The Director's Planner: Week of January 6, 2025
Time to slay, team!
It’s our first newsletter of January, and our focus this month is… ENROLLMENT!
As Directors, we all know the challenges of enrollment—hustling to fill open space, managing waitlists, and addressing concerns from teachers about "overfilling classrooms," even when capacity isn’t close to being met. Add in the fact that January is historically a BIG enrollment month, and you likely have a lot on your plate!
While our theme of enrollment helps guide the weekly steps to meet this challenge, the newsletter will continue to share Thoughts to Consider and Weekly Action Items to support you in all areas of your role. Let’s kick off the new year with clarity, focus, and actionable steps!
1 Monthly Challenge
Enroll ________ families by January 31st.
To begin the challenge this month, we will create your enrollment goal and break it down into specific achievable goals each week. This week:
Identify Your Goal: Example: "We will enroll 6 new families this month by aiming for 1-2 families to submit their application each week."
Share with Your Team: Help your team understand the importance of reaching the goal and how they can help make it happen.
Celebrate Progress: Make plans for a team reward when you hit your goal to keep morale high.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: The Enrollment Workbook drops this Thursday! From streamlining your enrollment process to training your team on the importance of tours and their role in creating an exceptional first impression, this guide is packed with actionable strategies to help you enroll more families.
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. "Clarity is kindness." – Brené Brown
Setting clear expectations is about about being honest so your team knows what to expect and why it matters. For example, teachers might feel frustrated when asked to consistently send parent updates or classroom photos, thinking it is unnecessary or time consuming. But when you explain how these updates build trust with families, improving retention while reducing complaints, it can shift their perspective and creates a shared understanding.
Being clear isn’t about dismissing concerns—it’s about aligning everyone to the realities of the job.
II. "A confused mind says “no”.”
Confusion creates chaos for both your team and prospective families. If teachers aren’t trained to answer the phone or greet touring families, they may avoid these interactions—not out of unwillingness, but uncertainty. Setting clear expectations and offering guidance gives your team the confidence to handle these important moments with ease.
3 Action Items for this Week
I. Send the Newsletter
If you haven’t already sent your newsletter, now’s the time! The first Monday or Friday of the month is a great routine to stick with for consistency. If you’re not already doing a newsletter, January is the perfect time to start.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: Don’t forget to use my Monthly Resource Toolkit, which includes pre-written newsletter content and unique resources you can share with parents and staff this month!
II. Organize and clean out your inbox
Start the new year with a clean slate by organizing your inbox! File away old emails, delete anything unnecessary, and create a system to keep things tidy moving forward. Not only will this improve efficiency, but it will also give you a mental boost.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: Check out my latest post, Email Organization Strategies for Childcare Directors if you need a kickstart in the inbox cleansing.
III. Create Your “Clarity List”
This week, identify areas of confusion at your center. To start, take note of any recurring issues that make you think, “They should know this by now!” or “I’ve told them this a thousand times!”
Write these frustrations down throughout the week. Next week, we’ll work on turning this list into clear expectations your team can follow consistently. This is the first step in aligning your team and reducing your stress as a leader!