Welcome back to Beyond the Tour where twice a month you'll receive practical tips and resources to help you get better at what you do. 

 

Let's get started. 

If You Do One Thing This Week:

1. 📧Inspire, by repurposing content. 

 

When your Head of School or Division Head sends out a really good email, share it with prospective families to give them a sense of how your school communicates, and what's to come.

 

Don't overthink it. It can be as simple as forwarding an email to an individual or to all prospective families as a group, and say something like: 

 

 

 

 

This is a nice opportunity for a relational touchpoint, in this season when their application is complete, and you may not have another reason to be in touch. 

2 Tips to DO MORE:

2.  👏 Create a wait pool, not a wait list.

 

When you are at a point where you need to be selective in admission, create a a matrix for your decision process.  

 

Consider what is most important to the school in each grade: zip code, gender balance, academic and behavioral balance, and more. Use those criteria to rate students according to what would be best for the school, and offer acceptance slots accordingly. 

 

Remember: It's a wait pool, not a wait list.

3. 📋 Learn to love printing nametags. 

 

First name?  

Last name? 

Kids names? 

Grades?

Font sizes?? 

 

Nametags are often the last thing to get printed before an event, and the stress of getting it right may actually result in the harm of certain office printers and professional egos.  Having to decide what goes on the nametag each time you print them creates stress, friction, and decision fatigue.

 

Pro tip: Decide once what content goes on your nametags, and stick with it. “But Miriam, different events have different needs for what we would need on a nametag!” I hear you. 

 

This is a great agenda topic for a summer retreat. Go through your event calendar, and decide what information you need on a nametag for that event. List it on a spreadsheet. Stick with the decision, and never discuss it again.

 

Bonus points: Print the nametags for all existing parents before the start of the school year. For existing parents, create a full sheet of name tags just for them. Each time they’re on campus, they can grab one and go. 

 

You’ll save yourself countless hours and headaches, and keep name tag printing reserved for guests throughout the year.

 

Future you will be grateful.

WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

 

 

 

If this newsletter resonates with you, here are three more ways I can help:

I’m a teacher at heart, and love helping people get better at what they do.

 

Let's get started,