A key target that's usually overlooked:
Parents of alumni
Four years ago, our youngest graduated from high school, leaving us as “empty nesters.”
Unlike some of our friends who had experienced the same situation and were euphoric at their new found free time, my wife and I felt a sense of loss when the school functions stopped.
It might sound strange to you, but for 13 years, it felt like we attended every event, fundraiser, concert, academic competition, booster club function, PTA meeting, etc. In that time, it was rare to have a meal being served at a school function, where I wasn’t holding a ladle or washing dishes or some other volunteer function. I’m sure you know parents in your district that can tell the same story.
However, just because we stopped being the “go-to” people, didn’t mean we stopped being interested. It didn’t mean we didn’t want to stay involved (albeit at a little more of a distance). It didn’t mean we wanted our opinions – which were so valuable when we were district parents – to be taken for granted.
Parents of alumni represent one of the greatest untapped resources for a school district. Why do they remain important, when their role in chili suppers and Race for the Cure events has ended, at least from an active sense?
- First, they vote. Assuming they are staying current with the needs of the district and are, more than likely, an automatic “Yes” vote on your ballot issue is risky, at best. Their attention has drifted to other activities on their calendar. Their concerns about their children have changed from the quality of the school district to more adult issues, such as paying for college.
- Second, changing from a “district parent” to a “district taxpayer” changes the dynamic. Parents always have been taxpayers, of course, but now they don’t have regular reminders about what their investment is paying for. No stories from their student. No issues of the school newsletter to read. No social activities or sporting events where they can get the latest news – either officially, or in gossip form.
- Third, how many times has your district or a school or two within the district had to beg for volunteers, because the ones you could always count on are worn out, busy at the time of an event, or something else? Parents of alumni represent bench strength, but they aren’t likely to wander into the school office and ask what kind of volunteer help the school needs today. They need to be cultivated.
Patron Insight is piloting a program for school districts to help cultivate ongoing relationships with parents of alumni. It’s a combination of brief video messages, news updates, short surveys, recognition and “free stuff.” While everyone who fits this demographic will be contacted, we’re realistic: We want to help districts carve out a certain percentage of parents of students who are willing and interested in staying engaged and feeling wanted.
An outline of the program’s first year can be found on our
website. But each district will get tweaked here and there to best fit its Parents of Alumni Program. The launch date is summer 2018. If you’d like to learn more, please contact Rick Nobles at
rick@patroninsight.com or (913) 484-0920.
