We are excited to bring you this line up of incredible speakers and valuable sessions. Click on the button below to register for the event and to view the agenda in your specific time zone.

Retention Symposium
11:00 AM

Keynote: Director of Retention: A comprehensive approach to student support

Download Slides
Retaining mission-appropriate students is critical to enrollment health. Therefore, as part of a holistic strategy to positively impact student experience, this year Western Reserve Academy piloted a new role, Director of Admission and Retention. Designed to coordinate resources among a multitude of our departments, the DOAR is a member of the enrollment team who serves as a case manager for current students, working in partnership with leaders across the school, ensuring a comprehensive strategy of support. While this program is in its infancy, we look forward to sharing case examples, details regarding the formation of the position, its impact within our community, and lessons learned thus far.

  • Suzanne Walker Buck, Head of School, Western Reserve Academy (OH)
  • Schaeffer Goss Barnhardt, Director of Admission Outreach, Western Reserve Academy (OH)
12:00 PM

Panel: What is the Head of School's Role in Retention?

  • Laurel Baker Tew, Assistant Head for School for Enrollment, VIewpoint School (CA)
  • Kevin Plummer, Head of School, Tampa Prep (FL)
  • Renee DuChainey-Farkes, M.Ed., Educational Leader and former Head of School (NH)

 

1:00 PM

Re-Enrollment and Stewardship: Training Your Community for an Ultra-Marathon

Download Slides

As all businesses know, the cost of customer acquisition far exceeds that of customer retention. For independent schools, the same principle applies. The experience of our students and our families impacts their desire to re-enroll, and in turn, their willingness to be word-of-mouth ambassadors for our schools. The re-enrollment process is an ultramarathon that begins the moment a student steps foot on campus for their first day of school and continues through their graduation day. Your Advancement Team, and your entire community, must have an endurance training mindset as you think about stewardship and re-enrollment. Today's session will look at the importance of a stewardship and retention plan, rooted in regular, consistent, high-quality communications, that will cultivate engaged, happy families who are not only excited to re-enroll the following year, but are eager to engage in other ways to boost enrollment, giving, and internal support.

  • Scott Allenby, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Communications, Proctor Academy (NH)

How to Use Market Research to Create Customer Personas

Download Slides

As schools navigate complex enrollment scenarios and subsequent strategy and planning, understanding the market in which our schools reside is vitally important. Sometimes the market is internal - who are our people? Have they changed over time? And often, the desire is external. Are there kids out there? Where are the people who want what we offer? Have we tapped out the market? Approaching market research can feel daunting, but there are several ways to answer these key questions. 

In this session, we'll examine different types of research to create robust customer personas to support enrollment planning. Participants will leave with concrete ideas to get started on the work, or to enhance and refine the work they are already doing.

  • Dana Nelson-Isaacs, Founder and President, DNI Consulting

Engaging Families and Students Through Five Retention Best Practices

Download Slides
When a family selects a school for their child, they are expecting the school to fulfill a promise (in some cases, several promises). No matter what they may express (explicitly or otherwise), student retention often boils down to whether a family feels their child is seen, known, loved, and challenged at the school. Retaining current students and families is a key driver for sustaining all-school enrollment. In this session, learn how the team at Browning deploys tactical steps to proactively retain families. 

  • Janet Lien, Assistant Head of School, Director of Enrollment , The Browning School (NY)
2:00 PM

Latest Data from EMA / NBOA / NAIS: Cost to Enroll & State of the Enrollment Industry Survey Findings

Download Slides

The Enrollment Management Association (EMA), The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), and the National Business Officers Association (NBOA) surveyed member-school admissions leaders to learn more about the costs related to admissions and marketing in their schools. Join us and learn how you can strengthen your enrollment management strategy with new study research. How much “investment” does it take to raise a dollar of tuition? What is the value of an enrollment inquiry? Are there variances among types of schools in terms of what should be invested in order to enroll a class of new students? Join this session and find out!

  • Hans Mundahl, Senior Director of Professional Development, EMA (NJ)

Retention: Not a one-size fits all approach

Retention Master List Template

​​​​​​This session will examine different approaches to the creation of a Retention Team and the pros and cons associated with each design. It will provide easy-to-implement tactics designed to increase retention and also delve into how to create schoolwide buy-in to limit whole-school and regrettable attrition. 

  • David Darby, Assistant Head: Enrolment Management, Lakefield College School (ON)
  • Jessica Hart, Associate Director of Admissions, Lakefield College School (ON)

Can't Knock The Hustle: Proactive Internal and External Strategies for Enrollment Success

Download Slides

How do you maximize the strategy of re-enrollment to benefit and secure your retention efforts? Hear how the Boston Archdiocese implemented strategic initiatives to proactively create a smooth enrollment process.

  • Dan Griffin, St. Mary's School (MA)
  • Christine Nadjarian, St. Mary's School (MA)