Inside Out Admissions

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 matters: strengthening internal relationships and promoting key strengths. These are the strongest messages we can convey to prospective families.

Many in international schools have faced challenges since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in terms of rebuilding in-person student numbers. These challenges are important to strategically address, as strong admissions are the foundation of a strong school; the financial gains benefit everyone.

International School Yangon

Here at The International School Yangon (ISY), we chose an inside-out approach that focused on legacy, belonging, and the daily experiences of our families and students as we rebuilt after facing multiple challenges. By doing so, we created a story that was never about marketing gimmicks or quick fixes. It was about rediscovering who we are, strengthening our core, and allowing our authenticity to shine through. 

Mission and Vision 

We concentrated on what we could control, the everyday experiences of learning, belonging, and community, instead of wasting our energy on uncontrollable external factors. We began by prioritizing our mission and vision, letting them guide all that we did to strengthen our core. 

Our focus was on the real practices that were happening every day in the school. By consistently grounding decisions in our mission and vision, we have created much needed clarity and stability for families, staff, and students. 

This gave our community more confidence and trust in us, which reaffirmed to all that ISY was a place where stability and progress were achievable even in the face of uncertainty.

Legacy 

Our legacy has become the strong foundation upon which we continue to build. We reminded ourselves and our community that we weren't starting from scratch; we were building on decades of learning, service, and community. Our 70-year legacy has built trust and assurance with our families, providing an assurance that ISY will always be here. 

Response to COVID 

Our response to COVID-19 is another aspect of that legacy. Through successful distance education, ISY was able to keep both the quality of instruction and a strong community throughout an uncertain period. 

We proved our resilience and ability to remain steady when faced with difficulties. Families realized that they could count on us not only during stable times but also during unforeseen circumstances. That confidence still exists today. 

Island of Sanity 

We adopted the concept of being an Island of Sanity, as proposed by author Margaret Wheatley (2009). She describes an Island of Sanity as a community that holds fast to kindness, creativity, and generosity even when the world around it feels unsettled. Such spaces become havens where individuals work together to create meaningful relationships. 

At ISY, our goal was to establish a safe and secure environment where families could feel confident in the education and care their children received, a place of calm and stability, an Island of Sanity. 

Governance & Leadership 

Consistent leadership and a supportive Board were crucial to our approach. The board's commitment to long-term sustainability and positive collaboration with leadership, along with their faith in the school’s mission, gave ISY the stability needed to build with confidence. 

These strong partnerships between governance and leadership are essential for schools when navigating challenges. Strong leadership impacts everything we do and ultimately ensures that our families trust that we will continue to grow and succeed. 

Advancement 

Important also has been the intentional merging of Admissions with Marketing and Communications under the umbrella of Advancement. This integration created coherence in our message and alignment in our work. Families experience one unified story of legacy, mission, vision, belonging, and strong leadership. 

The establishment of our Advancement team has allowed us to be more strategic, more consistent, and more genuine. It enables us to tell a consistent story using multiple sources of information.

The team's goal was to become authentic members of the school community so that we could learn more about what goes on inside our school. In addition to participating in classroom learning, the team attends staff meetings and professional development events, takes part in field trips, and collaborates in organizing other school events. 

We have built strong relationships with student councils and other student groups. By doing this, we can tell the authentic story of ISY. 

Community 

Most importantly, the admissions process has evolved into a collective effort. Students, teachers, leadership, and families have become our ambassadors. Their engagement makes our community's stories our strategy, something no campaign could capture on its own. 

Admission growth has emerged not only from what we project outward but also from the lived experience inside our walls. By building on our strong mission and vision and strengthening our community inside first, we have created conditions for growth that are sustainable. Our community knows that even when difficulties arise, ISY will always stand strong. 

Reference 

Wheatley, M. (2009). Perseverance. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.