| It is time to begin recruiting for the fall of 2011. | | | | establish milestones. The milestones will help |
| When school starts enrollment is closed. Sure, | | | | determine if the plan is working and avoid an |
| almost every school in the country will accept one | | | | unpleasant surprise or disappointment at the end. |
| more student at any time but the recruiting has | | | | Establishing milestones is less scientific than goal |
| ended. Spending time trying to increase this year's | | | | setting. The initial milestone might be one set to |
| enrollment is suboptimal. The optimal choice is to | | | | provide confidence to you or your team that the |
| begin recruiting for next fall on the first day of | | | | plan is working. The next milestone might |
| the current school year. | | | | demonstrate that the plan is becoming more |
| In late winter and early spring, families begin to | | | | effective or efficient. The following milestone |
| think about changing schools, enrolling their children | | | | might confirm that the final goal is achievable. One |
| in kindergarten or as freshmen, and moving to a | | | | of the milestones might provide predictive |
| new home. Why wait until then to start the | | | | information for the budget process or scholarship |
| recruiting process? Why do you want to be one | | | | planning. The number of milestones and the |
| of dozens of voice clamoring for attention? | | | | reason for them is entirely up to you. |
| Besides the current families, who could be your | | | | Next Steps: |
| best referral sources? If the parochial school helps | | | | - Identify your best referral sources |
| to build character, it might be those involved in | | | | - Develop a plan to cultivate the referrals |
| juvenile justice (family practice lawyers, judges, | | | | - Set a goal for fall 2011 enrollment with periodic |
| truant offices, local churches of all denominations, | | | | milestones (December 1st, February 1st, June 1st |
| etc.). If the Christian school helps students break | | | | for instance) |
| the cycle of poverty, it might be the local | | | | - Communicate your goal to everyone (parents, |
| nonprofits and state agencies that help families. | | | | board, donors, referral sources, and the |
| All of the referral sources (families, agencies, etc.) | | | | community) and share with them what they can |
| are busy. At this moment, few of them thinks | | | | do to help and why the students and community |
| they have time or a need to talk with a school | | | | will benefit from success. |
| representative. Before you contact anyone, you | | | | People want other people to succeed. Sharing |
| need to research them (internet, friends, | | | | your goal with everyone will increase your level of |
| newspaper articles, etc.). You need to find a gift | | | | support. It confirms that there is a future for the |
| you can take them. The research will tell you | | | | school. It provides a concrete way for people to |
| want gift is most important. (The gift - What do | | | | help you and the mission. |
| you know or what can your school offer that will | | | | Naturally, communicating the success of each |
| help them be more successful?) | | | | milestone is also important. It provides tangible |
| The gift must be one you can give them during | | | | evidence that the plan is working and is realistic. |
| the meeting. It must be an unconditional gift. A | | | | Each time success occurs, more people will |
| simple gift is fine. If motivating youth is important | | | | engage. Everyone likes to be part of a success |
| to them then share an article from the internet | | | | and feel that he or she contributed to it. |
| on how to motivate youth. If it is an article you | | | | What affect would it have on everyone's |
| have written, it is all better. | | | | confidence if 90% of the enrollment goal is |
| Every plan needs a goal. Without a goal, it is | | | | achieved before spring recruiting begins? If that |
| impossible to know if there is success. | | | | occurs, it will lower the student attrition rate. The |
| Realistic goal setting is possible. | | | | fence-sitting families will have a reason to |
| - The first step is to determine the number of | | | | reconsider their decision. |
| students needed next year to match this year's | | | | The process works. There are schools in almost |
| enrollment. Most schools know what their | | | | every market that reach their enrollment goals |
| retention rate is for students. They may be | | | | before graduation. |
| unable to predict which student will enroll but they | | | | It is a process that gives you control of |
| can predict how many will leave without isolating | | | | enrollment. It eliminates the need to be concerned |
| the causes (dissatisfaction, economic hardship, | | | | about the economy, demographic shifts, birth |
| moving, graduation, etc.). | | | | rates or other external factors. The process |
| - The next step is to determine the number of | | | | works in a poor economy at inner city schools as |
| student that are needed to create comfortable | | | | well as rural and suburban schools. Some years it |
| growth for the school. | | | | takes more effort than other years. |
| - The final step is to add the two preceding | | | | Growing enrollment is a strong indicator of |
| numbers together. The sum is the goal. | | | | sustainability. |
| Now that one has the goal, it is possible to | | | | |