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.
24episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
130. Your School Website’s Most Important Pages in 2026 and How to Make the Most of Them
1w ago00:32:00Tap 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
3w ago00:19:49Tap 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
Transcribe →123. Should Your School Say Yes to Vouchers? with Steve Salvo and Michael Christopher
Jan 2800:39:03Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Mindful School Marketing, we dig into one of the most complex and timely questions facing independent and private schools today: should your school participate in voucher or ESA programs. This conversation is especially relevant for school leaders navigating financial pressure, enrollment strategy, and mission alignment as school choice expands across the country. We are joined by Steve Salvo, Head of School at St. Mary’s Episcopal Day School in Tampa, and Michael Christopher, consultant with Independent School Management (ISM). Together, they bring both a lived leadership perspective and a national consulting lens to help schools think clearly about what is at stake, what questions must be answered, and how to approach vouchers with intention rather than pressure. In This Episode What voucher and school choice programs actually look like across different states The non-negotiable questions boards must answer before saying yes to vouchers Financial planning risks, including sustainability if voucher funding changes How vouchers can impact mission, admissions, faculty, and program integrity Best practices for communicating voucher decisions clearly to families and staff
Transcribe →122. Doing Everything Isn’t the Job: Redefining School Leadership, Delegation, and Self-Worth with Rebecca Malotke-Meslin
Jan 1400:41:25Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Mindful School Marketing, we’re joined again by leadership coach and consultant Rebecca Malotke-Meslin, founder of Pleasantly Aggressive Coaching and Consulting. Rebecca works with early and mid-career women leaders in schools and nonprofits who are often praised for doing everything but rarely supported in sustainable ways. Together, we name what so many school leaders are quietly carrying: More responsibility with fewer resources, expanding roles without expanded pay, and the unspoken expectation that caring deeply means endlessly giving. Rebecca breaks down why this dynamic is so common in schools, how it leads to burnout and even physical illness, and what women leaders can do to protect their health, boundaries, and sense of worth without losing relationships or credibility. In This Episode: Why “doing more with less” has become normalized in schools and nonprofits How overextension and praise can mask burnout and exploitation Why delegation is a core leadership skill, not a failure How to advocate for fair compensation when your role expands Practical ways to say no and set boundaries without damaging trust
Transcribe →121. Millennial Parents and AI Search: How Independent Schools Must Adapt
Nov 1900:25:23Tap to summarizeAs we wrap up the year, it’s just the two of us, Aubrey and Tara, reflecting on what we’ve learned from our guests and what’s ahead for schools in 2026. This year, so many of our conversations have come back to two big shifts: the rise of millennial parents as today’s primary decision makers and the growing role of AI in how families search for and evaluate schools. In this episode, we’re sharing how these changes are transforming school marketing and admissions and what you can do to keep up. From phone call anxiety and value-driven messaging to AI-powered search results and website structure, we’re talking about what schools must adapt to stay relevant in a digital-first world. In This Episode: What millennial parents want from independent schools and how they make enrollment decisions Why authenticity and social proof matter more than polished marketing How to rethink your website for AI-driven search and zero-click results Simple ways to make your admissions process work for digital-first families A fun AI test you can try to see how your school shows up in search Our reflections from a year of meaningful conversations and what’s ahead in 2026
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