A summer program offers numerous benefits to your students, parents, faculty, staff, and community. If you don’t currently provide a summer program, or feel your offerings aren’t as strong as they could be, there are many ways to create a quality summer program that supports your school’s mission.
A summer program helps ensure your facilities are used throughout the calendar year. After all, building maintenance, grounds work, insurance, salaries, and utilities are all 12-month expenses. It only makes sense that your school continues to be in use—and profitable—all year round.
Consider how the following benefits of a summer program might apply to your school community.
A service for current families. As we know, while classes often go on hiatus in the summer, many parents work throughout the full calendar year. This leaves them scrambling to find a solution for child care; a summer program at the school they know can be a perfect solution. When you meet parents’ needs, you strengthen their bond with your school. When they know they can rely on your program quality and their children already feel comfortable and secure with you, why go elsewhere?
New recruitment opportunities. Families not currently enrolled at your school also require child care over the summer months. This can open your school up to prospective families who may not have originally considered your offerings during the school year. An enjoyable summer experience and the opportunity to get to know your teachers and campus may lead parents and students to investigate whether your school makes sense for their children year-round.
Summer employment options for your teachers. Many teachers work additional jobs over the summer months. A summer program can give them an opportunity to supplement their income while staying in the comfortable community they’ve created at your school.
Leadership opportunities for your potential administrators. If you have employees who are interested in moving into an administrative position, a summer program is a good time to test how they handle responsibility and take on new initiatives.
Supplemental income for your school. Unlike donated money, any fees collected through your summer program tuition is hard income the school can count on.
A quality summer program offers these benefits—and often many more. The fall months are the perfect time to start planning for next year’s program. Whether you already offer a summer program or are creating one for the first time, consider how these benefits could serve to support your mission.
Want more information on planning next year’s summer program? Download our new white paper, “Six Steps You Must Take When Creating Next Year’s Summer Program.”
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for School Heads Vol. 16 No. 8 Use This Summer Program Checklist to Protect Your Students and School
The Source for Private School News Vol. 17 No. 1 Start Planning Next Year’s Summer Program Now
Additional ISM resources for Gold members:
I&P Vol. 40 No. 5 Summer Program: The Third ‘Semester’—Lower and Middle School
I&P Vol. 42 No. 2 Paying Your Summer Program Director
