Have you been tasked with improving alumni relations for a catholic elementary school?   If so, here are some ideas to help your program . . .

We realize the work you are doing in elementary school alumni relations is like navigating uncharted waters.  There are very little guides and handbooks to help you on your way.  Your neighboring schools aren’t doing it, your diocese may not offer much help, and there is hardly anything being written on the subject out on the Internet.

You are to be rewarded for what you are trying to do, and with your continued devotion, it’s bound to pay off!

If you haven’t already seen it, get yourself a copy of the 39-page booklet, “Alumni: Essential for Development”, published by NCEA. It’s under $10 and provides a blueprint for establishing an alumni organization, and while you may not be ready for a full-blown “alumni association” the tips in the book can help guide your one-, two-, or three-person operation.

Below are questions you can ask yourself to help promote your alumni relations effort.  Each can help lead you into developing a stronger and more active alumni base.

• Do you retain graduate information at the end of each school year?
• Do you communicate with your alumni often (perhaps 2 to 5 times a year)?
• Do you send e-mail blasts at least 5 times a year with quick news updates and reminders?
• How many different churches did you contact to post the announcement about your alumni relations efforts (whatever, and how small, they may be)?
• How many weeks did the announcement run in your own church bulletin?  Can you get it to be a permanent feature?
• Did you send a press release to the local papers?   To the diocese?   To the local high schools?
• How many of the current faculty/staff are on your “list” to be contacted?  (They should all be!)
• Did you reach out to retired faculty/staff?
• Did you try hosting an alumni mass with light refreshments?
• Do you have an alumni presence on the web, a web page for alumni, or an alumni web site?
• Have you reached out to neighboring schools and/or the diocese to form a group to discuss alumni relations quarterly or so?

There are a lot of ways to reach out to alumni.  And since we know that no two people are alike, it’s in your best interest to try a variety of activities to reach out and connect with alumni.  For information on how Alumni Channel helps schools reconnect through our online communities send us a note or give us a call at (609) 379-3580.