For many administrators, summer is a key time to address annual projects that there simply is insufficient reflective time during the school year to complete. For me, one of those items has been to review and update the Student/Parent Handbook. I'm sure your school has a similar document, the container of all routines, procedures, expectations, and perhaps even some rules that guide the effective activities of your school. Such a handbook strives to cover a great breadth of detail regarding a school's mission and purpose, its core values, and the specifics behind how the school functions. Most schools include everything from parking lot procedures to dress code, homework policies to volunteer expectations, and on and on.
A simple trap to fall into is to become TOO detail oriented with the handbook, overlooking that your handbook also provides a significant opportunity to represent your school's brand. In fact, as many schools have moved to including their handbook on their website as a means for prospective families to learn more about the school, it is absolutely essential that attention be given to the tone and approach the handbook utilizes to communicate with families. Every expectation and procedure, every rule and detail, every mention of mission and focus should speak with a voice that exudes your school's brand. Are you a loving, caring, and affirming school? Speak with such a voice. Does your Christian faith present loudly in how you appear to the community? It should do so throughout your handbook.
Remember, consistency is key in successful branding. How you compose your handbook is another prime opportunity to present your brand in a meaningful and effective manner, both to your current families and to those you hope to include in the future. If your handbook in its current state feels cold, legalistic, or "just the facts, ma'am," summer is your opportunity for revision with brand in mind.
A simple trap to fall into is to become TOO detail oriented with the handbook, overlooking that your handbook also provides a significant opportunity to represent your school's brand. In fact, as many schools have moved to including their handbook on their website as a means for prospective families to learn more about the school, it is absolutely essential that attention be given to the tone and approach the handbook utilizes to communicate with families. Every expectation and procedure, every rule and detail, every mention of mission and focus should speak with a voice that exudes your school's brand. Are you a loving, caring, and affirming school? Speak with such a voice. Does your Christian faith present loudly in how you appear to the community? It should do so throughout your handbook.
Remember, consistency is key in successful branding. How you compose your handbook is another prime opportunity to present your brand in a meaningful and effective manner, both to your current families and to those you hope to include in the future. If your handbook in its current state feels cold, legalistic, or "just the facts, ma'am," summer is your opportunity for revision with brand in mind.