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Partnering with Families Through the Admissions Process

Familiaris Podcast for Catholic School Leaders

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 * Become a paid subscriber at familiaris.substack.com/subscribe 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 Visit familiaris-consulting.com to learn more about consulting, workshops, and speaking engagements God bless! Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios To receive new Familiaris posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Familiaris at familiaris.substack.com/subscribe