Developing an Annual Event Calendar

1. Developing an Annual Event Calendar

3. Events

4. Events An event is any and all opportunities to share your school with someone else. • P.T.L. Dine Out Night • Booster Club Athletic Banquet • National Young Readers Week • National Lutheran Schools Week • Home Games • Pastor Appreciation and Day Care Director Luncheons • Teacher Appreciation Week

5. Events • What is the goal for each event? • How many events per year? • How often should you host events? • Who is the event designed for?

6. Events • What is the goal for each event? • Informational • Open House • Open Enrollment Night • Fellowship • Welcome Back Ice Cream Social • Fundraising • Dine Out Night • Spring Auction • Spiritual Support • Prayer Tree

7. Events • How many events will you have this school year? • Dependant upon • Environment • Facilities • Flexibility in scheduling • Budget • Your Marketing Plan and Goals • How long you have been an Admissions Counselor • How many hours are dedicated towards being an Admissions Counselor

8. Events • How often will you host events? • Weekly • Chapel • Monthly • E-newsletters • Quarterly • Open Houses • Bi-Annually • Open Houses • Annually • Grandparents and Special Friends Day

9. Events • Who are the events geared toward? • Early Childhood • Kindergarten Step Up Day • Elementary • Middle School Step Up Night • Middle School • High School Fair • Family & Friends • Fall Festival • Faculty/Staff • Welcome Back Week • Teachers Breakfast • Community • Hurricane Preparedness Event

10. Events It’s important that your event be clearly defined! • Participants need to leave knowing why they were there to begin with. • Participants need to with the impression that the event was well planned.

11. Planning

12. Planning • Planning Partners • Principal • Teachers • Volunteers • Documentation • Keep track of what you are doing as you go • Advice • If this is the first time event…ask the other Admissions Counselors for help!

13. Prep Calendar

14. Time Lines • Begin at the End! • Working backwards from the deadline helps you have a more accurate and time effective plan. • Review notes from last year. • Add to-do-list to working calendar

15. First Draft

16. Second Draft

17. Time Lines • Calendar management options • Outlook Express • Google Calendar • Pen & Paper • Handheld devices • Blackberry • i-Phone • PDA

18. Outlook Express • Advantages • User friendly • Available on most computers • Reminder functions • Multiple Calendars in one place

19. Outlook Express • Disadvantages • Your computer has to on and open for reminders • Does not interface with all handheld devices

20. Google Calendar • Advantages • available on any computer • Invite function • Reminders come to your e-mail • Free Tool

21. Google Calendar • Disadvantages • Multiple steps for data entry

22. Pen & Paper • Advantages • No data loss • Great for visual learners

23. Pen & Paper • Disadvantages • Not as readily available as web based options

24. Handheld devices • Advantages • Information is readily available • Can be backed up to prevent data loss • Data can be shared from one device to another • Internet

25. Handheld devices • Disadvantages • Not all devices can be synced • Corporate Package may be required • Can be cost prohibitive • Device • Monthly service plan

26. Get the Word Out

27. Get The Word Out • Internal and External Website • Gracelcms.com • Gracelutheraneagles.org • Home Page • Classroom Pages

28. Get The Word Out • Community Websites • Local Newspapers • Local TV Stations • Local Radio Stations • Family/Kids Event Sites

29. Get The Word Out • e-Newsletters • Monthly updates • Bragging Rights • Constant Contact • Word • Print Shop • Publisher

30. Get The Word Out • Principal Monthly Newsletter • Ours is electronic and available as a download on our web site

31. Get The Word Out • Fliers • Home in folders • Local Businesses • I try to limit this option. • Paper and copies are expensive • Not always the most effective

32. Get The Word Out • Marquee • If you have one…use it! • Dry Erase Easels

33. Get The Word Out • Church Newsletters • Monthly Updates • Updates • Thank You • Add events to the Calendar • Church Worship Bulletin • Weekly Updates • Thank You • Future Event Invites • Church Bulletin Board • Designated for School • Updated Weekly/Bi-Weekly

34. Get The Word Out • Invitations • Special Events • Pastor Appreciation Luncheon • Grandparents & Special Friends Day • Day Care Director Luncheon • Personalized

35. Get The Word Out • Get Creative • T-shirts • Got Tickets? • Just Say Grace

36. Review & Improve

37. Review & Improve • Immediately Following the Event • Add your immediate thoughts to your Prep Calendar • What would you do differently • Did you over/under buy? • Did anyone give you a compliment or complaint?

38. Review & Improve • Immediately Following the Event • Add your immediate thoughts to your Prep Calendar • What would you do differently • Did you over/under buy? • Did anyone give you a compliment or complaint? • The Next Day • Ask Teachers/Principal/Volunteers for feedback

39. Review & Improve • Immediately Following the Event • Add your immediate thoughts to your Prep Calendar – (use a different color) • What would you do differently • Did you over/under buy? • Did anyone give you a compliment or complaint? • The Next Day • Ask Teachers/Principal/Volunteers for feedback • Prior to Planning the Next Event • Review your notes so you can adjust for the next time

40. Prayer

41. “This will be a memorial day for you; you will celebrate it as a festival to God down through the generations,”Exodus 12:14a“They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”Psalms 145:7

42. Julie Ann PetersonGrace Lutheran, Jacksonville, FLjulie_peterson@gracelutheraneagles.org