Connections

A couple of weeks ago I sat down with my supervisor to inquire about some figures on a demographic fact sheet for our marketing partners in Virginia. Ms. Sawyer, our Principal and CEO gave me the financial layout and development plan for Champion Schools which was enlightening for me because I joined the team without knowing much of that information. It was a good thing to hear her explain what type of school CS was and what they’re goals are since I am a key in the marketing of this institution to the public.

What every entrepreneurial endeavor needs to get rolling is a value proposition. This is a business marketing strategy that involves assessment of the company (our school), the customers (the students) and the competition (other schools, private and public). Ms. Sawyer and her business associate, Patrick McGee, had the vision for a public charter school founded on principles of academic and athletic discipline. They have found a market niche of their own to build a competitive advantage over other public schools because they offer many things that Phoenix public schools don’t. The value proposition compiled by Mr. McGee’s marketing team is also essential for investors like the construction company building our new campus.

In consumer markets, customer retention is an important concept to implement especially in newer, smaller businesses. It’s a little more difficult and usually expensive to find new customers and much easier to focus on quality of service to influence customers to spend their dollars in the same place while spreading a good word for you. At CS, the quality of their service could be called the quantity of their service. Transportation, school supplies and several organized teams and leagues are all apart of a cost free education. I work with teachers on their facebooks to try and build awareness of CS through networks which relates back to the relationships we have with the students and their families. The schools facebook, twitter, blog and website are also tools we use to keep the CS family informed and intimate with what’s happening.

The Theory of Play is something anyone working with kids should know. A handout in one of my PRM courses explained that play is essentially behavior that humans and animals participate in to explore and learn about their environments. Having physical education with a game everyday gives the CS students the chance to play and develop motor skills, sensory knowledge, exploration of different roles, cognitive, problem solving and social skills which is the best indicator of success in schools.

Sport is the other recreation management concept that applies to CS. Cooperative competition is a term used to explain sport which I believe speaks a lot to the mission and goals of our school. Sport brings together physical athletics, which all kids love, education and professionalism. I think the patience and capacity of our first through fourth graders to board buses every morning and for our fifth through eighth graders to switch class rooms every hour speaks to this notion of professionalism and maturity.