… at a charter school near you …

Fall is in the air, and so is storytelling magic! With so many of you attending our first meeting of the year, it’s evident that clear and concise writing has an incredible pull in our daily marcomm lives. As we head full steam into autumn — and get one step closer every day to October’s school count  —  now is the time to embrace your writing skills and tell your charter school’s story. 

Also, coming up next month? Our much anticipated opportunity to CONNECT in-person at the 2024 Leadership Summit. We’re SO excited to see so many of you registered already. Please take just 60 seconds (45 if you type REALLY fast!) to complete our 5-question pre-event survey so that we can best cater our speakers’ content to your needs. 

That, plus resources to support your storytelling efforts and more, below.

School Marketing AI Summit
Oct. 2   |   10:00 AM - 2:00 PM MDT   |   Virtual
A groundbreaking event brought to you by Schneider B. Media in sponsorship with UBIQ and designed to transform how you approach school marketing and communications using the power of AI. In just one day, you’ll gain exclusive insights from industry leaders like Cathy McPhillips, Brian Piper, Jorache Johnson, and Eric Hudson. This event is tailored to both beginners and experts, ensuring you walk away with actionable strategies to supercharge your school’s marketing efforts. FREE to attend live! 

School Marketing Day
Oct. 10   |   8:00 AM - 1:30 PM MDT   |   Virtual
A full-day FREE virtual event where you can connect with other pros from schools from all over the world. You'll hear from Finalsite experts, outside speakers, and other schools on all things school marketing, including admissions, enrollment, technology, and communications strategies — with more than 20 sessions scheduled.

Data Drives Enrollment Strategy
Oct. 10   |   1:00 - 2:00 PM MDT   |   Virtual
Discover how data can revolutionize your enrollment strategy in this powerful webinar with Enquiry Tracker and Truth Tree! Unveil the hidden value of your data to pinpoint the true cost per student and reshape your admissions approach. Join industry experts as they reveal innovative tactics that can give your institution a competitive edge.

CONNECT at the Leadership Summit 
Oct. 11   |   12:00 - 5:00 PM   |   Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center
Join us at the Colorado League of Charter Schools Leadership Summit on Friday, October 11, 2024, where we'll host a special CONNECT workshop. Come for lunch, enjoy two sessions, then stay for the keynote speaker, Kelli Harding. Additionally, we invite you to join us for a Happy Hour at the newly remodeled entrance at the Gaylord of the Rockies to help celebrate the League’s 20th and CSI’s 30th anniversary. FREE to CONNECT members.

CONNECT Lunch and Learn - Writing for Clarity & Precision
Sept.  12   |   12:00 - 1:00 PM   |   Virtual
Our first meeting of the 2024-2025 school year showed no signs of ‘writer's block’ as we welcomed PLT Strategies Advisor Victoria Criado to the stage. She tackled a topic that touches all of us — writing. If you missed it, we highly recommend you review the detailed presentation slides in the Documents section of our online community. 

Boosting your School Marketing with Storytelling
Storytelling is more than a buzzword—it has long been demonstrated what a powerful effect stories can have on people. And while storytelling may seem simple enough, building a strong narrative that can sustain and support you over the long term requires a careful, thoughtful strategy.

The Art of Storytelling: Transforming School Marketing
Schools are constantly seeking innovative ways to stand out and attract students. While traditional tactics like flyers and advertisements still play a role, there's a growing recognition of the power of storytelling in school marketing. In this blog, we'll explore the art of storytelling.

25 Writing Tips For Business Owners And Content Marketers: Part 5
In this final installment of her writing tips series, Renae Gregoire discusses advanced techniques that separate the pros from the amateurs, from self-editing to content repurposing. 

Six Steps to Create a Persona Based Storytelling Campaign for Schools
In this podcast episode, Lisa Leidy shares her expertise on creating persona-based storytelling campaigns specifically tailored for schools. She breaks down the process into six actionable steps, providing valuable insights and practical tips.

School Storytelling Fail? Here's What to Do.
When your school marketing content doesn’t go as planned, it’s essential to reflect on why it happened. Here are 10 questions to ask yourself when you're facing a content fail. 

Four Colorado Schools Win National Blue Ribbon Recognition
Four Colorado schools, including Denver’s DSST Cole, are among more than 350 nationwide to be named 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools for high achievement or progress in narrowing achievement gaps. 

Montessori School Unveils Yurt Months after Students Targeted by Racist Rant at Denver City Council Meeting [Video]
Afternoon showers on Thursday didn't stop the unveiling of Monarch Montessori's newest classroom — a yurt. But the journey to this day hasn't been easy.

Fort Collins Charter School Scores Highest Composite SAT Score in Colorado
Liberty Common High School students earned the highest average composite SAT score in Colorado last spring.

Grant helps Pinnacle Charter School assist Colorado Families in Need [Video]
Pinnacle Charter School in Thornton has partnered with a food bank.

MEDIA OPP — Promote Your Favorite Staff for Teacher Tuesday
CDE’s communications unit created a weekly social media campaign called Teacher Tuesday that highlights a teacher every week across all of the department’s social media. The posts feature the teacher’s photo, their accomplishments, how long they’ve been teaching and what brings them joy about their work. We need your help to add more teachers. Please fill out this submission form to add a co-worker or yourself or pass it on to a friend.

Have any tips or resources you’d like to share? We’d love to hear from you!

Libby Cowles, Dean of Enrollment and Community Outreach, Animas High School

Meet Libby Cowles, Dean of Enrollment & Community Outreach at Animas High School, and someone who brings a whole lot more than just academic wisdom to the table. If you think you know her, think again. Libby’s life is a mix of rock ‘n roll history classes, Palm Springs bike tours, and a deep love for mid-century modern architecture. When she’s not busy shaping young minds, you might find her indulging in her not-so-weird obsession: yak butter tea, a delicacy she first encountered while on a service-learning trip in Ladakh, India. It’s a far cry from the Big Mac, which she’s never tasted, or a James Bond movie, which she’s never watched. (Seriously, how has she dodged both?)

Libby’s personality shines through her diverse tastes and humorous take on life. She’s the proud owner and first time dog-mom of a now four-year-old rescue named Powder, who she wishes could be shrunk down to pocket-size for travel. Her preferred meal? Something spicy like Thai green curry or posole—maybe even turned into ice cream (hey, stranger things have happened). A lover of all things music, she’d play in a rock band if given the chance, but you won’t find any ketchup or mustard in her fridge (pause, while she goes to throw them out); the kids are grown, and those condiments have seen better days. Blech! She enjoys brisk hikes in the fall breeze and (but not while) listening to NPR’s Fresh Air, cooking, or digging into a good book — or the Sunday New York Times.

Despite her busy schedule, Libby has big dreams — like making it to Morocco within the next five years. She’s never backed down from a challenge, whether it's busking on the streets of Washington, D.C. or skiing down the San Juan Mountains. And if there’s a zombie apocalypse? You’ll find her holding tight to her two sons, Finn and Charlie, navigating the chaos with the same calm and collected approach she brings to everything she does.

Connect with Lilly in our CONNECT Community or on LinkedIn.

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