Goddard Systems’ VP of Marketing, Paul Koulogeorge shares his insight on back-to-school marketing on Forbes.com.
Archive for the ‘Public Relations’ Category
THE GODDARD SCHOOL INTRODUCES TWO NEW EDUCATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS JUST IN TIME FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR
Tuesday, September 13th, 2016Newest EAB Members Drs. Seeta Pai and Jennifer Jipson Share Back-To-School Tips for Parents
The Goddard School®, the premier preschool focused on learning through play for children from six weeks to six years old, is adding two new members to its esteemed Educational Advisory Board (EAB); Drs. Seeta Pai and Jennifer Jipson. The Goddard School’s EAB is a knowledgeable group of educators, researchers and experts from a range of early childhood fields including early learning and curriculum development, technology integration, brain development, parent engagement and health and nutrition.
For many years, the EAB has helped The Goddard School to move research into action to maintain the best in industry curriculm as the science of learning grows and evolves. To achieve this goal, the EAB provides crucial feedback on new programs and services; suggesting improvements to the industry leader’s proprietary F.L.EX.® Learning Program and supporting original research and publications. The Goddard School looks forward to Drs. Jipson and Pai incorporating their cutting edge research into Goddard Schools all across the country.
A thought leader in the kids’ educational media and international child development fields, Dr. Pai brings her expertise in cultural sensitivity and diversity as well as the influence of media and technology to early childhood education. Holding her doctorate degree in Human Development from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and prior Vice President of Research at Common Sense Media, Pai hopes to enhance The Goddard School’s research and strategy by acting as a translator of the most up-to-date media studies and methodologies as well as providing insights on child diversity and identity.
Regarding back to school, “This is a time to be willing, as a parent, to embrace all methods of learning,” said Dr. Seeta Pai, new EAB member. “Relax and think about learning as a lifelong enterprise, not something that children do within the four walls of their classroom. Embrace and follow your child’s passion and encourage them to ask questions.”
Dr. Jipson, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Child Development at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, brings experience and knowledge to early childhood education within the domains of science, health and technology. Referencing her studies of how children learn and develop as they engage in everyday routines, Dr. Jipson hopes to shed more light on ways children learn through informal settings and help a larger audience understand child development as a field.
Dr. Jipson believes that establishing a routine is key for back-to-school time. “Get your child’s mind and body prepared for the big shift – whether it be moving bedtime back to an earlier time, making meal times more regular or establishing weekday schedules for homework, TV, baths, etc. Start early and ease children in,” she says.
“At The Goddard School, the EAB ensures a high-quality education program to prepare children for social and academic success in the 21st century,” said Joe Schumacher, CEO of Goddard Systems, Inc. “We’re extremely fortunate to have Drs. Jipson and Pai joining our team of educators, researchers and experts and we’re confident that they’ll be a valuable asset to furthering our unique play-based curriculum.”
For more information on The Goddard School and their Educational Advisory Board, please visit www.goddardschool.com.
GODDARD SYSTEMS, INC. REPORTS STRONG RESULTS IN FIRST HALF OF 2014
Tuesday, August 12th, 2014Early Childhood Education Franchise Signs 18 New Franchise Agreements and Opens Nine Schools, Supports New Literacy Policy Statement from American Academy of Pediatrics
Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), the franchisor of The Goddard School® preschool system, announced today a strong first half of 2014 with the awarding of 18 new franchise agreements to qualified franchisees and the opening of nine schools in Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland and Virginia. Additionally, 16 schools are under construction in California, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. GSI expects to open a total of 18 schools by year-end.
This momentum is part of GSI’s expansion plan in communities across the country. It also follows a new policy statement announced last month by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding the importance of reading and literacy beginning in infancy. The research shows children who are read to have stronger language skills, literacy development and parent-child relationships–cornerstones of The Goddard School brand’s playful learning curriculum.
To expand its brand of early childhood education nationwide, the company has set a five-year development goal of awarding 60 new franchise agreements and opening 30 new schools per year by 2019.
“Increases in the number of working mothers and the desire to provide children with early educational opportunities has increased the demand for early childhood education,” said Joseph Schumacher, chief executive officer, GSI. “We credit our continued success to strong franchisees committed to our curriculum’s research-driven approach, including strong reading basics and a play-based approach that develop lifelong learners. This year’s early expansion success will propel reasonable and responsible system growth in the latter half of 2014 and the years that follow.”
GSI launched 2014 with a targeted franchise development strategy focused on eight markets including Boston, Mass.; Houston, Texas; Minneapolis, Minn.; Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Hartford, Conn.; and New York City (Manhattan). The company is seeking qualified franchisees with a minimum net worth of $450,000, including $150,000 in liquid assets. No education experience is necessary.
Long recognized as the industry leader, The Goddard School franchise operates on a dual-management system, distinctive in the early childhood education industry. Each location is managed on-site by the franchise owner as well as an educational director responsible for working with teachers and implementing the curriculum. This separation and clear delineation of roles has resulted in The Goddard School system’s success and high satisfaction ratings for 25 years.
Goddard School franchisees benefit from a strong average EBITDA** of $254,846* per location, manageable hours in a recession-resistant business and GSI’s unmatched support with real estate, site development, operations, IT, marketing, advertising, quality assurance and training. Interested candidates should expect the initial investment to open a Goddard School to range from $704,700 to $880,000, depending on real estate and other expenses.† Additional information is available on www.goddardschoolfranchise.com or call 800-272-4901 to speak with a franchise development executive.
*Average based on mature franchises (those open over 18 months) in 2013. As reflected in Item 19 of GSI’s Franchise Disclosure Document, 158 of 384 (41.1%) of mature franchises did as well or better than the average. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance you’ll earn as much. **Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization. †This range reflects leased premises. The estimated initial investment for a candidate who plans to purchase the premises will be higher.
Goddard Systems, Inc.® Welcomes Maureen Corneal as Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations
Saturday, May 18th, 2013Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School®, a leader in franchised educational childcare for 25 years, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maureen Corneal as Vice President of Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations.
Ms. Corneal, a seasoned marketing and strategic communications professional, will focus on the strategic direction and implementation of the company’s marketing, advertising, public relations and market research efforts on behalf of its network of nearly 400 franchised Goddard School locations across the nation. She will serve as part of the company’s senior leadership team and will report to GSI Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dzana Homan.
“We are thrilled to have Maureen join our team,” said Dzana Homan. “Her experience across the spectrum of grade levels will help us communicate that learning is a lifelong process, and it starts with the decisions and commitments made in early childhood education.”
“A large part of my role with GSI will be to further the brand’s stellar reputation as a trusted industry leader. Goddard is poised for smart, strategic growth, and our marketing initiatives will focus on repeatable, optimal and sustainable results, much of which is based on research and analytics and understanding our customers,” said Ms. Corneal. “Goddard is all about families, relationships, and meaningful communication; we want to stay in close touch with parents’ interests, behaviors and ideals on what is important for their children.”
Ms. Corneal’s background includes advertising agency, franchising, market research and analytics experience. She started her career at Sylvan Learning Centers where she first established her focus on education organizations and gained experience with franchise marketing communications.
Prior to joining GSI, Ms. Corneal served five years as Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Initiatives and four years as Executive Director of Marketing and Brand Communication for Laureate Education, Inc., a worldwide network of higher education institutions.
For more information, visit www.goddardschool.com.
The Goddard School® Celebrates the Power of Play with Nationwide Block Party
Thursday, September 27th, 2012In this high-tech, fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget the joy and power of play. That’s why The Goddard School, the leader in early childhood education, is celebrating the importance of learning through play with its Block Party event.
On Monday, Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 6, The Goddard School is encouraging everyone to stop by and play at The Goddard School Block Party. The event, hosted by Goddard Schools across the nation, will focus on a variety of playful learning activities, including the “Largest Game of Simon Says” record attempt on Friday, Oct. 5 at 9:00 AM PDT/12:00PM EDT.
“Playing alone and with others not only builds brain development, it also helps children develop social skills and a sense of ethics,” said Kyle D. Pruett, M.D., Education Advisory Board Member for Goddard Systems, Inc. (GSI), franchisor of The Goddard School. “Play helps children learn to solve problems, teaches regulation of emotions, and builds resilience and confidence.”
Current research supports the long-term impact of play-based learning on children. The Goddard School has used this child-focused approach since it opened its first school almost 25 years ago.
“It’s important as early educators to remember to encourage creativity in young children,” said Sue Adair, director of education for GSI. “Our approach is based on accepted research that clearly indicates the deepest, most genuine learning occurs for children through play and fun activities lovingly guided by highly trained teachers.”
The event kicks off in schools this week with a national Cardboard Box Challenge inspired by Caine’s Arcade and Imagination Foundation’s similar mission of celebrating creativity and children’s imaginations of everywhere. Schools across the nation are encouraging their children, faculty and families to create something unique with a cardboard box base. Photos of these creations will be uploaded to The Goddard School Facebook page for public voting during the week of the Block Party.
To learn more about The Goddard School Block Party and The Goddard Schools located in your area, visit www.goddardschool.com/blockparty or call 1-800-GODDARD.
Publicity – Connect and Communicate
Tuesday, March 6th, 2012Public relations (PR) is a marketing tool and a form of communication that businesses can use to reach consumers. Positive PR can help develop goodwill and strengthen the credibility of a business or brand. By conveying who you are, what you do and how you make a difference, you can influence the public’s perception and opinion. PR can work to a business’s advantage or disadvantage, so a wise company or business owner is proactive in their PR strategy. Taking advantage of the opportunity to get as much positive information out to the public as possible and anticipating challenging situations can help to create a buffer and a balance to public conception if a problem arises.
Publicity is part of PR and encompasses media coverage including news stories, interviews, editorials and reviews. You can garner publicity through effective media relations. Publicity is one of the best ways to generate word of mouth, which is a well-known and powerful form of PR. Creating a strategy that includes a regular schedule of planned PR activities and following up with editors and journalists builds relationships and is very important. The audience views publicity with less skepticism than advertising, and therefore publicity is likely to have a greater impact on the audience. This credibility makes publicity incredibly valuable – publicity is said to be seven times more effective than advertising.
Unlike advertising, PR and publicity are not guaranteed and do not have a clear price tag attached or a hard and fast way to measure ROI. The term “free publicity” is a little misleading as hiring an expert costs money and placing publicity often takes a lot of time and effort. Successful marketing strategies should contain a mix of advertising and public relations efforts to help keep your business in front of your customer.