By Pauline Jennett, Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid
It is October, and thoughts immediately fall on changing seasons, costumes for October 31, the celebration of sacred Jewish holidays, college football games, and reflecting on the upcoming Thanksgiving celebrations.
Fall is also the beginning of our enrollment season when we begin accepting new applications on Oct. 1 for the next school year. Last year, we received a record number of applications for the 2022-23 school year with a majority of those applying because they heard about TCS from you, our current families! We’re already receiving calls and emails as new families begin to investigate TCS for their educational needs for next year.
As an enrollment professional for the past 15 years, this is also the time when I like to reflect on the previous enrollment season – my first at TCS. I recall the numerous open houses; Coffee and Conversations, informal virtual events when prospective parents engaged with TCS staff and faculty; learning sessions about Middle Grades and kindergarten; and our in-person tours when we invited the community to experience our campus for themselves. We were still in the midst of a pandemic last year that limited in-classroom, live experiences, so I am delighted that we can return to weekly tours this year that will allow prospective families to get a peek into our magical classroom environments.
The enrollment team, myself and Associate Director of Advancement Alison Schers had the privilege of interviewing all new parents who entered the Wolf Pack for the 2022-23 academic school year. It was exciting to learn about the vast diversity of family backgrounds, including entrepreneurs in the consulting, biking, and non-profit fields; corporate leaders in finance, legal, consulting, marketing and IT; school administrators and public servants, including firefighters; and so many others
It was wonderful to spend one-on-one time with families as we explored their hopes and dreams for their children within our campus and as families became excited about the possibility of ongoing educational and socio-emotional intelligence and building new relationships between students and parents! The thrill of seeing our new students in May embrace the furry wolves from their new family kits and enter their classrooms for the first time was delightful.
The vibrancy of the campus reached a new level of excitement when new teachers and staff arrived on campus, including members of the expanded Learning Strategies and Academic Support Services program. I am thrilled that we now have an executive function coach, speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist, along with our three literacy specialists and a math specialist, to accommodate a growing number of students within our four walls.
This year, the campus will be abuzz as we continue to celebrate nurture and challenge and diversity, equity and inclusion within our overall curriculum. Our students will embark on field trips to locations around Atlanta and move beyond our city to the mountains, swamps and beaches through the TCS Outdoor Education program, recognized as one of Atlanta’s best nature-based school programs by “Atlanta Parent” magazine, for grades 4-8 students. We have so much to look forward to and celebrate this year!
Admission season is an exciting time for TCS because we can share our accomplishments, introduce our expert teachers and dynamic community, and show the deep learning experiences happening in each classroom with prospective families, all while shaping and strengthening our pack for the future.
The best news is that you can help! Current TCS families are our best ambassadors and the reason why so many prospective families want to join our dynamic community. When you talk to new families about our nurturing learning environment, BCC curriculum, and challenging project-based learning, you bring TCS to life.
Do you know of a family that is looking for challenging academics embedded within a nurturing environment? Share your TCS why and encourage them to sign up for one of our admission events by visiting our website.
Alison and I cannot wait to meet new parents this year who are eager to visit with faculty, staff and administrators and explore how TCS can become their new educational home!
