In this guest post, International Program Consultant Catie Martin gives time-honored advice for planning and implementing a successful parent meeting.
We can’t say enough how important a parent meeting is for the success of your trip. After all, it’s not enough to get your students on board — their parents need to be on board as well.
Luckily, planning and executing a parent meeting is easy and effective with Explorica. Your recruitment kit has all of the materials you need, including instructions for leading a meeting. And it doesn’t hurt that you’re presenting parents with an incredible travel experience they won’t want their kids to pass up.
On top of that, we have a few extra tips to make sure your meeting goes off without a hitch, including tips from other Explorica employees! Here are some easy tips for how to hold a successful parent meeting:
Before your parent meeting
Set the right date and time
I always tell teachers that the best time to have a meeting is either Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. Those days are in the middle of the week, so the meeting won’t overlap with long weekends.
Do not have your meeting too early in the afternoon, like 3:30 or 4PM. Try to have your meeting between 6PM-7PM, so parents will be able to stop by on their way home from work.
Have a theme
International Program Specialist Meaghan Richards says:
“Make the country you’re going to be the theme of your meeting. For example, if you are going to Spain, have some tapas and put up pictures of Madrid or Barcelona. If you’re going to England, have some English tea and some Cadbury chocolate. This is a great way to get parents and students excited about the tour!”
Promote the meeting
Spread the word on this awesome trip you’re presenting. Put up the Explorica posters from your recruitment kit around the school — good places are near the bathrooms, in the cafeteria, in your classroom, and on bulletin boards.
Announce the meeting in your morning announcements, and in each of your classes. Put the tour website and meeting information on the whiteboard in your room. You can also promote it online if your school or your department is on social media.
At your parent meeting
Collect names
During the meeting, pass around the sign-in sheet to collect names and contact info.
Take them step by step
Senior International Program Specialist Elias Tapley says: “Pull up the Tour Center during the meeting and take parents through the first few steps of signing up. Then, they’ll see how easy it is.”
Share your experience
Have you traveled abroad before and loved it? Tell the students and parents where you’ve been and about your own trips, and share pictures if you have them. Get them excited to see the world — enthusiasm is contagious!
Before they leave
Tell the students and parents that if they’re very interested, they should sign up that night! You can even tell parents that the sooner the students sign up, the less their monthly payments will be.
After your parent meeting
Follow up with parents
Use the information you gathered on the sign-in sheet to thank each of the parents for attending the meeting. Use this opportunity to remind them of deadlines, reiterate sign-up instructions, and keep them excited about the tour!
Follow up with us
Tell us how your meeting went! If you have any questions about what to do after your meeting, please reach out to your program consultant. We want to make sure you feel confident and that you get parents excited about your trip.
Have questions about hosting a parent meeting? Contact your program consultant!