DRAFT 2

Tami Simkins
EDCEP 871 Consultation
Spring 2017

Consultant: Tami Simkins, K-State Student & Employee of MVA

Consultee: Brooke Blanck, Principal
Client: Manhattan Virtual Academy
Dates of Consultation:
Initial Contact Phone Overview Friday, February 17, 2017 at 11:00 am
Initial Consultation - Thursday, March 30, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Clarification Contact, Data Gathering and Research April 1, 2017 April 18, 2017
Final Consultation TBD

Description

Manhattan Virtual Academy provides an online free public education to students in

grades 7-12 and adult learners. The Principal, Brooke Blanck, is concerned about how to support

teachers that are selected to help market the program during the months of April July. She

would like to ensure that the staff, students and families communicate the culture of the school to

families interested in enrolling in Manhattan Virtual Academy. She wants to ensure that

everyone knows their role on the marketing team.

Definition Nature Impact of the Problem

The impact of the failure to have a successful marketing season adds significant stress to

an already challenging budget. It is essential to replace the current graduates, retain current

enrollments, replace withdrawals, and add new enrollments for growth. During the previous

year, Brooke selected 4 teachers to participate in a marketing team; instead of a marketing firm

which was used during the previous year to kick-start the transition from a K12 Corporation ran

school to a school-based program. The team consists of a teachers with a variety of content area
expertise, the school counselor and the academic success coach. Last years marketing season

was relatively successful. The school maintained a similar enrollment head count in comparison

to the previous school year. I consider maintaining a similar level of enrollment successful

because the school had to remove their part-time option and had a large graduating class of 56

students. This year they would like to grow their enrollment through marketing their positive

school culture. This includes retaining current students and replacing those that leave or

graduate. The school must market to current students for reenrollment and new students for new

enrollments while also enrolling and marketing for summer school.

Description of the Model of Consultation Used

The model of consultation for this project was a solution school-based program-centered

administrative collaboration with administration. With the collaborative approach, the

consultant and consultee have joint responsibility for successful outcomes throughout the

process (201). As a teacher at the school and a part of the marketing team, it was important to

have an informal collaborative approach.

Description of What Happened at each Stage

During the preliminary stage I started a conversation with Brooke Blanck via telephone

and e-mail to determine a need or area of improvement at Manhattan Virtual Academy. I shared

the requirements and purpose of the consultation. We discussed the upcoming marketing season

and I begin gathering information about MVA and their current marketing goals.

During the exploration and goal setting stage, we gathered data from enrollment

retention, social media data, and prior marketing data. I also administered a short survey to

teachers, students, and parents to gather additional information. I interviewed one student that

participated in a previous marketing plan to determine how it feels to be featured on the website
for multiple years. During this stage I also researched a variety of marketing plans, current

research and other techniques used to market businesses and non-profit organizations.

During the data stage, I reviewed the data gathered during exploration. I looked over the

survey and shared it with Brooke. We discussed the results and other data found during

exploration. I prepared a presentation with many of the resources I gathered during exploration.

Brooke will be able to use this presentation, as needed, to help support her marketing team.

I prepared a summary of the exploration stage and data collected. Brooke and I reviewed

the data and discussed the researched the data, then reviewed the suggestions I put together.

Brooke will determine which suggestions to use moving forward. There are some suggestions

she will begin this year and some she will consider for the upcoming school year. Brooke would

like to work with her marketing team to make a more detailed plan included specific goals for

the upcoming marketing season and for the upcoming school year. In the past the focus of

marketing has been limited to specific months, but the exploration stages shows the benefit of

having a yearly plan to share the culture of the school throughout the school year. The goal of the

consultation process was to improve the marketing season by developing a more detailed plan

including specific roles for each member of the team and target numbers for enrollment and

social media aligned with the current budget.

Description of Two Assessments

Data was gathered from their primary social media site, Facebook. Enrollment data was

also provided to examine retention rates over the past 3 years. A survey was provided to

students, families and staff to gather additional perspectives of and suggestions for marketing.
The survey was brief due to another survey that needed to be administered during the same time.

The survey asked for what social media sites used, feedback on school, and feedback on website.

Baseline data for a variety of areas of social media is available on the presentation

PowerPoint. Staff will look at key areas to determine an overall baseline and goals for this

marketing season and areas to improve during the upcoming marketing season.

Discuss results

Student and Parent involvement on marketing team. Survey this year, but add them to the

team in the Fall.

Consider scheduled/planned marketing all year with a stronger concentration April July

for Fall enrollments. Create a monthly/quarterly/yearly detailed marketing plan including

a marketing team leader.

Examine why MVA is different than other online schools for marketing branding,

customization, and an elevator speech.

Consider funding options like advertising, donations, or fundraising to enable MVA to be

more competitive in marketing with other similar schools.

Update photography and videos including stories and testimonies about the school culture

of student success on a regular basis.

Consider course offerings at MVA and MHS to see if any of the course projects would or

could support the marketing program like computer programming, marketing,

photography, and technology.

Invite a marketing expert in to share ideas and suggestions with the team.

Reflection

I enjoyed the exploration stage. It was a valuable experience. In the future, I would

schedule more time to collaborate with the consultee during the exploration stage to check in and
share my progress. I would also set progress goals to allow the consultee to evaluate my

progress along the way and make adjustments towards the overarching goals. I would also

include more observations and interviews to support the survey. The survey could have included

a more questions if it had been completed during a different time during the semester. The

families had another survey to complete during the consultation timeline, so I needed to be

respectful of their time and keep it short.

Works Cited

Scott, D. A., Royal, C. W., & Kissinger, D. B. (2015). Counselor As Consultant. Los Angeles:
SAGE.