The Director's Planner: Week of January 27, 2025
On Valentine's Day, putting AI to work, and a good checklist.
YOU MADE IT. It is officially the last week of January. Anyone else just happy to have survived the first month of the year?? I know I am 🫠 It is also the last week we are officially focusing on our monthly theme of enrollment. For those of you who have been following along, we have now learned how to create our monthly enrollment goal, have audited and updated our website, and have refined and shared our referral program with families and staff. Hopefully some of these strategies helped you to feel more confident and prepared to continue knocking your enrollment goals out of the park for the upcoming year!
1 Weekly Focus
Create Your February Social Media Calendar
Monthly Challenge: Enroll ___ families by January 31st.
The final step to set ourselves up for ongoing success with enrollment is to create a social media calendar for February! This will help you maintain momentum, build on your existing foundation, and explore new ways to grow your following. Engaging through social media can strengthen your connection with current parents while highlighting your unique work culture—setting the stage perfectly as we gear up for hiring and recruiting staff next month.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: Be sure to check out my post How to Create a Social Media Calendar for Your Childcare Center (In Less Than 10 Minutes). You will walk away with a fantastic posting outline, with content, in no time at all!
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. “In moments like this, do for one person, what you wish you could do for everyone.” @sharonsayso
The work we do isn’t just about keeping schedules or filling classrooms—it’s about building safe spaces where every person feels valued. This belief has never felt more urgent than now. So today, I want to challenge you to keep showing up. When the problems feel too big, focus on what you can do—one step, one action, one person at a time.
Because for the families in your care, for your team, for that one person who feels seen, safe, and supported—you are making a difference. And that’s how the world starts to change.
II. Courage Is Contagious.
And to build on the above quote, just a simple reminder that when you take a stand for what’s right, even in small ways, you inspire others to do the same. Whether it’s advocating for a family or supporting a staff member, your courage creates a ripple effect. How can you choose to be courageous this week, even when it may feel difficult?
3 Action Items
I. Prepare the February newsletter
You know the drill, collect those teacher highlights, write your newsletter, and decide what parent resource will be most beneficial to share for the upcoming month!
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: The February Resource Toolkit is LIVE with pre-written newsletter content, resources to share with parents, and valentine’s cards you can print and customize for your staff. Don’t forget to check it out, it will save you HOURS of time in the next month while allowing you to implement some fun activities with minimal effort!
II. Complete the monthly facilities focus
Each month, I encourage you to deep clean, organize, and refresh one area of your center. It’s easy to overlook spaces that feel like a second home—like the dead plant out front or chipped paint—but these are the first things families notice. This month, focus on your common spaces. Look with fresh eyes: Is anything outdated, messy, or smelly? A clean, uncluttered space makes an instant impression on families and lifts the vibe for everyone who walks through your doors.
💡 Pro Tip for Insiders: You know I love a good checklist, so be sure to check out my Facilities Focus Checklist: Common Spaces to streamline your work and evaluate things you may otherwise miss!
III. Share your Valentine’s Day plans with staff and families
If you haven’t already shared, be sure to send out a message to your families about how your center celebrates Valentine’s Day. This allows families enough time to buy or make cards without feeling rushed at the last minute.
💡 Pro Tip for EVERYONE: Looking for an easy tradition? Check out my latest post for Ideas on How to Plan a Stress-Free Valentine’s Celebration at your Center!
Sneak Peek at the Valentine’s Day Resources included in the February Monthly Toolkit!
And that’s it for this week. It’s as easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3!
And as always, I’m so grateful when my amazing subscribers refer a friend. Don’t forget—you can earn a free Insiders membership with every referral milestone! Just use the link below to share and spread the word!
