File in ACES Quality Programs and Care notebook, behind Parent Correspondence tab.
ACES Site Coordinators’ Recruiting Ideas – Part 3
February 2008
Note: The ideas below were copied from emails. The writers did not intend their emailed comments to be “formal” statements.
Tawanna Maryland, Foust
This year it has been very important for Foust ACES to build better relationships with the staff and with our families. We have made a continued effort to connect with the day’s activities by attending our student’s classes, volunteering for tutoring, partnering with the school in special events, building a parent empowerment council to enrich our student’s family life and hosting special interest clubs for the school to participate in with ACES. It has been a great year for us, as shown by the hospitality committee, who rose over $500 in scholarship funds. We want to be seen as a partner continuing the effort to improve each student’s ability to become confident individuals.
Onterius Gaines, Montlieu
I have done the connect Ed to all parents saying that we currently have spaces available, and to be on the look out for information on ACES in your child’s folder. I have sent out promotional flyers to every child in the school. We also have the PBS at our school and during that week I set up the cafeteria with center activities and allowed the children that had positive behavior during that week to enjoy ACES equipment and a flyer was sent home with them. I also sent out an email to all teachers stating as they have parent conferences to inform the parents that ACES still has space available and asked them to promote ACES and the benefits that our program could offer their child such as help with homework and fitness activities. I am currently putting together a multimedia film to enhance our program during PTA meetings so parents can see first hand what ACES is all about.
Benita Dowdell, Vandalia
· Have principal send Connect Ed message to parents
· Distribute ACES information at parent meetings
· Send ACES flyer or ACES enrollment brochures home to all students in grade levels for which you have vacancies
Dianna Teasley, Jamestown Elementary
The office staff here at Jamestown Elementary is so supportive and wonderful. The secretary put ACES fliers in all the teachers’ mail boxes for them to send home with students that are not already enrolled in ACES. I always check to make sure that the office has plenty of enrollment applications so when they ask a new parent that is enrolling their child if they need afterschool care, they will have an application to give them. I also have one ACES brochure posted on the front counter in the office and the ACES News Poster posted on the front glass window as you enter the school office.
BoJuana Thomas, Sedalia
We have done many things to recruit ACES students.
§ Flyers were sent out to the entire student body.
§ I have spoken at PTA functions, AND I am a member of the PTA.
§ ACES monthly newsletters are placed on the school’s parent information table.
§ The front office keeps brochures, and gives them to new enrollees.
§ I place ACES News posters in various locations in the school.
§ We also utilize our bulletin boards to display children’s artwork, upcoming events, themes for the month, etc. The bulletin boards are located in the gym and the cafeteria.
§ Our gym is used by the community for sporting events; we also use the back of the mega lock-n-fold as a parent information center. As the mega locks are moved from placed to place, parents, families, and those in the community see the display of various information.
§ Our principal and teachers inform parents, by word of mouth, about the exciting and enriching opportunities that our children experience.
Coco Scott, Rankin
Aside from coming up with a flyer and passing it out to all students who are not in ACES, I have put on many productions in which students who are not enrolled in ACES have attended, encouraging students to want to become a part of the program.
Emily Lanning, Nathanael Greene
§ Sent an ACES flyer of my own home to all students in grade levels with vacancies
§ Ensure ACES enrollment brochure is provided to all new students who enroll at the school
§ Include ACES information in school and PTA newsletters
Debra McMillian, Northern Elementary
My situation is a little different, our school year just started in Jan. I have posted flyers through out the school. Especially in those locations where parents can see them (over the sign in/out computer & workrooms). The group leaders have assisted during resource classes (Art, Music & PE) so they could interact with the student body. One student had so much fun with Ms.B, he will be starting on Monday.
Donnald Black, Irving Park
I have posted ACES flyers throughout the school. For the age levels where space is available, I have placed flyers in the teachers’ boxes to go home with the students during the school day. I have also requested that the principal send a Connect Ed message to all parents notifying them of the space available in our program. I have ACES brochures available in my office and in the main office. It’s good to view some of the other ideas that site coordinators have been using. I’d like to try some of them. (This is Jean – I’m counting on every site coordinator trying some of the ideas.)
Zalonda Purcell, Jesse Wharton
I have currently filled 3 slots and now I have 4 left. I keep a copy of names and numbers of parents who call with interest about ACES and I have been going down that list but I have to be careful because there are only certain grades where I have availability. I am confident that I will get the remaining 4 slots filled very soon. I have also informed the front office of the availability that I have in each grade.
Rhonda Costner, Colfax
§ Enrollment brochures in the main office
§ Enrollment brochures visible outside of the ACES office
§ Flyers provided to main office personnel for new students enrolling in ACES
§ Flyers in Monday folders for all grade levels which have openings
§ Connect Ed message going out on the same Monday that the flyers go home. This alerts parents to look for the information in the folder and it doesn’t get passed over.
§ Regularly speak with classroom teachers and thank them for their continued support in recommending our program to parents.
§ I try to attend PTA and other school meetings/functions where parents are present. Sometimes just being visible and available will remind a parent that they have been meaning to ask questions about ACES. Something I’d like to do in the future for meetings/functions is to make a button that reads “Ask me about ACES” with the words “afterschool”, “learning”, “friendship”, and “fun” around the edges. This will help to identify me to parents who may not know who I am. If other ACES staff members are in attendance, they will wear one also.
Brigitte Cutler, Hampton
We have been actively trying to recruit students all year. My group leader and I both stay for parent meetings, PTA meetings, school dances, and any evening school sponsored function to try to recruit new students. The PTA president, and the school social worker have both invited me speak at the “Bring our parents to school day,” “Lunch to Learn,” and “Dinner to Learn,” meetings. My principal has also included in his connect-ed messages that ACES has available spaces in each grade level. We have gained 3 students but unfortunately; we lost 3 students the following week due to them moving to a different school. I have also changed my voicemail greetings on both my landline and my Nextel to let potential parents, and anyone else who may call me, know that we have openings in our ACES program. We also leave a stack of brochures in the office on a weekly basis, and they usually disappear but no one has really shown any interest in attending our program. (Information provided about challenges of Hampton’s school calendar that has weeks when school and ACES are closed, and weeks when ACES parents have to pay for 5 days of All-Day care.)