A Guide to Events for Guidepost Montessori 

Ready to take your school to the next level? Whether you're planning your first open house or a series of themed playdates, here are a few seasonal and coninual event suggestions to inspire and plan events.

If you have an event where you can invite prospective families, reach out to marketing on Wayfinder (3 week notice required) so that we can help drive attendance, RSVPs, and support  making your event a success!

 Get inspired by theyse amazing events produced by our very own school leaders here!

Best Practice Reminders:

• Run 1 event per month since they are a great opportunity to engage new and existing families.
• Each school has a monthly budget of $500. Consult with your RD to approve changes in your budget.
• Create a flyer and social media graphic in MediaValet to share with your community!

August, 2022 - Back to School Themed Events

Back to School Open House

Build excitement for the upcoming school year by hosting a Back to School Open House!

• What makes it Back to School: Provide current and prospective families with "supplies" from our swag ordered from Montessori Marketplace or throw a raffle for items from The Guidepost Store. 
• Open House Basic: During an open house event, prospective parents and children are invited to tour our school, meet the staff, see the classroom, and learn more about Montessori and the benefits of Guidepost. It lasts for about two hours and parents can drop in during the 2-hour window.Tours are conducted throughout for individual families or at a set time for a group. The goal is to get the parents excited and invite them to enroll.
• Key supplies: Signs and banners, tour folders, fold up table with table throw, refreshments (small water bottles and packaged snacks from your local store, add a Guidepost Sticker to make it branded!)

Back to School Festival

Welcome back current families by celebrating the beginning of a new year and invite new families to get acquainted with your community.

• What makes it Back to School: Provide current and prospective families with "supplies" from our swag ordered from Montessori Marketplace or throw a raffle for items from The Guidepost Store. Set up the Guidepost backdrop with the social media signs and fun props for an easy photo op for parents to share on social media.
• What makes it a Festival: Invite local entertainment and food vendors. Search for vendors or use current partnerships. Great examples include food trucks, local restaurants and bakeries, bubble artists, bouncy houses, etc.
• For Prospective Families: Provide the opportunity for ongoing tours and tour folders for prospective and current families interested in move ups.
• Key supplies: Signs and banners, tour folders, fold up table with table throw, refreshments (provided by vendors, or small water bottles and packaged snacks from your local store, add a Guidepost Sticker to make it branded!)

Grand Opening

Grand opening is one of the most important events we host for the families in our school community. We use the grand opening event to announce to the local community that our school has joined the community and is now enrolling.The event takes place before or after a school is open and it usually lasts for about 3 hours. It’s a large-scale event with 100+ attendees including current families, prospective families and general leads in the community.There is a defined theme (carnival, festival, etc) and a few activities designed for the children and their families.The goal is to drive enrollment but also connect with existing families and staff and the larger community.

• Best Practice: bring in local vendors for food and activites, games, prizes, and decorations. Provide stations for different activities that could include facepainting, gardening, arts and crafts, etc.
• Key supplies: Signs and banners, tour folders, fold up table with table throw, gift bags for guest with items from the Montessori Marketplace, and the Guidepost backdrop with the social media signs and fun props for an easy photo op for parents to share on social media.

Local Partnerships are Always in Season!

Find local vendors and neighborhood groups to work with to find new families. Do you or your guides have a favorite coffee shop or local café for breaks? Is there a local golf course that is popular in your community? Introduce yourself and see if they can feature your school or bring their business to you! Local chambers of commerce, neighborhood festivals and farmers markets are also great opportunities to get the word out about your school with table space and a fun Montessori activity.

• Key supplies: Signs and banners, tour folders, swag ordered from Montessori Marketplace, table throw, refreshments (small water bottles and packaged snacks from your local store, add a Guidepost Sticker to make it branded!)