What does it look like to welcome families into a faithfully Catholic school community? In this episode, Dr. Jaime Madison Vasquez sits down with two Catholic school leaders to explore how mission-driven admissions can form lasting partnerships with families from the very first tour.

Guests

* Tyler Deschamps, Head of School, Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

* John Rocha, Principal, Holy Rosary Academy, Nashville, Tennessee

What We Cover

* How to embed Catholic mission into every stage of the admissions process, from marketing materials to parent questionnaires

* Informal and formal strategies for assessing mission fit during tours, shadow days, and interviews

* The full admissions process step-by-step: inquiry, open house, shadow day, application, and enrollment

* How to onboard new families into the community during the “golden window” between admission and the first day of school

* Go-to phrases and frameworks school leaders use to open families up and communicate what their school is truly about

Chapters

* 00:00: Welcome and Guest Introductions

* 04:02: Communicating Mission Through Marketing and Admissions

* 11:15: Assessing Mission Fit: Formal and Informal Approaches

* 16:32: The Admissions Process Step by Step

* 27:46: Honesty and Discernment in Admissions

* 32:07: Recognizing Families Who Are Ready to Partner

* 40:38: Onboarding New Families into the Community

* 47:51: Lessons from Business and Previous Schools

* 53:00: Celebrating Families at Graduation and Beyond

* 57:35: Go-To Phrases for Admissions Conversations

Q&A

* Is there anything from your time before your current school (Tyler, from business, or John, from Ozark or Western Academy) that you think worked particularly well in the admissions process?

* Do you have any special traditions to mark the end of a family’s journey with your school?

* Do you have a go-to phrase in your conversations with parents during the admissions process that helps open them up or explain your school?

Resources:

* From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age by University of Mary and Monsignor James P. Shea (Amazon, Thriftbooks)

* Niche.com

* Calendly.com

Join the conversation

* Leave a comment and subscribe at familiaris.substack.com

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Paid subscribers gain access to monthly collaborative office hours. Office hours are hosted on Zoom and are not recorded. Pop in to ask a question, get feedback on what you’re working on with families, hear what other leaders are doing in their schools.

Upcoming dates:

* Monday, April 27th at 3pm CST

* Monday, May 11 at 3pm CST

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God bless!

Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios

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