New Family/Buddy Program
New Family/Buddy Program The New Family/Buddy Program is a collaboration between the Admissions Office and the HTSA. Initially all new families are welcomed into the HTES community by the Director of Admissions. The baton is then passed to the HTSA who will also extend a personal welcome and assign a Buddy Family that will work to ensure that our new families feel embraced by the entire HTES community and know that they made the right decision by selecting our school. It is important to understand how the Office of Admissions defines a New Family. It truly provides greater insight as to the number of families that the program touches. An HTES New Family could be comprised of one of the following scenarios: A family who has a child or children entering HTES for the very first time. An existing HTES family who has a child or children already enrolled and has enrolled another child or children, usually a younger sibling(s). A family that was previously enrolled at HTES and has decided to return to the school. In an effort to ease a new family’s transition into HTES, it is crucial that the New Family/Buddy Program begin during the summer prior to the beginning of the academic year. The New Family should be touched by both a HTSA officer and their respective Buddy Family during the summer months. The HTSA strongly encourages both families to make every effort to interact prior to the first day of school. And, during the school year, the Buddy Family is expected to reach out to their respective New Family no less than four times. The week prior to the HTSA General Body Meetings will serve as the benchmarks for these touch bases, as they will ensure that New Families are touched at least once every two months. A Buddy Family will receive two service hours for each New Family that is sponsored. A Buddy Family does not have to be limited to a single New Family. Lastly, the Chair is responsible for following up with both the New and Buddy Families throughout the school year. He/she should provide periodic updates to both the HTSA Board and Director of Admissions.
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
Recommended Timeline Due to the fact that the New Family/Buddy Program runs an entire school year, it is crucial for the HTSA President to name an HTSA Member-at-Large to Chair the program, shortly after the new HTSA Board is elected. The Chair is then responsible for reaching out to the Director of Admissions by the third week of June to secure the New Family roster and Buddy Family list. (It is important to stress the confidential nature of both the New Family roster and potential Buddy Family list. Neither list, in their respective entireties, should be made available to anyone on the Board outside of the President and the Chair). The Buddy Families should be solicited and named prior to the end of the current school year. The Chair should also obtain a list of Frequently Asked Questions from the Director of Admissions and ensure that these FAQs are available for both the HTSA Board and Buddy Families. Week 2 March – Week 3 April: Chair should create a flyer for the March/April Spring mailer to begin “buzz” for new Buddy Families for the upcoming school year. The flyer should include testimonies from Buddy Families currently participating in the program. Week 4 April – Week 2 May: The Director of Admissions, with the assistance of the Chair, if solicited, should review the families interested in serving as Buddy Families and begin compiling a list of potential Buddy Families. The HTSA will host a reception to thank the current Buddy Families. Weeks 2 – 4 May: The Chair should solicit and secure the Buddy Families for the upcoming school year. The expectation is that the Buddy Families for upcoming school year will be named prior to the end of the current school year. Week 3 June: New Family/Buddy Program Chair should secure both New Family roster and Buddy Family list from the Director of Admissions. Week 4 June: Chair should divide the New Family roster evenly and assign the families that the HTSA officers will be responsible for calling and welcoming to HTES.
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
Week 1 July – Week 2 July: HTSA officers will place personal welcome calls to their respective New Families. Chair will work to secure and assign Buddy Families. Week 3 July: Chair will present Buddy Families and their respective assignments to both the New Families and the HTSA Board (via email. An example of the email is attached). Week 4 July: Buddy Families are expected to reach out to the New Families. It is strongly suggested that both families make plans to meet prior to the first day of school or at school sponsored events (i.e., Parent Orientation or the Meet and Greet). Weeks 3-4 August: Chair needs to follow-up with both New and Buddy Families to ensure that everyone has been touched and that there are no unforeseen questions and/or concerns. Two Weeks Prior to Each HTSA General Body Meeting: Chair should issue “gentle reminders”, either via phone or email, to Buddy Families regarding New Family touch base and the upcoming meeting.
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
Recommended Timeline Due to the fact that the New Family/Buddy Program runs an entire school year, it is crucial for the HTSA President to name an HTSA Member-at-Large to Chair the program, shortly after the new HTSA Board is elected. The Chair is then responsible for reaching out to the Director of Admissions by the third week of June to secure the New Family roster and Buddy Family list. (It is important to stress the confidential nature of both the New Family roster and potential Buddy Family list. Neither list, in their respective entireties, should be made available to anyone on the Board outside of the President and the Chair). The Buddy Families should be solicited and named prior to the end of the current school year. The Chair should also obtain a list of Frequently Asked Questions from the Director of Admissions and ensure that these FAQs are available for both the HTSA Board and Buddy Families. Week 2 March – Week 3 April: Chair should create a flyer for the March/April Spring mailer to begin “buzz” for new Buddy Families for the upcoming school year. The flyer should include testimonies from Buddy Families currently participating in the program. Week 4 April – Week 2 May: The Director of Admissions, with the assistance of the Chair, if solicited, should review the families interested in serving as Buddy Families and begin compiling a list of potential Buddy Families. The HTSA will host a reception to thank the current Buddy Families. Weeks 2 – 4 May: The Chair should solicit and secure the Buddy Families for the upcoming school year. The expectation is that the Buddy Families for upcoming school year will be named prior to the end of the current school year. Week 3 June: New Family/Buddy Program Chair should secure both New Family roster and Buddy Family list from the Director of Admissions. Week 4 June: Chair should divide the New Family roster evenly and assign the families that the HTSA officers will be responsible for calling and welcoming to HTES.
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
Week 1 July – Week 2 July: HTSA officers will place personal welcome calls to their respective New Families. Chair will work to secure and assign Buddy Families. Week 3 July: Chair will present Buddy Families and their respective assignments to both the New Families and the HTSA Board (via email. An example of the email is attached). Week 4 July: Buddy Families are expected to reach out to the New Families. It is strongly suggested that both families make plans to meet prior to the first day of school or at school sponsored events (i.e., Parent Orientation or the Meet and Greet). Weeks 3-4 August: Chair needs to follow-up with both New and Buddy Families to ensure that everyone has been touched and that there are no unforeseen questions and/or concerns. Two Weeks Prior to Each HTSA General Body Meeting: Chair should issue “gentle reminders”, either via phone or email, to Buddy Families regarding New Family touch base and the upcoming meeting.
Created by L. Gordy September 2013
