To win and keep a slot in the minds of families of our community, our brand needs to remain credible, competitive, current, and relevant to the wants, needs, and interests of prospective families. That means we need to tune in to market conditions, consumer preferences, and cultural trends on a regular basis as our brand ages.
Markets change, and businesses change. When they do, brands that remain stuck in times past pay a high price in terms of credibility and competitiveness.
We've experienced that our Lutheran Schools. We saw enrollment drop over the past decade, particularly part of the economic downturn that struck our nation, and the decline was so severe that numerous Lutheran Schools closed. Our schools were still being true to their brand through that time, doing what was promised, and doing it well, but the community had changed faster than our schools. As schools started adjusting how they conveyed the brand, particularly as the nation began coming through the downturn, enrollment started growing again. We still serve the same mission we've served all along, but how we go about it is subtly different, more relevant to today's interests and needs. We are still most known for the unconditional love and care we offer, and the welcoming feel all who join us experience, but now this is often conveyed alongside updated curriculum, ever more diverse fine arts offerings, and enhanced technology integration. And this is all provided in a manner strongly consistent with our brand.
A key lesson for our schools to remember here is to continue to be attentive to prevalent trends in our community and society. We want to remain sufficiently attuned that we may more readily adapt to future changes in the world around us, hopefully continuing our ministry around more mountain tops and less valleys.
Markets change, and businesses change. When they do, brands that remain stuck in times past pay a high price in terms of credibility and competitiveness.
We've experienced that our Lutheran Schools. We saw enrollment drop over the past decade, particularly part of the economic downturn that struck our nation, and the decline was so severe that numerous Lutheran Schools closed. Our schools were still being true to their brand through that time, doing what was promised, and doing it well, but the community had changed faster than our schools. As schools started adjusting how they conveyed the brand, particularly as the nation began coming through the downturn, enrollment started growing again. We still serve the same mission we've served all along, but how we go about it is subtly different, more relevant to today's interests and needs. We are still most known for the unconditional love and care we offer, and the welcoming feel all who join us experience, but now this is often conveyed alongside updated curriculum, ever more diverse fine arts offerings, and enhanced technology integration. And this is all provided in a manner strongly consistent with our brand.
A key lesson for our schools to remember here is to continue to be attentive to prevalent trends in our community and society. We want to remain sufficiently attuned that we may more readily adapt to future changes in the world around us, hopefully continuing our ministry around more mountain tops and less valleys.