RECRUITMENT AND

RETENTION
IN THE
COVID WORLD

download today’s slide deck at:

bpotm.org

COULD THIS
BE THE
RENAISSANCE 

OF MUSIC
EDUCATION?

MENTAL FRAMEWORK

Nothing is
People are looking to you to provide answers.

MORE
Every scenario is different, Let this be a springboard to
your own ideas
important than
Be solutions solutions based and have data.
recruitment
Assume that every student it yours until proven
and retention
otherwise.

Be relentless and be unapologetic

 5 STEPS TO SUCCESS
Collaborate

Communicate

Motivate

Coordinate

Validate

Recruitment & Retention Step By Step

STEP ONE : COLLABORATE

Collaborate as you create…

• Nothing is
Work with the other music teachers in your district
(feeder teachers) and department. A unified voice
is a more powerful voice.
• MORE
Collect your resources in one place and organize
them.
• important than
Share your plan with your admin team and fine
arts coordinator prior to beginning the process to

• involve your student leaders, boosters and

recruitment
see if there are any concerns or “must haves.”

parents. Provide specific tasks and deadlines.

• Reach out to you local music store. and retention
• Share your ideas with your colleagues, friends
and on your social media channels.
 Nothing is
MORE
important than
recruitment
and retention

Materials

Nothing is
MORE
important than
recruitment
and retention

Nothing is
MORE
important than
recruitment
and retention
 Recruitment & Retention Step By Step

STEP TWO : COMMUNICATE

COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK

• Nothing is
Fear is more important than knowledge
•
• MORE
academic, musical and financial
Communicate to all stakeholders
•
• important than
Use existing technology and infrastructure
Focus on the “non-musician”
•
recruitment
Focus on three areas in this order; the
confirmed, the questioned, and the unknown.
• Use influencers to change behaviors.
• and retention
Consider allocating some budget to the project.
• Don’t take NO for an answer

Communication Plan step by step…

• Confirm the confirmed and enlist their help. Nothing is
• Communicate with the questioned every 3-5

•
days until they commit.
Communicate with the unknown once a week
MORE
•
until they are confirmed.
important than
Provide actionable items in every communique
•
•
recruitment
Use as much multi-media as possible (your kids)
Host an online parent meeting/question and
answer session.
• and retention
Host one for students if it is age/appropriate.

It takes 7-13 touches to get someone from inaction to action.

 Build a System

first presentation at send middle school start junior high present in your meet with your
feeder parents first email parent calls current classes student leadership

concert social media second email to have students start collect intent/
performance/parent campaign starts feeder parents contacting other interest forms from
cards students feeder

second email to reach out to present in your Verify enrollment

current parents parents not signed second email to current classes
up feeder parents

Nothing is
Be willing to communicate more than you want to, to
larger groups that normally would and in ways that you
MORE
are not used to doing.

important
Make empathy and understanding
communication.
than
the focus of every

recruitment
NEVER BE ASHAMED TO ADVOCATE WHAT’S IN THE
BEST INTERESTSand retention
OF KIDS!

Recruitment & Retention Step By Step

STEP THREE : MOTIVATE

 Use Current Carrots for Future Commitments

Welcome note
Nothing is
Amazon Gift Card
Tee-shirt
Bumper sticker
MORE
Access to weekly Zoom chats
A Senior study buddy
Welcome video from another student
Post their name on a website
important than
Access to show ideas and concepts
Get to vote on music
Coupon from local music store
Free ice cream cones
recruitment
Letterman points
Extra credit
Free admittance to an athletic event
Special seating at first concert
and retention
Access to a special website
5% off all upcoming fees/costs
Recognition in the concert programs Access to instruments/uniforms

Use Current Carrots for Future Commitments

You are trying to (re)create an emotional connection between your

program and the student. In this time of isolation and loneliness you are
selling the concept of community and connectivity.

This is what people are starting to crave as the crisis continues.

Parents are motivated by the love of their child.

FEAR IS MORE POWERFUL THAN KNOWLEDGE. LOWER FEARS!

Recruitment & Retention Step By Step

STEP FOUR : VALIDATE

 DIFFERENT WAYS TO VALIDATE
• GOOGLE Forms Nothing is
• Email
• text MORE
• paper forms/snail mail
• website important than
• voicemail
• recruitment
parent/student confirmation
• video chat
and retention
Use whatever form your administrators are willing
to accept and remind them that you are trying to
solve a problem for them and not create one.

(Student Name)
AN D!
HE B
you have been selected to be part of the Dear
nd!
Parents
:
th e ba ctor,
As a
g in
(insert

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(insert section) have
done grade leve

JOIN
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you We kno them ),
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to sh
! 4
w that t of the finally has
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to you of the d! If
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t a ban instruments you tried, and I think the (instrument) Attache will to do
u ge
form h all the e info what
rn this n wit t of where d to this rmation be your
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will you and letter is with you first exposu
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Recruitment & Retention Step By Step

STEP FIVE : COORDINATE

 COORDINATE

• Nothing is
Consider a post COVID world. Health
concerns associated with; instruments,

MORE
equipment, uniforms, chairs, facilities,
classroom set up, etc…
•
important than
Prepare and execute summer
communications to students and parents
in advance.
• recruitment
Communicate with your music store/
staff/arrangers/fine arts coordinators,

and retention
etc, so they can prepare the necessary
materials in advance and know you are
being proactive.

COORDINATE

• Prepare a completed roster for each

class and grade in alphabetical order.
Nothing is
• Break it down by year/class and submit
to your admin team, department chair
MORE
and counseling staff prior to leaving for
the summer. important than
• Provide a list of needs (instruments,
staffing, facilities, instructional materials)
for them as well.
recruitment
• Ask your admin team what they need
from you and offer to help in any way and retention
you can, musical and otherwise.

Nothing is
MORE
“TRUST BUT VERIFY!”
important than
recruitment - President Ronald Reagan

and retention
5 STEPS TO SUCCESS
Collaborate

Communicate

Motivate

Coordinate

Validate

If in three years we
have not grown
music education it
is no one’s fault
but our own!

Nothing is
HAVE YOU CHECKED THIS OUT?
MORE
important than
recruitment
and retention
WWW.JOINSLL.COM

 Nothing is
Thanks to our generous sponsors
MORE
important than
recruitment
and retention

Nothing is
MORE
important than
QUESTIONS?
recruitment
and retention
scott@scottlang.net

Twitter @themoreyougive

www.bepartofthemusic.org

 Great teaching to
an empty seat is
akin to having
great music that is
never heard

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