Theme 5: Community Relations
Key Result Area # 1: Stewardship Plan
Objective 1: To increases awareness of the obligations of membership in the Kitchener Waterloo Christian School Society
Goal 1.1: By developing a plan for educating the membership on responsibilities as society members
Performance Indicator: Plan to Board
Accountability: Chair of Community Relations
Target: Nov. 30, 2002

INTRODUCTION

For parents to enroll their children in Laurentian Hills Christina School they must become members of the Kitchener Waterloo Christian School Society. The Kitchener Waterloo Christian School society is parentally run. It is community driven. Community builds community. The key principle of community, Christian love in action, means worshipping, sharing, counseling, encouraging, and celebrating with Christian joy and hope. Community is cultivated through open communication, understanding and acceptance. Authentic community arises out of a common purpose and commitment. The most important path to Christian community is for the home, church and school to actively support and re-enforce each other.

In order to participate fully in the communal life of LHCS and the school society, clear education and understanding of what it is all about is required. It makes sense to create and maintain an educated membership. One of the byproducts will be a depth of capable and willing candidates to fill important leadership positions. Another byproduct will be the creation of a host of knowledgeable Christian school promoters. They will be able to articulate what it means to be part of this Christian school community. When members are clear and articulate about Christian education the following benefits accrue:

Christian education is for all the members of the Christian school community.

 

Theme: Community Relations

Current

Future

 Gap
1.Weekly news letter 1. Available on web with broader distribution Y
2.New people don’t feel part of community 2. Formal stewardship plan (education on what membership and Christian education are all about) Y
3. Web site is available 3. Maintain, update, develop and promote N
4. Quarterly newsletter is not published consistently 4 Consistently published and distributed Y
5. School information night in January 5. Recruit and orient new members, as needed Y
6. Parent information night in September 6. Recruit and orient new members, as needed Y
7. New families dessert night in fall 7. Recruit and orient new members, as needed Y
8. Buddy family program 8. Recruit and orient new members, as needed Y
9. Visible school sign 9. Maintain N
10. Lack of communication with churches 10. Church liaison Y
11. AHD distribution of communication to community

in general

 11. Communication plan in place Y
12. Inconsistent advertising 12. Communication plan in place Y
13. Minimal church liaisons 13. Church liaison Y
14. Active within district Christian school community 14. Maintain and expand (use OACS) N
15. Limited contact with public/catholic schools 15. Liaison with public/catholic schools Y
16. School in the mall week 16. Maintain and expand Y
17. Winston Hall Choir 17. Maintain and expand N
18. Grandparents day 18. Maintain and expand N
19. Parent handbook 19. Keep current Y
20. Information and application package 20. Keep current Y
21. Good reputation in school community 21. Maintain N
22. Limited public relations with Kitchener Waterloo 22. Communication plan in place Y
23. Public perception of school is variable 23. Communication plan in place

(Liaison with public/catholic schools)

 Y
24. Variable parent/teacher communications 24. Teacher handbook guidelines Y
25. Some parents are not involved 25. Formal stewardship plan (education on what membership

and Christian education are all about)

 Y
26. Teachers have email ID’s 26. Promote and maximize use Y
27. No alumni association 27. Alumni family database Y
28. Some non-parent members 28. Expand participation of non-parent members Y
29. Geographically dispersed 29. Multiple sites or better transportation Y
30. Communication is volunteer driven 30. Administrative team responsibility Y
31. Have student planners for grade 4 and up 31. Effective use for daily communications Y
32. Some parent social events 32. Promote parental involvement Y

 

 

GAP ANALYSIS FROM THE STRATEGIC PLAN

Category: Formal Stewardship Plan

Strategic Plan Items #2, 25

This report will not produce a formal stewardship plan. We note that although the need for a formal stewardship plan is called for and is prioritized as a year one goal there is no specific goal directing that to be done. Perhaps a mid-year adjustment needs to be made or it can be prioritized for year two.

Category: Recruit and Orient New Members

Strategic Plan Items #5, #6, #7, and #8

These activities (school information night, parents' information night, and new family dessert and buddy families) need to be incorporated into a membership education plan.

Category: Written Community Communication

Strategic Plan Items #1, #4, #11, and #12

While these suggestions (Website use, weekly newsletter, quarterly Laurel) are not exclusive to membership, they can play a key role in membership education. A communication strategy as part of the overall stewardship plan would include membership education.

Category: Written Internal Communication

Strategic Plan Items #19

Written internal communication is satisfactory with the exception of a staff handbook. Staff agendas are published regularly and on time as are staff meeting minutes. Weekly staff memos are also helpful in keeping staff in touch.

Category: Written Admission and Membership Communication

Strategic Plan Items #20

The information and application package is good and should possibly be overhauled in the next year or two. The parent handbook is solid and revisions are now occurring on a regular basis.

 

 

Category: Electronic Communication

Strategic Plan Items #3, #27, #26,

There could be more widespread use of classroom Websites and databases (supporters, members, alumni etc.) to keep in touch with the membership at large. Teachers all have email addresses and these can be and to some extent are being used as a communication vehicle between staff and parents.

Category: Community Contact

Strategic Plan Items, #9, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #21, #22, #23

There is agreement that the initiatives taken in the area of community contact both within the OACSS community and our own local community is well received and appreciated. Relationship with the OACSS has grown in the past three years and involvement at many levels (staff, board and committee) is encouraging. Involvement in the community is also high. Service projects by all classes for local support services continues, "School in the Mall" is appreciated, choirs and Grandparents Day all are positive contribution to the life of the school. There is need for a communication plan and developing one needs to be an immediate priority. The school has a very good reputation in the broader community due primarily to history and parental influence. Liaison with either public or separate school is limited to personal contact. There will be no formal liaison because it would be politically negative for either of those groups to do so. The school sign is visible and continues to serve the school well.

Category: Parental Teacher Communication

Strategic Plan Items #24, #31

Parent teacher conferences and interviews are not only encouraged but also required. Parents are expected to attend a formal interview when requested and teachers are expected to schedule a formal interview when requested by the parent. Use of student planners is a staff matter. Many teachers also have monthly calendars or letters for parents.

Category: Geography

Strategic Plan Items #29

This issue has been addressed in the transportation report and facilities improvement report.

 

Category: Volunteers

Strategic Plan Items #30

This issue has been addressed in the human resources report and should not be a community relation's item.

Category: Parent and Non-Parent Involvement

Strategic Plan Items #28, #32,

These two issues should be included in the overall stewardship plan.

Category: Church Contact

Strategic Plan Items #10, #13

A description for church liaisons has been developed. Other goals relating to increased church contact are part of the strategic plan. (See Theme 5, Key Result Area 1, Objective 2, Goals1.2, 1.3 1.4)

CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

      Curricular

 Physical

 Governance

Written communication

Recruitment

Promotion

Parental

Supporting

Community

Membership

Electronic Communication

Website

Email

Databases

Church Communication

Liaisons

Internal Communication

Staff

Faculty

 

SAMPLE MEMBERSHIP EDUCATION PLAN OUTLINE

At each event it should be made clear and mandatory that a membership focus take place. Some examples might be a Board member explaining membership rights and privileges.

At events such as these there should be written material both for the new family and for the buddy family so that the support person is equipped to handle membership questions.

For each of these methods of communication there should be a membership corner. For instance each Laurel could have a short column entitled "So you’re A Member now?"

The weekly newsletter could contain snippets taken from other sources highlighting some aspect of membership. The Website could contain a link to membership issues. One month is could be questions and answers, the next month it could an article from another magazine, in another month it could focus on being a member at LHCS.