Independent schools have long relied on broad preschool visits to build their pipelines, but those “drop-off” touches often lack depth. This session introduces a more strategic, relationship-centered approach to student recruitment that works across regions and school types, while allowing each school to stay true to its authentic self. The key is discovering what your ideal parent values, who influences them, and which spaces they already inhabit - then meeting them there. We’ll explore a four-part framework (positioning, partnerships, press, and public speaking), that helps admissions teams build fewer but deeper relationships with feeder schools and community organizations. Examples range from Montessori schools partnering with yoga studios or local parenting podcasts to all-boys schools hosting sports clinics or touch-a-truck events. Strategies also include offering parent education workshops, writing helpful niche content, engaging local parent groups, and cultivating preschool directors through meaningful, ongoing touchpoints. Attendees will leave with practical outreach ideas and a replicable framework for creating authentic visibility, building trusted partnerships, and attracting mission-aligned families, beyond the traditional preschool drop-off model.

Speaker:

• Kirsten Horton, Assistant Director of Admissions for Lower School, St. David's School (NC)