I recently had a powerful coaching conversation with a client school about a typical end-of-year event that is taking place this month. It's an event where lots of current families will be present and learning will be on display. School leaders inherently understood the importance of such an event. It needs to run smoothly, show off the program, and generally "feel good." But they were surprised when I said the event should be looked at as a massive retention opportunity. This prompted a broader conversation about the more general need for a “retention mindset,” and where and how that might be more integrated into school life.
When I say “retention mindset,” I simply mean taking the perspective that every interaction we have is an opportunity to reinforce a family’s decision to be at our school. Internal marketing is another way to think about this, if it’s more comfortable to you in those terms.
Most school leaders naturally are aware of the importance of school gatherings, communications, and day-to-day interactions in making sure that families are having a good experience (translating to retention), but I think many are not taking the next leap in seeing every interaction as a retention opportunity. This is a slight mindset shift that can reap huge rewards. The details are where this comes into play most.
End-of-year events are an ideal time to remind families of the value they are receiving from your school. An event running smoothly is the base level of what’s needed. Aside from that, what are the small touches you can include to share value? For example, perhaps you have student art on display on purpose during end-of-year gatherings. Could you add a student-led gallery walk, explaining the assignments that are on display? Many schools host a “future peek” type of event for families to see what’s coming next year. Could that be followed up by a handwritten note by a teacher for the following year, expressing how excited they are to have the student in their class? Is there an opportunity to celebrate student accomplishments that are mission-aligned for your school, so that families are seeing the “product” they can anticipate as their children grow up at your school? This goes beyond next-school and college placement. These moments are powerful reminders of the value-add families receive by being part of your community.
Classroom newsletters are another great example. Leaders know that they are important and need to be executed well, but are not necessarily thinking of them as retention tools. How could a classroom newsletter be re-thought or slightly tweaked to serve as a stronger retention tool? This could be as simple as including a highlighted area that shares a particularly special moment in the classroom each week. Parents of older children typically lose sight of the day-to-day work of school. Is there a way to integrate more photos of older students with narratives describing their activities as part of regular school communication?
Beyond these specific examples, I encourage you to consider how every event, communication, and interaction is a retention opportunity in that faculty, staff, board members, and other key volunteers are always reflecting your school and what it stands for. A quick moment in the school lobby may not feel like a big deal to you, and you certainly don’t need to awkwardly parade someone through the gym showing off winning banners when all they asked was for a quick calendar reminder on something. However, every moment of connection matters, and the extra few minutes you spend to really connect have an impact.
Retention efforts that focus on the student rather than parents have a slightly different flavor, but the mindset is the same. How can we use seemingly normal moments to remind the student why they are at our school?
This is a school-wide effort and one that may take some time. Start with looking at your year-end traditions. Is there a small change or two you could make? Don’t be afraid to experiment. We are talking about low-stakes, high-impact changes. Let me know what you try!
