Podcast
Mindful School Marketing
Hosted by Tara Claeys & Aubrey Bursch · EN
The Mindful School Marketing podcast discusses topics relevant to independent school administrators and marketers for K-12 independent private schools and camps. The podcast offers a mix of discussions and interviews with professionals both within and outside of the independent school community. We will cover the connection between mindfulness and success at work and at home, and how mindfulness applies to effective independent school marketing and administration. Co-hosts Aubrey Bursch and Tara Claeys conduct casual and meaningful conversations to help their listeners discover new strategies, tactics, ideas and tools for improving their school enrollment and retention, productivity, and overall happiness.
27episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
133. How Schools Are Using Chatbots to Support Admissions
2w ago00:41:05Tap to summarizeWe put a lot into our websites. The pages look good, the content is thorough, and we assume families will move through it the way we mapped it out. Then we actually look at the data and realize a lot of them are not navigating it at all. They are researching on their own time, often late at night when no one is at the desk, and showing up as fully formed applicants we have never spoken to. In this episode, I sit down with Angela Brown from Halda AI, Stephanie Vasta of Moravian Academy, and Lori Kriegel of Wooster School to talk about what happens when you put a chatbot in front of those families. Two of them are running chatbots in their admissions and marketing right now, and Angela works with schools implementing them every day. What comes up is less about the technology itself and more about what it reveals about how families actually research a school. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why students, not just parents, are using the chatbot and how their questions shape the enrollment decision. Why current families lean on it as much as prospective ones, from game times to the parent handbook. Choosing a closed chatbot that answers only from your own content instead of pulling from Reddit or Wikipedia. How chat logs expose gaps in your site and surface audiences you did not expect, like prospective employees. Moving information into a knowledge base instead of piling more pages onto the website. Front-loading affordability so the admissions team spends its human time with right-fit families. Testing answers in Spanish and Mandarin and treating multilingual support as a recruitment advantage. What the first 30 days actually require and where the handoff from bot to human should live.
Transcribe →132. What’s Actually Working in Enrollment Right Now? A Conversation with School Admissions & Enrollment Leaders
4w ago00:55:21Tap to summarizeEnrollment looks different than it did even two years ago, and the pressure to figure out what’s actually moving families from inquiry to enrolled is real. The COVID bump has leveled off, parent expectations have shifted, and the mental load of carrying your school’s enrollment goals while wearing every other hat is not getting lighter. In this episode, I sit down with Marnie Schattgen from Fredericksburg Academy, Matt Thornton from Robert C. Parker School, and Matthew Farley from James River Day School for an honest panel conversation about what’s working right now. These are small school leaders doing this work every day, and what they share is grounded, practical, and immediately useful. In This Episode, We Discuss: How parent behavior in the admissions process has shifted, including the expectation of instant responses and a changing sense of partnership with schools What the admissions funnel actually looks like post-COVID and where the real drop-offs are happening Why the traditional open house model is working for some schools and completely gone for others, and what they’re doing instead How student-led tours and in-the-moment campus experiences are converting families more effectively than formal events The onboarding strategies schools are using to build connection with newly enrolled families before the first day of school What the financial aid conversation looks like right now, including families who need it but don’t ask and families who apply but probably shouldn’t How these leaders are protecting their mental load through processes, planning, and leadership support that actually helps
Transcribe →131. Who Owns Retention? And Why That Question Is Hurting Schools Plus A Special Podcast Announcement
May 2000:28:28Tap to summarizeRetention conversations tend to spike at re-enrollment time, but by then, a lot of the damage is already done. Families aren’t usually making their decision to leave in one moment. They’re collecting small data points all year long, quietly asking themselves whether the school still feels like the right place for their family. In this episode, we sit down together to talk through what’s actually driving retention challenges right now, and why the “who owns it” question is one schools keep circling without ever fully answering. We also walk through the Connect Four framework, four areas of connection that move the needle for families and help schools figure out where they need to lean in more. We also have a special announcement to share. This is episode 131, and after five years of building this podcast together, Tara is stepping away as co-host. It’s a bittersweet moment, and one that reflects exactly what this show has always been about: being mindful of where your energy is going and making intentional decisions, even when something good has to make space for something else. But don’t worry, the Mindful School Marketing podcast isn’t going anywhere! Aubrey will continue as it always has, with the same mission! In This Episode, We Discuss: Why retention breaks down across small moments, not one big event, and what schools can do to close those gaps The misconception that silence from families means satisfaction, and what’s actually happening when you don’t hear from them Who really owns retention at most schools, and why the answer “everyone” often means no one How the admissions handoff creates the first major retention risk for new families, especially over summer The role of internal marketing in helping families understand and feel the value of your school Aubrey’s Connect Four framework: connection to peers, to the student experience, to the classroom, and to the teacher Why aiming for a B-minus retention plan you can actually implement beats a perfect one that never gets executed Tara’s reflection on five years of Mindful School Marketing and what mindfulness looked like in making this decision
Transcribe →130. Your School Website’s Most Important Pages in 2026 and How to Make the Most of Them
May 600:32:00Tap to summarizeBy the time a family lands on your website, they’ve already done their homework. They’ve Googled, scrolled your social media, and asked around the neighborhood, so when they finally get to you, they’re not really browsing anymore. They’re evaluating. And the pages they land on first are either going to move them forward or send them somewhere else. In this episode, we dig into which pages on your school website are doing the most work right now and what it actually takes to make them count. From your homepage to your often-neglected contact page, we talk through what families are looking for in 2026, where most schools are falling short, and how to use your own data to make smarter decisions this summer rather than just going on assumptions. In This Episode, We Discuss: How to pull your top pages report in Google Analytics, what the engagement time data is actually telling you, and why the numbers can be more surprising than you’d expect Why families are visiting your faculty and staff page before they ever inquire, and what that means for how you build it What your homepage needs to answer right away, and the common mistakes schools make by leading with history and awards instead of fit Why hiding your tuition information tends to backfire, and how to use that page to build transparency and trust at the same time What your about page is actually for and why a committee-written mission statement isn’t doing the job anymore How to use AI as a collaborator on your website copy without losing your school’s voice or sounding like every other school out there The quick wins worth prioritizing this summer if your plate is already full
Transcribe →129. How to Build a Parent Feedback System That Improves Retention and Marketing
Apr 2200:19:49Tap to summarizeParent feedback doesn’t have to wait until the end of the year when everyone is burned out and families have already made their decisions. In this episode, we talk about building a feedback system that runs throughout the year, so you’re catching issues early, not just documenting them after families have left. What we keep coming back to is the feedback loop. Gathering data only works if your community sees you doing something with it. When parents feel heard, they’re more likely to come back to you with concerns instead of taking them somewhere else entirely. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why spring is the right time to start building your feedback plan for next year The difference between a one-and-done end-of-year survey and a multi-pronged approach Why anonymity matters and how to set expectations around feedback from the very first back to school night How parent comments and survey responses can sharpen your school’s marketing messaging When a survey isn’t enough and third-party research makes sense The most common mistakes schools make when analyzing feedback, including over-indexing on negative comments How to sort and prioritize responses so your team can actually act on what you’re hearing
Transcribe →128. Marketing Schools for Students Who Learn Differently with Alli Williams and Samantha Fleming
Apr 800:43:16Tap to summarizeIf you work at a school that serves students with learning differences, you already know your marketing has to do things other schools never have to think about. The families coming to you aren’t browsing options. They’re exhausted, they’ve already tried a lot of things, and they need to know you’re the right fit before they take one more leap of faith. In this episode, we sit down with Alli Williams, Head of School at The Pilot School, and Samantha Fleming, Director of Marketing at Oakwood School, to talk about what it actually takes to market a specialized school with both clarity and care. From how your website needs to do different work for these families, to why retention is one of the most powerful marketing levers you have, this conversation goes deep into the layers that make this kind of school marketing so demanding and so meaningful. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why the search for a specialized school is problem-based, not school-based, and how that changes everything about your funnel The financial friction point most specialized schools face when families never planned on paying tuition How Oakwood School redesigned their website with accessibility at the center, including font choices, layout, and text placement The tension between showing joy and demonstrating academic rigor in your social media and marketing content Why terminology like “learning differences,” “learning disability,” and “neurodivergent” each carry different weight depending on who’s searching and what they need How a strong retention strategy doubles as your most effective word-of-mouth marketing engine What traditional independent schools can learn from LD schools about mission clarity, expertise, and widening their messaging to reach families who never expected to choose private school
Transcribe →127. How School Leaders Can Beat Burnout with Brooke Carroll
Mar 2500:30:50Tap to summarizeBurnout in schools isn’t just about being busy or overwhelmed, and it’s not something a day off or better time management can fix. In this episode, we unpack what burnout actually is, how it builds over time, and why so many school teams are feeling it more deeply right now. In this episode of Mindful School Marketing, we are joined by Brooke Carroll, principal, consultant, and coach at Acies Strategies, where she supports small school leaders through complex operational and leadership challenges. Brooke brings a clear and practical perspective to what’s really driving chronic stress inside schools, from unclear expectations to culture and workload realities, and where leadership and systems may be unintentionally contributing to it. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or noticing it across your team, this conversation offers a more honest look at burnout and what can actually be done about it without adding more to already full plates. In This Episode, We Discuss: How burnout is defined and why most people mislabel it The stress continuum and how teams move from stress into burnout What excessive workload does to decision making and morale Where lack of clarity creates friction and second guessing How culture shows up in daily behaviors, not just stated values The pressure of being a team of one in marketing or enrollment Why burnout is often a systems issue, not an individual problem Ways leaders can shift team experience without adding cost What managing energy looks like in a real workday
Transcribe →126. Is Your Website Healthy? A Technical Checkup for School Marketers
Mar 1100:29:14Tap to summarizeA school website can look polished on the surface while problems quietly build behind the scenes. In this episode, Tara shares how school marketers can run a quick technical checkup to see whether their website is truly healthy. From page speed to mobile performance and broken links, you’ll learn the small set of checks that reveal how your site is really performing. Tara also explains which alerts are actually worth worrying about and which ones aren’t. Not every warning from Google or imperfect score requires immediate action, and understanding the difference can save schools a lot of unnecessary stress. Episode Highlights • The website speed benchmark Google recommends• Why mobile performance matters as much as desktop• How broken links impact search visibility and user experience• A simple way to make sure your website forms are still working• What an SSL security warning really means for visitors• Accessibility basics school websites should start addressing Links Mentioned In The Episode: GT Metrix Google’s Core Web Vitals Google PageSpeed Insights Search Console’s Core Web Vitals report Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test Screaming Frog  Broken Link Checker  UptimeRobot WAVE Accessibility Evaluator (free browser extension) Color Contrast Checker Design TLC Free DIY Website Checklist
Transcribe →125. Mindfulness and Resilience for Today’s School Leaders with Jason Craige Harris
Feb 2500:30:51Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Mindful School Marketing, Aubrey and Tara sit down with Jason Craige Harris, a strategist, conflict mediator, and mindfulness teacher who works at the intersection of culture, leadership, and institutional life. Jason brings deep wisdom to the conversation about what it truly means to lead with steadiness in uncertain times. From navigating school crises to making high-impact strategic decisions, Jason shares how resilient leadership begins with inner work. He explains why suppression is not the same as steadiness, why naming emotions actually changes brain chemistry, and how leaders can balance urgency with reflection in their schools. If you’ve ever felt stretched thin as a school leader, marketer, or team member, this conversation offers both practical tools and grounding perspective. In This Episode, We Discuss: Why resilience is not about “powering through” How naming emotions reduces reactivity and builds steadiness The difference between proactive routines and in-the-moment micro practices How anxiety spreads in organizations and how leaders can stabilize a room The tension between transactional leadership and relational leadership Why schools need both mechanics (strategy, timelines, accountability) and dynamics (listening, reflection, psychological safety) The importance of pre-action and post-action reviews for major decisions Jason’s “4 S’s” framework: Soul, Story, Strategy, and Steadiness
Transcribe →124. Marketing in Small Schools – Live Panel at the Small School Leaders Conference
Feb 1100:36:16Tap to summarizeIn this special live episode of Mindful School Marketing, we recorded a panel discussion straight from the Small School Leaders Conference. Tara and Aubrey are joined by experienced independent school marketers who are in the work every day, navigating small teams, limited budgets, and constantly changing expectations. We are joined by Lori Kriegel (Chief Communications Officer at Wooster School), Andrea Jenkins (Director of Enrollment Management and Marketing & Communications at St. Luke’s Episcopal School), and Barb Doyle (Director of Marketing and Communications at Renbrook School) This conversation pulls back the curtain on what school marketing really looks like right now. From outsourcing decisions and content systems to AI, paid advertising, and faculty collaboration, this panel shares what’s working, what’s challenging, and how small school marketing teams are adapting in real time. In This Episode, We Discuss What school marketers would outsource first and why data keeps coming up Where additional budget would actually go if marketing teams had the choice How small schools stay consistent with content without recreating the wheel Practical ways marketing teams are using AI for content, research, and strategy What paid advertising is working and how schools measure success How marketing teams collaborate with faculty to source photos and stories Why community and peer networks matter so much in small school marketing roles
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