PROMOTION OF YOUR PROGRAM

PROMOTE THE PROGRAM TO PARENTS

When promoting your program, you want the parents to know that you are interested in the welfare of their kids and you want them involved in positive activities at school. Let the parents know what's available, so you can help each other. Make sure every Grade 9 parent has a copy of what you offer and ask them to encourage their kids to get involved.

Below is a brochure that Forest Heights Collegiate in Kitchener, Ontario gives to parents at every opportunity. It is also given to every grade 9 student.

PROMOTE THE PROGRAM TO STAFF

Take every opportunity to promote your program. Your school will be a better place for it. Staff will meet involved students that they will see in a setting different from the classroom. Students will see staff in roles other than teaching and disciplining.

PROMOTE THE PROGRAM TO THE COMMUNITY

Have a person who will maintain good relations with the media. Remember that papers have deadlines and that they're not always interested in "good" news. You have to take the good with the bad. Don't forget Service Clubs and local charities. Support them and they will promote and support you.

PROMOTE THE PROGRAM TO STUDENTS

Foster a sense of pride in the accomplishments of your school. Don't focus solely on one area. Let students know when you have done well through awards, banners and trophies for drama, music, arts, clubs, and athletics.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Is the program accessible to all students?

Are programs evaluated by staff and students?

Does the program have a full range of activities?

What new programs have you added and what have you dropped?

POINTS TO CONSIDER

Some students choose to be bored.

A successful program creates opportunities for all.

Even successful events and programs go through a cycle of ups and downs.

LETTER TO PARENTS

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At Forest Heights we try to offer the very best that we can both in and out of the class. This occasionally requires the need for additional costs. As a parent of an incoming grade nine student we feel it is important that you know of these costs so there are ``no surprises''.

These costs can be divided into two areas: Curricular and Extra-Curricular.

OUR EXTRA-CURRICULAR PROGRAM

We feel, that for a school to be truly educational, we must complement the academic program with a high quality, diverse activity program. Our extra-curricular program is as extensive as you will find anywhere. Accompanying this sheet, you have received a booklet outlining the many areas in which we try to serve your children outside of the classroom.

TROJAN ACTIVITY CARD

The activity card is one of our major sources of revenue to support the activities program in the school. The purchase of this card is optional but students are asked to have a card if they participate in any of our activities. The students of Forest Heights have supported this approach every year as we annually sell cards to between 85% and 90% of the student body.

OUR PLEDGE

We need funds to run a quality program. We have, within our school, the resources to fund a very broad based program that reaches the majority of our students. Because of this we can promise that we will not organize masses of students to knock on doors in our neighbourhood and sell you everything from chocolate bars to soap. However, we are considering a Community Service Day in which our students may approach you to offer their services for remuneration and a magazine sales campaign.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR EXPENSES

Student card	$25.00
Photo packages	$30.00
Yearbook	$45.00

Team sweaters range from $20 to $45 depending on the sport. All sweaters belong to the student.

CURRICULAR EXPENSES

Most of the items fall into the category of personal use or non-reusable items.

Physical Education	P.E. uniform	shorts $17.00	t-shirts $13.00
Science	graph paper	$1.00
Business	workbooks	$10.00
English	writing folder	$2.25
Music	reeds	$5.00
Languages	workbooks	$7.00 - $9.00
Math and Computer	calculators	$10.00	graph paper $3.00

There are also a number of expenses common to all subjects and students such as: paper, pencils, pens, colour pencils, binders, duo-tangs, rulers, erasers, white-out, etc.

We hope that this information is of use to you in preparing your son or daughter for high school.

Forest Heights Collegiate

The "Dear Parent'' letter is also a good promotional tool that can be inserted into the activities booklet when given to the parents of grade 9's. The "up-front'' approach is always appreciated by parents.

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