What does it look like to welcome families into a faithfully Catholic school community? In this episode, Dr. Jaime Madison Vasquez sits down with two Catholic school leaders to explore how mission-driven admissions can form lasting partnerships with families from the very first tour.
Guests
Tyler Deschamps, Head of School, Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania
John Rocha, Principal, Holy Rosary Academy, Nashville, Tennessee
What We Cover
How to embed Catholic mission into every stage of the admissions process, from marketing materials to parent questionnaires
Informal and formal strategies for assessing mission fit during tours, shadow days, and interviews
The full admissions process step-by-step: inquiry, open house, shadow day, application, and enrollment
How to onboard new families into the community during the “golden window” between admission and the first day of school
Go-to phrases and frameworks school leaders use to open families up and communicate what their school is truly about
Chapters
00:00: Welcome and Guest Introductions
04:02: Communicating Mission Through Marketing and Admissions
11:15: Assessing Mission Fit: Formal and Informal Approaches
16:32: The Admissions Process Step by Step
27:46: Honesty and Discernment in Admissions
32:07: Recognizing Families Who Are Ready to Partner
40:38: Onboarding New Families into the Community
47:51: Lessons from Business and Previous Schools
53:00: Celebrating Families at Graduation and Beyond
57:35: Go-To Phrases for Admissions Conversations
Q&A
Is there anything from your time before your current school (Tyler, from business, or John, from Ozark or Western Academy) that you think worked particularly well in the admissions process?
Do you have any special traditions to mark the end of a family’s journey with your school?
Do you have a go-to phrase in your conversations with parents during the admissions process that helps open them up or explain your school?
Resources:
From Christendom to Apostolic Mission: Pastoral Strategies for an Apostolic Age by University of Mary and Monsignor James P. Shea (Amazon, Thriftbooks)
Join the conversation
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Monday, April 27th at 3pm CST
Monday, May 11 at 3pm CST
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God bless!
Produced by Saint Kolbe Studios
