Independent and private schools are in preparation mode and oftentimes the best thing you can have is a short checklist guide to make certain your administration and staff are ready for the new year.  

Private school families depend on your administration to ensure their data is kept private, secure and that communication is pro-active for your families. By having parent leaders in place that help present your school to new student families you can also ensure a large welcome to new students.  

We also know that gathering reporting and ensuring all data is up to date is key for a successful new school year. We wanted to share some timely tips from our full AETM Back to School Guide for schools and administrators to help you seize success in the upcoming school year! 

Admissions and Enrollment:  

Make sure your forms and documents for all students are completely filled out and all forms and documents have been submitted for the 2021-2022 school year. Doublecheck all your student data and status including closing prior year student reports and pulling reports for health and emergency card status of current and new students.  

Print health and emergency cards for each teacher and classroom so that those are easily accessible in case of emergency.  

Tuition Management:  

Review each student record and make sure that all payment contracts have been signed and are up to date. Make sure as well that your parents understand the financial agreements and have the dates due for each payment.   

Ensure you have your start of year fees billed and that make sure to check your cash flow report and track all expenses.  

Educate / SIS: 

Be certain that your student information system reflects correct enrollment for courses in the upcoming year and the classes have been reviewed with families for each grade. Remember to note for each family the preferences they have for communicating school information, including grades, emergency closures, field trips, and any other necessary information.  

Ensure to go through and review Parent/Guardian custody statuses and that those statuses are reflected correctly in each student’s data. This is key to avoiding uncomfortable miscommunications and keeping your families’ differing needs respected.  

Being prepared early will be a key to your school’s success during the school year. Using technology to eliminate manual workloads and mistakes can further ensure more time is devoted to students and supporting the school.  

We hope you’ll find these tips helpful and encourage you to download our full AETM Checklist.