Caldwell Academy (NC)

In April 2021, Dr. Rick Newberry partnered with the team at Caldwell Academy in Greensboro, NC, through his Enrollment Catalyst Program. Tim Holland was in his first year as the Head of School and he knew of Rick’s work with his previous school in Knoxville, TN.

Caldwell Academy is a classical Christian school with over 550 students enrolled. Rick worked closely with Dave Walters, Marketing and Communications Director, and April Hedman, Enrollment Director.

As a result of the partnership, the school has experienced steady enrollment growth through the implementation of their plan. Dave Walters recently provided this interview about their partnership with Rick:

Describe your school’s enrollment and marketing situation before you hired Rick Newberry and Enrollment Catalyst:

After outsourcing marketing operations for a period of time, school leaders opted to hire it’s first full-time marketing and communications director. Enrollment Catalyst helped us align the efforts of the new marketing and communications director with the enrollment director, and cast a fresh perspective on opportunities to tell the school’s story to prospective families.

Why did you decide to partner with Rick Newberry and Enrollment Catalyst?

Enrollment Catalyst has a good word of mouth reputation among school leaders. Our Head of School had previously worked with Enrollment Catalyst with positive results.

What were the results of working with Enrollment Catalyst? What were your greatest achievements?

We developed a communications plan, and admissions plan and calendar. Our greatest achievement has been instituting our first F.A.N.S program – which has been well received and has helped our admissions efforts.

What did you like best about working with Rick Newberry?

The access to resources that he provides combined with the frequent coaching calls.

Describe specific programs from the Enrollment Catalyst Program that generated the biggest impact for your marketing and enrollment efforts:

The F.A.N.S program gave us a strategic framework for developing our parent word of mouth marketing effort. Parents can see the intentionality of the program, which gives it credibility in their eyes.

What would you say to another school leader to recommend Rick Newberry to help them in their enrollment and marketing effort?

Rick is consistent, and has a proven track record with private independent schools. Because he works with a variety of types of schools across the country he has a number of ideas, strategies and contacts for different kinds of institutions. This makes him an industry expert, and able to see themes and trends in education. He is not afraid to ask the hard questions and works to understand a school’s culture and situation.

A word of advice to school leaders: take advantage of Rick’s annual survey service each year so you can track and evaluate insights over time, particularly the new parent survey, the annual/midyear parent survey, and the exit survey.

For more information on the Enrollment Catalyst Program, please reach out to Rick at Rick.Newberry@EnrollmentCatalyst.com or view the Enrollment Catalyst website.

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