Growing Your Program: Marketing & Quality Ben mccumber Program development coordinator Rockdale career academy

Why is recruitment and retention of quality students important? Programs that become a dumping ground die! If your program dies: You suffer Your students suffer Your school suffers Your community suffers

“The Word of Your Career is RECRUIT!” Recruitment Sign in my CTAE Director’s office: “The Word of Your Career is RECRUIT!”

Recruitment Educate Administration and Counselors Brand Your Program Create Marketing Materials Hold Tours/Information Sessions Organize Camps/Saturday Sessions Volunteer at Community Events Use the Media

Educate Administration and Counselors What do you do? What careers do you cover? What type of students excel in your program? What are your goals and expectations?

Brand What do you call your program? Logo EX: RCA Public Safety Academy Logo EX:

Marketing Materials Posters Brochures Cards Tri-Fold Website: http://rcapublicsafety.weebly.com/

Tours/Information Sessions Rising 9th grade tours CTAE Days Curriculum Nights Parent Meetings Recruitment Open House

Camps/Saturday Sessions Forensics Camp Mock Trial Jr. Police Academy Jr. Fire Academy *Combine with another program to split time. *Parents want Elementary and Middle School Kids doing stuff during breaks!

Community Events Volunteer at/take student volunteers to: Athletic Events Festivals Car Shows Conferences Relay for Life *Great for retention too!

Media Get in your local paper Get on Social Media Do Press Releases Every school and system should have a PR person. Use them!

Retention You can recruit your tail off but it doesn’t matter if you don’t keep any of them!

Retention Curriculum and Instruction Uniforms/Logo Expectations Innovation Data

Curriculum and Instruction What will they learn? Don’t bait and switch! What will they do? Down with Textbooks! Hands on Make it real and relevant What can they earn? Certifications College Credit Work Based Learning Credit

Uniforms/Logo Design and sell a uniform Make it part of your program Have students wear it at least once a week and to any community events Students want to take ownership of the program and be set apart from their peers.

Expectations Handbook for your program Rules and expectations in your classroom Let students know that they represent your program at all times Academic expectations

Innovation Keep it fresh: Participate in state curriculum decisions Look for new technology Bring in Experts Don’t do the same thing you have always done just because you have always done it

Data Keep up with how many students you recruit each year See how many students you keep from year to year Look at your test scores Surveys: Students and Parents

QUESTIONS?

bmccumber@rockdale.k12.ga.us 770-388-5677 EXT 31108 Contact Information bmccumber@rockdale.k12.ga.us 770-388-5677 EXT 31108