Schools Programme, 8-9 April
As of 12 March. This schedule is subject to change.
Monday, 8 April - Brisbane Grammar School
The Schools Programme is dedicated to advancement professionals from K-12 schools. Learn from fellow peers and speakers in the region and beyond through various sessions covering four main tracks: Admissions, Alumni and Community Engagement, Fundraising, and Marketing and Communications. Get inspired at the plenaries and exchange best practices at roundtable discussions.
Important Note: The Schools Programme will run concurrently with Road Map to Advancement, Leadership Forum and Philanthropy and the Role of Academic Leadership at the Hilton Brisbane.
Hosted by:
Topics & Synopses (Schools Programme)
Programme
|
Time |
Programme |
|
7:50 a.m. |
Gather at Concierge, Level 1 of Hilton Brisbane for transport to Brisbane Grammar School |
|
8 a.m. |
Buses leave hotel for Brisbane Grammar School |
|
8:15 a.m. |
Arrival at school, registration |
|
8:45 a.m. |
Welcome by CASE and Brisbane Grammar School |
|
9 a.m. |
Opening Plenary: The Role of Schools in Education Futures |
|
10:15 a.m. |
Coffee and Conversations |
|
10:45 a.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 1 The Art of Using Social Science to Understand Alumni Intermediate - Advanced LC411 - Seniors Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Alignment and Readiness - Vision and the Check-list Tony Bretherton, Director of Development and Community Relations, Xavier College Fundraising is all about ‘the ask', the project and very importantly, the donor - but things go better when all key stakeholders are informed and committed to a shared adventure. Going in the same direction doesn't just happen. Aligning as many stars as possible helps enhance outcomes. And then there is the need to get ready for fundraising. Readiness is about preparation and the check-list. From the small things to the large, there is much to do before you are ready to ask for the first gift. In this session we look at the groundwork that, if done well, can ensure optimal fundraising outcomes. Intermediate - Advanced LC408 - General Classroom, The Lilley Centre, First Floor We Need to Talk: Difficult Conversations that Make Relationships Better Facing tensions, setting boundaries and holding people to account are a critical part of leadership. When done courageously and well, these ‘difficult conversations' can transform from potentially negative experiences for you and your colleagues to the foundation of high-trust, positive relationships between you. In this session, we will share some of the research around crucial conversations and why Brené Brown, author and researcher on courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy, says that "Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings, or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior." We will then do some practical work on planning for, having, and building on difficult conversations. All Levels LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor
|
|
11:45 a.m. |
School Tour and Lunch |
|
1:15 p.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 2 Internship/Mentoring programmes for Alumni Relations and Advancement Building and maintaining an effective internship/mentoring programme that offers valuable, real-world work experience to students and university aged alumni and provides meaningful and positive interactions for alumni with the school and its students. All Levels LC411 - Seniors Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor How a 24-hour Campaign Can More-Than-Double Your Annual Giving Result This session will outline how two very different NSW schools used a crowdfunding platform to run exciting and innovative 24-hour giving day campaigns that captivated their communities and encouraged participation well beyond previous levels of engagement. The session will include tips on: how to increase giving participation rates and raise the profile of giving within your community, how to attract new donors by making it fun and easy to give, and how to effectively use social media to attract and leverage ambassadors for campaigns. It will outline two different approaches to campaign implementation, as well as what worked and what didn't, for both schools. All Levels Generally milestone years are viewed as times of reflection, significantly gears towards Alumni (and rightly so!). In 2015 IGS celebrated its Centenary and in the planning of the yearlong celebrations, we wanted to make sure that we covered a number of different areas that would engage a wide range of our constituency, including those on our waitlist and those contemplating. In amongst that, there were some significant ‘hurdles' that needed to be addressed and overcome which required sensitive, careful handling. The year was an incredible success and there were a number of processes, strategies and initiatives (as well as the journey itself)...that are worth sharing. Intermediate - Advanced LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor |
|
2:15 p.m. |
Break |
|
2:30 p.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 3 Giving Prospective Families What They Want (not what you think they want!) When looking at the most appropriate way of promoting our schools, there are many different avenues we can take. We can employ agencies, we can rely on past experience or maybe we just guess. However, if we really want to know what the ‘customer' expects, maybe we should ask the customer! In this session, we will gather together a panel of parents in a Q and A session, to find our exactly what people are looking forward and expect, when choosing a school for their child. What resonates...and what is a turn off!! This session will comprise of a panel made up of parents, many from our host institution - Brisbane Grammar School, who have been through the process of choosing a school or are in the process of doing so. Their insights will be invaluable for future planning. Bequests - Playing the Long Game This session will discuss strategies to establish and run a successful bequest programme, with a focus on exploring some of the myths around the sensitive area of development work - what has worked and what not, how it fits into an existing development programme and stewardship of bequest donors and potential donors. All Levels LC408 - General Classroom, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Changing Product. Maintaining Identity. Julie McAllister, Director of Communications, Barker College The world of work, the world of education, the world of employment and the world of leadership have shifted considerably in recent decades and schools need to respond to this, otherwise we cannot claim to be preparing students to be active citizens. This session will focus on connecting the school's programme offering to market needs through a case study focused on change and on becoming a co-educational school. All Levels LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor |
|
3:30 p.m. |
Coffee and Conversations |
|
4 p.m. |
Key Plenary: Advancing Advancement It takes a village... For Advancement programmes to transform their institutions, no one can opt out! Advancement professionals seek leadership from the Board, active engagement from the Head of School, prioritisation by the Chief Financial Officer, and active engagement by faculty and staff. We pop the hood on Brisbane Grammar School's outstanding programme and find out how to make the transformational shift. Forum, The Lilley Centre, Ground Floor |
|
5:15 p.m. |
End of Programme |
|
5:25 p.m. |
Return transport to hotel |
Tuesday, 9 April - Brisbane Grammar School
|
Time |
Programme |
|
8:20 a.m. |
Gather at Concierge, Level 1 of Hilton Brisbane for transport to Brisbane Grammar School |
|
8:30 a.m. |
Buses leave hotel for Brisbane Grammar School |
|
9 a.m. |
Roundtable Discussions Creating Positive Experiences Throughout Admissions The process of finding a prospective school and going through the admission process can be daunting: especially for first-time parents. In what ways, we can streamline our admission processes to make it more efficient and convenient for prospective parents and students? How can we create a positive experience throughout the family's admissions journey, regardless of the eventual outcome? How do we positively manage unsuccessful applicants? Measuring Engagement in a More Meaningful Way Engagement of our community and alumni is integral to institutional success, but how do we know if we were truly engaging our constituents in a meaningful way? How do we define the measures of success and demonstrate the positive impact of our engagement strategy? We're on Social: Using Digital Platforms for Engaging our Community Social and digital platforms continue to evolve exponentially. New platforms are being introduced while well-established ones like Facebook, Instagram and LindkedIn, among others, constantly add on new features. How do we best use these tools to increase professional connections and create value for our alumni and the rest of our school community? How do we promote such tools to increase participation? From a First Milestone Gift to Another Securing gifts from first-time donors is always encouraging and inspiring. How can we cultivate such donors and inspire them to support the institution again? What are the kind of processes and structures we should put in place to steward and encourage them to make their next milestone gift? In a Small Shop: Optimising Advancement Operations to Address Competing Priorities Running an advancement office with a lean team and resources requires an entrepreneurial outlook and commitment. Despite operating a small shop, achieving your advancement goals for different institutional priorities is imperative. What strategies can we employ to prioritise those goals and achieve success? The Importance of Saying No and Handling it Respectfully At times, we have to negotiate difficult conversations with donors, either finally closing a gift or having to turn it down. How do you manage the conversation when it becomes clear that there may be dissonance between the philanthropic intention and the best interests of the school? How do you decline a gift in a respectful way and still keep the door open for future opportunities? Strategy is Dead, Long Live Strategic Thinking! The Role of Marketing and Communications in Building a School's Strategic Plan In schools, strategy is most often led by educational leadership and the Board. But the marketing and communications team can have a key role to play, as long as we see ourselves as engagement professionals. How do we elicit leadership support and make marketing and communications a critical part of the school's strategic planning process? All on Board: Making the Most Out of School Open Days An open day is incredibly important for a school. This is an opportunity for the school to engage prospective students and parents. While there is already a captive audience of people who are keen to get to know the school, this is also a perfect moment to engage your entire school community, including alumni and donors. What are some innovative approaches or activities that our schools could adopt to bring stakeholders all together? How can we build an ‘ecosystem' whereby different interest groups could interact in a more intentional way? The Great Hall, Ground Floor |
|
10:30 a.m. |
Coffee and Conversations |
|
11 a.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 4 Creating Positive and Rewarding Parent Engagement in a Diverse School Setting Community engagement is a journey. Diverse students and families enrich our school, but this diversity can also mean that there are gaps in understanding the needs, approaches, and perspectives of others. As our school and school communities evolve, so must our methods for engaging. This session will share lessons learned through this journey with administration, faculty, staff, students and parents joining together in both proactive and reactive dialogue, engagement, and understanding around important issues to create positive outcomes and thriving community spirit. All Levels LC411 - Seniors Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Engaging Women as Donors Ann Badger, Senior Consultant & Principal, Marts & Lundy Whether your institution is a boys', girls', or co-educational school, women are a key constituency and represent the future of philanthropy. This session will challenge assumptions and understand attitudes and behaviours that keep women from engaging in giving and help attendees to develop a plan to more fully engage and integrate women donors into your school's fundraising strategy. All Levels LC408 - General Classroom, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Turning Buses Into Storytellers: Using Stories to Create Differentiation Kevin Lynch, Director of Marketing & Communications, Shanghai American School Schools tell their stories through websites, brochures, ads, and campus visits. But what if a school realised that every aspect of the institution could tell or prompt its story? Everything - from a simple clipboard to something as large as, say, a bus. Shanghai American School has 166 buses - and each tells a unique story about the school. This is just one of the many ways SAS has employed storytelling in creative ways to effectively differentiate itself in one of the most competitive education markets in the world. All Levels LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Here and There: Domestic vs. International Admissions Soleiman Dias, Director of Admissions, Chadwick International This session hopes to highlight the main differences in the admission processes for domestic and international applicants. One of the goals is to discuss what international admissions professionals need to know about domestic admissions and what domestic admissions professionals need to know about international admissions. In the session, we will examine the various elements an international enrolment manager needs to know, especially with regards to putting systems and resources in place to avoid potential problems and improve strategic enrolment management. All Levels Function Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor |
|
12 p.m. |
Networking Lunch |
|
1:15 p.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 5 Strategic Planning Starts with Research; The Results Can Be Surprising! Research allows us to make smarter decisions, boldly call things into question and seize new opportunities. Survey platforms that are appropriate to our objectives and budget provide data needed to plan with confidence. Templates present a cost-efficient means of obtaining feedback and these convenient platforms have their place. But how does a DIY questionnaire compare to data analysis of a market research company and what is the added value of a professional survey design? After working with an independent global market research company, Deborah will share surprising results and the impact of such findings on the Old Boys' Association's 3-year strategic plan. All Levels LC411 - Seniors Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor A Flight over a vast Major Gifts Landscape Bill Maddock, Major Gifts and Grants Manager, Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland Section) Take a flight over the major gifts landscape to see the big five of the Major Gifts landscape - strategy, identification, engagement, asking and stewardship. Your pilots and tour guides, will be Rob Needham and Bill Maddock, both veterans of the School and University Alumni and Development skies. During this flight you will take a once in a lifetime detour to see how they built a Major Gift programme from scratch for the iconic outback Australian charity, The Royal Flying Doctors Service (Queensland Section). Expect to walk away with an upgraded ticket for your next Major Gift adventure - complete with donor engagement pre-flight checklist and alumni in-flight entertainment. All Levels LC408 - General Classroom, The Lilley Centre, First Floor No one knows your school better than your community. It is possible to build your brand and any campaign concept with minimal staff and what is available at your fingertips. This session will cover everything from forming an identity, through to delivering an impactful marketing campaign with limited resources, whether it be staff or budget. Sometimes not being able to outsource is okay. Often the answer is right in front of us; harnessing the knowledge and skill within your community will most often be advantageous. Showing that not everyone needs unlimited budgets to get results, Ben will draw from some of his previous work experience in some of Sydney's larger independent schools. Beginner - Intermediate LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor From Airlines to Open Mornings Marion Cape, Director of Communications and Marketing, Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School The importance of customer service, data intelligence, unique experiences, creativity, teamwork and bringing on board (pardon the pun) all staff, students, parents and community. This presentation will examine the similarities and learnings between large corporate institutionalised brands and independent schools. What can we as schools learn and sustain as a business yet retain compassion, kindness and warmth whilst building enrolments and community? Beginner - Intermediate Function Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor |
|
2:15 p.m. |
Break |
|
2:30 p.m. |
Concurrent Sessions 6 Engaging Young Alumni - Providing appealing and innovative ways to encourage connection. For life. When young alumni are engaged with their institution, they are more likely to remain engaged. In a world where your alumni could live anywhere, it is easy to think that connections could break down if alumni and institution are separated by distance. There are many ways for an alumni association to stay connected with graduates - through a variety of initiatives such as communication methods, providing opportunities for social and recreational connections locally and globally, and providing opportunities for alumni to be recognised as part of a vast network. Through this, alumni can leverage this resource to help navigate their path in life, by growing their personal and professional networks. All Levels LC411 - Seniors Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Foundation Volunteer Parent Ambassador Programme Dave Shepherd, Director of College Advancement, UWCSEA Our schools have outstanding curricula and extracurricular programmes. The positive ‘noise' that our parents and student body face on a daily basis is extensive. Add the fact that many of us welcome a significant number of new families annually; it is no wonder our Advancement messages are often missed or placed well down the priority list. This session will share the lessons learnt from the creation of a dedicated Foundation Volunteer Parent Ambassador programme. From volunteer recruitment, management, training, and activity, the session will explore one way to establish a programme that increases understanding and awareness that philanthropy can have on a school. All Levels LC408 - General Classroom, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Is Your School Crisis Ready? Megan Giles, Communications and Community Liaison Manager, All Hallows' School A crisis is an event that is extraordinary. It cannot be predicted. It is a situation where your school is faced with inadequate information, not enough time, and insufficient resources, but in which you must make one or many crucial decisions. It is a time when your community are watching, waiting and expecting you to get it right. This session will focus on being prepared for a crisis and how to respond when it happens. And believe us, it will happen! All Levels LC407 - Flexible Learning, The Lilley Centre, First Floor Managing the Waitlist Jamie Smith, Director of Enrolments, Brisbane Grammar School Jamie Smith, Director of Enrolments at Brisbane Grammar School, presents on the unique challenges associated with managing enrolment waitlists. Enrolment staff in all schools work hard to ensure strong prospective pipelines with this effort mostly behind the scenes and therefore unnoticed by the majority of staff. Brisbane Grammar School holds both a rare and fortunate position in the South-East Queensland educational environment with waitlists for every year for the next 10 years. While this high demand for places relieves certain pressures on the enrolments office, it consequently creates its own set of unique challenges. Beginner - Intermediate Function Room, The Lilley Centre, First Floor |
|
3:30 p.m. |
Coffee and Conversations |
|
4 p.m. |
Closing Plenary: Integrating Advancement Culminating our theme of Advancing Advancement within our institutions, a panel of experts will provide perspective and provocation from their own experience. We will learn how a united front of collaborative creativity, strategic savvy and productive promises, is key to the success of integrating Advancement programmes in our institutions. Forum, The Lilley Centre, Ground Floor Sponsored by: |
|
5 p.m. |
Closing Ceremony |
|
5:15 p.m. |
End of Schools Programme |
|
5:45 p.m. |
APAC Welcome Reception Sponsored by: |
|
7:15 p.m. |
End of Welcome Reception |
CASE Asia-Pacific reserves the right to change the programme without prior notice.