Archive

When things are unclear, schools often make the mistake of looking externally. When enrollment goes down, markets change, or instability occurs, the instinct is often to spend more on advertising, focus on visibility, or market more aggressively. These actions often do not get to the heart of the matter. Uncertain markets do not just look at marketing; they look to see if the school is aligned.

Whether we like it or not, AI is already sitting beside us in HR's daily work. In my role, it has become a partner in refining communication, designing wellness initiatives, and reviewing policies in alignment with local labor laws. Tone Coach One of the most practical ways I use AI is as a tone coach for HR communication. When emotions are high, it is easy for initial email drafts to reflect personal history or frustration. Instead of sending my first draft, I removed identi

International schools generated $67.3 billion USD in annual fees as of January 2025, up 22% since 2020 according to the Enrollment Management Association, and the Admissions Managers in the 15,000 international schools around the world that play a huge part in generating this revenue work in a competitive field! Since fee income from enrollment is the primary or only revenue stream for many schools, admissions performance is tightly linked to viability and investment capacit

We spend weeks perfecting the prospectus. We obsess over open day speeches. We A/B test the admissions landing page. But how much time do we spend analyzing how we speak to each other? In most schools, internal communications run on autopilot: a legacy mix of Friday emails, briefing notes, WhatsApp groups, corridor conversations, and the occasional all-staff meeting. It works. Sort of. Until it doesn't. If you're noticing signs of "information fatigue" among staff, or if key

Schools often separate marketing, communications, and admissions, which leads to fragmented messaging and missed opportunities. When these functions work together as one cohesive team, schools tell a clearer story, build stronger community trust, and create a more consistent and effective enrolment journey from first enquiry to enrolment and beyond.

When schools face admissions difficulties, it can be tempting to look outward for solutions, such as investing in costly advertising campaigns or hiring outside agencies. While these approaches may bring short-term visibility, they can distract from what truly matters: building trust within the community by strengthening internal relationships and promoting key strengths. These are the strongest messages we can convey to prospective families.

In many schools, critical information lives in too few places. It’s not intentional; it’s just how things have evolved. The brand guidelines are on one person’s desktop. The latest parent newsletter template is buried in someone’s inbox. Event details live in a Word doc that only one team member can edit. The result is predictable: Teachers send one-off requests for logos, photos, or “that exact wording” from last year’s event. Managers spend excessive time answering “Where c

Plan your internal communications channels before school starts. Mapping out who needs what information, how often and through which channels helps set a clear, consistent tone for the year ahead. Even if you think your communications are on point, take 30 minutes to do a quick audit, you might spot small changes you can make that make a big difference. Good internal communication increases staff engagement, streamlines information flow and builds trust across the school. I