All School Revenue Flows Through One Office: Advancement

Posted on by Society for Classical Learning

Amy Burgess

Amy Burgess is the Cohort leader for SCL's Admission and Marketing cohort, and the former Director of Admission and Marketing at Covenant Classical School in Fort Worth, TX. Amy started the Smart School Growth agency to help K-12 Classical schools reach their enrollment goals by using proven Admission and Marketing strategies. Schools are complicated “businesses.” The stakes are high, budgets are slim, and staffing is lean. Amy helps equip Admission and Marketing teams to clarify their schools' messages, tighten their marketing efforts, work with their Boards and School Heads to forecast enrollment (and therefore budgets), and enroll their faculty and staff in the mission to reach (and keep) more families.

Fundraising During and After COVID-19

Posted on by Society for Classical Learning
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted how you carry out your mission as a school, and it also impacts your fundraising. If you have been overly-dependent on events, you may be re-thinking your approach. Learn a more strategic, relational and sustainable framework for raising your annual fund, and transform donors into lifelong partners. Time will be available for Q&A.

Brad Layland

Brad Layland is the CEO of The FOCUS Group. He lives in St. Augustine, Florida, where he is a founding parent and serves on the board of trustees for Veritas Classical School. In addition, he serves on the boards of directors for Young Life St. Augustine, Christian Surfers US, the Reid Saunders Association, and Young Life of Greater New York, and is an elder at Good News Church. Brad received his BA in Communications from the University of Florida and his MA in Theology from Fuller Seminary. For over 35 years, The FOCUS Group has helped nonprofits raise money more effectively through capital campaign counsel, major donor strategies, planned and estate gifts, and training. It currently serves twelve classical Christian schools across the United States.

Crucial Crisis Communication Elements Schools Need

Posted on by Society for Classical Learning
Crisis happens. But it isn’t the crisis itself that poses the greatest risk, but how you choose to respond to it that will determine the level of impact. While they cannot be avoided, contrary to popular belief, they also do not necessarily have to be bad. The key to successfully navigating a negative situation is to effectively manage future emergencies in advance to mitigate your school’s overall risks. In this session, seasoned crisis communications experts will help you take steps now to think beyond the negative and instead how to approach, respond and pivot to positive messaging when your crisis hits.

Kristin Cole

As President of A. Larry Ross Communications (ALRC), Kristin Cole provides strategic leadership to the agency account team, consults on crisis communications and reputation management projects, and leads the company’s vision and mission. She is constantly looking for cutting-edge ways the Agency can serve its clients. During her nearly 14 years at ALRC, Ms. Cole has served a variety of film, book and ministry clients, including Gordon College, I Am Second, Interstate Batteries, CURE International and HarperCollins Publishing as well as leaders such as Anne Graham Lotz, Dr. Tony Evans, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, Joel C. Rosenberg, Christine Caine, Dr. Albert R. Mohler and Jon Weece. She also continues to coordinate media and public relations for Pastor Rick and Kay Warren of Saddleback Church. Ms. Cole is a graduate of Union University in Jackson, Tenn., where she earned a communication arts degree with an emphasis in public relations/advertising and was elected President of the Student Government Association. She currently serves on the Union University Board of Regents and Religion Newswriters Association Membership Committee and chairs the Honors and Awards Committee for the Dallas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Kerri Ridenour

Kerri Ridenour, PHR, SHRM-CP, has spent her professional career focused in the area of consulting with small to medium-sized companies, non-profits, and academic institutions advising them on strategic preparation, human resources, and crisis planning. She permanently joined the ALRC team in May of 2006. As Chief Operating Officer, she leads the Agency’s business acquisitions, day-to-day operations and utilizes her human resources expertise and certifications to act in an advisory capacity on a variety of crisis communications projects. Kerri is a SRHM Certified Personnel (SRHM-CP) Consultant and a Certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR) who before joining ALRC, served as President of The Bask Group, Inc., a Dallas based consulting firm specializing in operations, personnel, strategic and tactical planning, and compliance.