As the saying goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression. Before the hustle and bustle of the academic year truly get underway, it's crucial to extend a warm welcome to new families joining your school. 

The stakes are even higher at the beginning of an academic year when families are eagerly seeking information and getting accustomed to a new environment. 

To put it simply, the start of the academic year is the moment you've been given to showcase your standards for communications. It's an opportunity to offer guidance, extend support, and showcase your school's commitment to their child's educational journey right from the start.

No pressure, right?


Thankfully, an easy-to-navigate, visually appealing, and informative website can be one of your most impactful communications tools. Here's how to bring it all together and use different elements of your website to ensure a warm welcome for new families:

Maintaining Timely and Regular Communications

Regular updates on school activities, curriculum changes, parent-teacher meetings, and more, can reassure new families that they're in the loop. Tools like push notifications on your mobile app and automated emails can help support this regular communication to enhance your overall engagement with new families.

The language and tone of your website's content are powerful tools that can create a welcoming atmosphere for new families.

1. Welcome Message: A heartfelt welcome on your parent portal or through an email can set a positive tone for new families. This could be a note from the principal, head of school, or parent ambassador with a message on behalf of the entire school community.
    
2. Consistent and Clear Messaging: Ensure that the messaging across your website is consistent and reflects your school's mission and values. It’s a moment to set the tone and reinforce your school’s voice with clear, concise, and jargon-free language to make it easier for new families.
    
3. News and Updates: Regular updates on your website, newsletters, portals, and mobile app about school events, achievements, and other news provide a sense of bustling school life. Features like push notifications for important announcements and reminders about new parent socials show that you value open communication, and keeping new families informed and engaged.

Yes Prep Public Schools outlines their experiences with helpful information for new families, and new students, with sections on their site covering student life, volunteer opportunities, and ways to succeed at Yes. Brilliant!

Personalizing the Experience with a New Families Hub on Your School's Website

Personalized experiences show new families that they're more than just another name on your roster. With website and communications tools, you can offer personalized communication with families that makes new families feel seen, heard, and valued.

A crucial aspect of welcoming new families is to create a dedicated space on your website specifically curated for them. Think of this as an online orientation point — a “New Families” page.

Here are some ways to make this hub informative and inviting:

Easy Accessibility: The New Families Hub should be easily accessible from your website's homepage. Consider adding it to your main navigation to ensure it's clearly visible and easy to find, just like Hilton Head Christina Academic did with their New Family Guide.

Welcome Message: Begin the hub with a warm welcome message. This could come from your head of school, superintendent, or other school leaders. This personal touch can make new families feel valued, just like Harbor Country Day School did.

Orientation Information: Include a comprehensive orientation guide that details what new families can expect during their first few weeks or months. This could include information on school hours, dress code, meal plans, and any other school-specific traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions: A section devoted to FAQs can help address common concerns or questions new families may have. This can range from academic questions, like curriculum details, to more practical matters, such as school bus schedules or how to report an absence.

Resources for New Families: This could include links to local community resources, school forms, and documents, parent education resources, or tips for supporting their child's transition to a new school.

Loomis Chaffee includes a ton of helpful links and resources for new families like boarding and day student information, important back-to-school information, and even main points of contact in the administration and parents association.

Engaging Content: Helpful and informative content goes a long way in giving parents a reason to regularly visit your website, but it also reassures them that they're part of a vibrant, active community. Blogs, newsletters, and Q&As providing insights into your school’s approach to education can be powerful tools for engagement (and an important retention tool!)

Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart has great content listed on their New Family Resources page, including welcome videos and the latest social media posts thanks to their Finalsite Feeds integration.

Almaden Country Day School welcomes families with open arms — and many many resources to help them acclimate to their new school. Information about uniforms, drop-off and pick-up, extended care, and ways to join the parent community are all easily accessible and ready to help families ease into the new year.

A Great User Experience: Removing the Friction for New Families

The layout of your website plays a pivotal role in guiding your visitors through the wealth of information you have to share. A clean, user-friendly design can greatly enhance their user experience.

By dedicating a part of your website to new families, you're not only providing them with a wealth of information, but also showing them that you understand their needs and concerns, which can go a long way in making them feel welcomed and appreciated.

Contact Information: Ensure you provide clear and easy-to-find contact information for departments or faculty in the school. This encourages open communication and reassures families that help or answers are readily available.

Make information easy to find: Families often visit your website looking for specific information, such as back-to-school procedures, curriculum details, or faculty information. A well-structured website with clear menus and sub-menus can guide them to the required information quickly.

Offer personalized communication: Your new families will have even higher expectations than last year’s families. Use your website's layout to highlight your school's achievements, unique programs, and events.

Tailoring content to individual divisions and parents’ needs with a mobile app, and mass communications sent to the device they prefer, will help make families feel like they're getting a specially curated glimpse into life at your school — because they are!

Suffield Public Schools reminds new families to download their app to access the latest news and information. With the Finalsite Mobile App, families customize their calendars and content settings to view only news relevant to their students.

Mobile-first design: With a large number of families using their smartphones on the go, ensuring your website is mobile-first can enhance the user experience, making navigation easier for parents.

Woods Academy had all their new family information in a neatly presented, mobile-friendly design with icons and expandable accordions, perfect for families needing to access the information when they’re away from their laptops.

Key Takeaway

Consider the start of the next academic year as a fresh canvas to create an engaging, supportive, and welcoming environment for new families.

By leveraging key website tools, crafting engaging content, offering personalized experiences, and maintaining timely communication, you can ensure that new families are welcomed with open arms and feel valued from day one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.