DON’T DO THIS TOO SHARPLY WHEN YOU’RE IN A ROUGH PATCH)
- #11 --FINANCIAL AID AND TUITION-REMISSION STRATEGIES CAN BE CRUCIAL IN KEEPING THE SCHOOL FULL AND YOUR FAMILIES COMFORTABLE --BUT TRY TO AVOID LOCKING YOURSELF INTO LONG-TERM COMMITMENTS THAT MAY BE UNSUSTAINABLE (THE KIDS YOU HAVE SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST PRIORITY) --BE SMART ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL MODELING—CHECK OUT JIM PUGH’S MOODY’S-APPROVED “FINANCIAL POSITION SURVEY”
- #12 --WITH CURRENT SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE ARE NO “FAR-FLUNG” ALUMS—USE THESE MEDIA TO SHRINK DISTANCE --TREAT THE ONES YOU MEET WITH THIS WEEK NOT AS LONG-LOST COUSINS BUT AS NEIGHBORS WHO ARE AS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE SCHOOL AS THOSE WHO LIVE NEXT DOOR—PLAY SERIOUS COMMUNICATIONS CATCH-UP IF YOU HAVE TO --AS YOUR BRAND STRENGTHENS IN THEIR MINDS, THEY STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES --CELEBRATE EVERY STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, OLYMPIAN, WRITER, FILMMAKER, PHILANTHROPIST, SCOUNDREL IMMEDIATELY AND ASSERTIVELY --CULTURE OF SUPPPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY—THEY MAY HAVE LEFT, BUT GIVING TO YOU IS A WAY OF BUILDING OR REBUILDING THE HOMELAND --A NATIONAL REPUTATION IS NOT SUCH A BAD THING; WHY LET ANDOVER AND EXETER HAVE THE MARKET TO THEMSELVES
- #13 --GET OVER THE IDEA THAT MARKETING AND EVEN ADVERTISING ARE INFRA DIG—AND HELP YOUR FACULTY GET OVER THIS, TOO, IF YOU NEED TO --COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND COMMUNITY PRESENCE CAN BE A HUGE FACTOR IN BRINGING IN NEW FAMILIES --USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO EXPAND YOUR PRESENCE --A LITTLE RESEARCH MIGHT BE A DANGEROUS THING, BUT SOME SERIOUS RESEARCH INTO HOW YOUR SCHOOL AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS IN GENERAL ARE PERCEIVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY MIGHT YIELD SOME VERY USEFUL RESULTS—AND THEN BEGIN A COUNTERCAMPAIGN
- #14 --GREEN PRACTICES SAVE MONEY—IN OPERATIONS, PURCHASING, CONSTRUCTION --TAKE A DELIBERATE, SYSTEMS APPROACH TO ANALYSIS AND IMPLEMENTATION --CONSIDER THE VALUES BENEFITS—”WALKING THE WALK” --CONSIDER THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES OF A GREEN CAMPUS AND GREEN PRACTICE
- #15 --BEWARE OF THE “TYRANNY OF GOOD IDEAS” AND THEIR ABILITY TO DISTRACT FROM CLEAR STRATEGIC THINKING -- BUT WHEN SOMETHING AMAZING SHOWS UP—IF IT SUITS THE MISSION, IS AFFORDABLE, AND COULD ADVANCE THE SCHOOL, INVESTIGATE LONG AND HARD, AND BE WILLING TO GATHER THE SUPPORT TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
- #16 --ARE YOU LEVERAGING YOUR FACILITIES AND THE TALENTS OF YOUR FACULTY AND STUDENTS TO THE MAX? --ASK THE ENTREPRENEURS IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO THINK ABOUT THIS --IGNORING THIS IS NOT AN OPTION --IF YOU CAN BUILD SYNERGY (ACADEMIC SUMMER PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE), ALL THE BETTER
- #17 --COLLABORATE AND COMMUNICATE WITH EVEN YOUR CLOSEST RIVALS TO BUILD BRAND AND LOCAL-INDUSTRY UNDERSTANDING OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND WHAT THEY OFFER --HONESTY IS A GOOD POLICY --USE YOUR REGIONAL ASSOCIATION, YOUR LOCAL “HEADS’ CULB,” AND YOUR NAIS REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE—YOU’RE NOT ALONE --IF YOU CAN MANAGE COOPERATIVE PURCHASING OR OTHER BUSINESS FUNCTIONS, DO IT --WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO A NEIGHBOR, DON’T DANCE ON THEIR GRAVE (THEY MAY HAVE A TOYOTA, BUT EVERYONE’S GOTTA DRIVE A CAR)
- #19 For titles and subtitles each word capitalized except articles and prepositions and conjunctions for four or fewer letters. Title and subtitle text appears black on clear/white backgrounds.