Take advantage of the summer to prepare your school for the new term

Summer is just around the corner, and while it means vacation time for many, we know it’s the time for schools and studios to sit down and plan for the upcoming term. However, it's also a period when teachers and administrators take their much-needed breaks. That’s why it’s crucial to take advantage of this opportunity to be ready for September without any issues. Here’s a checklist of essential points for your planning.

Evaluation and analysis of the previous year

Reviewing the previous school year is key to identifying areas for improvement, what worked well and should be maintained, and what can be removed for the next year.

Additionally, seeking feedback from teachers and parents can provide valuable insights into what worked and what didn’t.

Finally, when planning improvements for the next term, it's a good time to identify if the school needs new tools to enhance and streamline daily operations. For example, many schools and academies have chosen to implement solutions like Kydemy, a management software for dance, music, art, and language schools, which helps improve internal processes, save time, resources, and money, and also boost service for students, parents, and teachers.

If you’re not yet familiar with it, here’s an article about the benefits of implementing management software in your school or academy.

Updating materials, schedules and events

Having lesson plans and class focuses ready at the beginning of the term is crucial for saving time.

For example, dance schools should have choreographies ready for the first month, lists of songs for classes, and an events calendar (both internal and external) for performances, dance festivals, competitions, etc. 

For teaching staff, it could mean organizing hirings, special guest workshops, or intensives. All this helps to have a better overall vision of the school year.

Similarly, planning class schedules in advance will allow for a clear and balanced distribution of classes, giving a clear view of the availability of spaces and times for the school's facilities.

Finally, scheduling events and presentations for each class from the beginning of the term will be ideal so that teachers, students, and parents can plan and keep these important dates in mind.

Staff meetings and training

To provide excellent teaching quality, it’s essential that teachers and administrators continuously train in new teaching methods, disciplines, and update their content knowledge. This keeps them prepared and motivated for the new term.

Also, during the planning process, it would be nice for the teaching staff to be present in meetings to collaboratively establish the strategies and objectives for the new year. The idea is not only for everyone to be aware of the school's or studio’s direction but also to involve them so they take on these challenges as their own.

Marketing and promotion

During the summer, besides resting, people often plan their academic year and start evaluating and enrolling in schools for their chosen disciplines. Many dance, music, art, and language schools promote their courses to attract enrollments.

Using advertising platforms, like Google Ads, and Social Media, such as Facebook and Instagram, can be great allies in getting course enrollments. Having a management software for schools that allows for synchronized online enrollments will also be helpful.

Some tips:

• Offer discounts or special benefits for those who enroll during the summer or for new students.
• Use attractive content in your ads, such as popular classes, testimonials from teachers or students, or past events.

Financial planning

Though it often brings up a headache, planning the annual budget and expenses during this period is important. It’s also key to have a contingency fund for unexpected expenses or unforeseen events to prevent disruptions to the annual budget.

In summary, taking advantage of the summer to plan for the new school year will be key to:

• Saving time, resources, and money
• Gaining predictability
• Having a comprehensive and robust view of the year
• Scheduling and reserving special dates
• Ensuring stability throughout the year.

Therefore, we recommend starting your planning and keeping the mentioned points in mind to avoid overlooking anything and to have a successful start to the school year.

Additionally, if you want to know more about our Kydemy software, you can visit our website or request a free demo here.