Summary: Charter schools are a major player in the school choice era, but what effect do they have on public schools? Dr. Shon Hildreth shares his 2021 research findings on the topic. Show Notes: Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered...
Jul 08, 2025•22 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Summary: To support families is to retain them. Here’s how one district does that. Show Notes: Check out our story on the retention phase of enrollment marketing. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the lea...
Jul 03, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Summary: Today we discuss how hospitality can keep families happy and enrolled in your schools. Show Notes: Check out our guide to enrollment marketing . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12...
Jul 01, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 21
Summary: Today we discuss how to build relationships with local realtors to create awareness of your schools. Show Notes: Check out our piece on the awareness phase of enrollment marketing. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered by Ap...
Jun 26, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 20
Summary: Today we discuss school choice and how to use SEO to create awareness. Show Notes: Check out our piece on the awareness phase of enrollment marketing. Read Designing a Communication Survey for tips on creating your own. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or sched...
Jun 24, 2025•6 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Summary: Today we discuss ways to cultivate parent—and community—ambassadors for your schools. Show Notes: Read Enrollment Marketing: Advocacy to learn more about this subject. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the ma...
Jun 19, 2025•7 min•Season 4Ep. 18
Summary: Today we discuss letting students help put on school events. Show Notes: Read The Experience of a Lifetime to learn more about the power of in-person events. Read From Scholars to Storytellers to learn more about how to get students involved in your school marketing and PR. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the Sc...
Jun 17, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 17
Summary: Today we discuss letting students contribute to schools’ social media. Show Notes: Read From Scholars to Storytellers to learn more about Arcadia Unified’s communications internship program. To sign up for the National Communications Internship Collab, click here . For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo...
Jun 12, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Summary: Today we discuss recruiting students to increase your comms team’s capacity. Show Notes: Read All Hands on Deck to learn more about Lytle ISD and Skull Studios. For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to s...
Jun 10, 2025•7 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Summary: Today we discuss paying teachers & staff a small stipend to manage social media. Show Notes: For more great ways to turn staff into storytellers, read: Who’s Telling Your Story . See all of the results from our 2024 study: What Parents Want . For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect wi...
Jun 05, 2025•6 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Summary: Today we discuss turning teachers and staff into ambassadors for your brand. Show Notes: For more great ways to turn staff into storytellers, read: Who’s Telling Your Story . See all of the results of our 2022 study: Who Speaks For Your Brand . For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with...
Jun 03, 2025•7 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Summary: Today we discuss how to tell more stories in less time. Show Notes: Listen to our interview with Saginaw ISD to learn more about Collective Authorship. Read Who’s Telling Your Story to learn about other storytelling systems for schools. Sign up for the 2025 SchoolCEO Conference this fall to hear even more great original research! Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school...
May 29, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Summary: Today we continue to discuss why comms pros are experiencing record burnout—and how to avoid it. Show Notes: Read A Seat at the Table to learn all of our findings about school comms. Sign up for the 2025 SchoolCEO Conference this fall to hear even more great original research! Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the...
May 27, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Summary: Today we discuss why comms pros are experiencing record burnout—and how to avoid it. Show Notes: Read A Seat at the Table to learn all of our findings about school comms. Sign up for the 2025 SchoolCEO Conference this fall to hear even more great original research! Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO t...
May 22, 2025•6 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Summary: Today we discuss how comms pros’ relationships with supers differ from their relationships with site-level staff. Show Notes: Read A Seat at the Table to learn all of our findings about school comms. Sign up for the 2025 SchoolCEO Conference this fall to hear even more great original research! Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like ...
May 20, 2025•8 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Summary: Today we discuss one of school comms’ biggest challenges: small teams. Show Notes: Read our original research: A Seat at the Table to learn more about this topic. Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit us at schoolceo.com and connect with SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email us at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call . SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker o...
May 15, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Summary: Today we’re sharing how one district in Florida overcame staffing and budget obstacles. Show Notes: Nominate someone you know for the SchoolCEO Excellence in School Marketing Award . Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the SchoolCEO Conference in Little Rock, AR, this September! For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.schoolceo.com/subscribe-now/ . Visit ...
May 13, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Summary: Happy Mother’s Day! Today we discuss how you can tap into moms’ expertise and meet them where they are. Show Notes: Find out more about the 2025 SchoolCEO Conference and get your tickets at https://www.apptegy.com/conference/ . Early bird pricing ends on May 9th! Learn How to Master School Communication in the Digital Age from a kick*** mom and marketer at Apptegy. To read more about Katherine Wentsch’s journey to self-acceptance, read her book: Slay Like a Mother . Subscribe to our new...
May 08, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Summary: Today we discuss the 3 key elements of a good story. Show Notes: Read our Storytelling guide to learn more great tips. If you know a great storyteller in school comms, nominate them for the SchoolCEO Excellence in School Marketing Award . Finalists receive a free ticket to the SchoolCEO Conference in September and a write-up in our magazine! Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the SchoolCEO Conference in Little Rock, AR, this September! For more school marketing strategies and insights...
May 06, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Summary: Today we discuss how to generate stories instead of waiting for them to come to you. Show Notes: The SchoolCEO Podcast is written by Eileen Beard and produced by Tanner Cox. Read School Shoutout: A Joyful Revolution from the Winter 2025 issue of SchoolCEO Magazine. This episode mentions Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. For more school marketing strategies and insights, check out our free webinars at https://info.apptegy.com/events-and-resources . Subscribe to our newsletter at ...
May 01, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Summary: In this episode we share how one district in Georgia attracted families with a unique new feature. Show Notes: Read the full article: School Shoutout: Sliding into Success . Learn more about us and subscribe to our school marketing newsletter at schoolceo.com . If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email me at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call with me! Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of th...
Apr 29, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Summary: In this episode we share a SWOT analysis of school communications nationwide. Show Notes: Listen to our interview with Greg Turchetta on Season 2 of the podcast: Winning at School Communications . Read the original research cited in this episode: A Seat at the Table , Who Speaks for Your Brand and Layers of Leadership . Learn more about us and subscribe to our newsletter at schoolceo.com . If you have a story you’d like to share with the SchoolCEO team, email me at eileen@schoolceo.com ...
Apr 23, 2025•5 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Summary: We’re kicking off a brand new season with a fresh format. In this episode, we talk about how to cultivate a beginner’s mindset. Show Notes: Read Look Again by Tali Sharot and Cass R. Sunstein. Learn more about us and subscribe to our newsletter at schoolceo.com . If you have a story you’d like to share with us, email me at eileen@schoolceo.com or schedule a call with me! Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo. SchoolCEO is powered by Apptegy, the maker of the leading K-12...
Apr 22, 2025•4 min•Season 4Ep. 1
This season, we've taken a deep dive into school marketing, exploring everything from brand to digital experience. Today, we're connecting all the pieces and providing you with actionable steps to transform how your community thinks and feels about your schools. Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo . Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com...
Mar 27, 2025•20 min•Season 3Ep. 12
In this episode we’ll discuss how to create advocates for your schools. First, you have to focus your attention toward people who can actually be converted. Second, you have to wow them with intention and thoughtfulness. Follow SchoolCEO on LinkedIn or X/Twitter @school_ceo . Subscribe to SchoolCEO at SchoolCEO.com for research, stories, and strategies for leading your schools. And if you have a story you’d like to share, email us at editor@schoolceo.com. Learn more about SchoolCEO and all of ou...
Mar 19, 2025•17 min•Season 3Ep. 11
It’s time to address the elephant in the room: crisis communications. Crises are unavoidable. As a district comms professional, your role is pivotal to saving your reputation when a crisis lands on your doorstep. In this episode, we’ll show you how to prepare for a crisis, what to do to maintain trust in the midst of a crisis, and how to recover after a crisis. After all, a crisis is also a unique opportunity to come to the aid of your school leaders and your community when they need it most. Fe...
Feb 21, 2025•24 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Today’s focus is on a vital topic in K-12 education: enrollment marketing. Enrollment numbers impact funding and nearly all district operations. A key tool for improving enrollment is understanding the customer journey. This episode will explore the customer journey to help boost student enrollment. These phases are Awareness, Interest, Decision, Retention, and Advocacy. Each phase requires different marketing strategies and each one is important to success. Featured in this episode are Stephen ...
Feb 06, 2025•17 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Schools need to use social media selectively and strategically to get the most out of it. Focusing on already-established communication channels may be a better use of your time and lead to stronger relationships with your school community. In this episode, we discuss the rise and fall of different communication channels, why social media is different for schools than it is for the private sector, how it can and can’t work for your schools and recommendations for how to get the most out of it. F...
Dec 10, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Correction: A previous version of this episode referred to Molly McGowan Gorsuch as Rhodes Branding's Marketing Strategy Director. Molly is actually Rhodes' Director of Client Engagement. Online communities matter—but how can you make your school district’s online spaces shine just as brightly as your physical ones? In this episode of SchoolCEO Podcast, we dig into how to optimize your online communities to make sure that they’re just as incredible as your schools are in real life. We also hear ...
Nov 01, 2024•17 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Experiential marketing started with flash mobs and has since become the cutting edge of advertising. Live branded events that are interactive, multi-sensory and emotionally resonant have a much greater pull on audiences than other forms of marketing. That’s why it’s so important K-12 leaders think about how they can adapt experiential marketing tactics for their own use. In this episode, we’ll share what experiential marketing is exactly, why it’s so effective, and ways schools can use it to imp...
Aug 14, 2024•24 min•Season 3Ep. 6
