One of my issues I have had is that the marketing of Catholic education is really non-existant. For years, I have complained that our Catholic cemeteries had more marketing than our Catholic schools. You can hear regular ads on WMAL (630AM) usually with Msgr. Enzler or someone who has loved one's buried at a Catholic cemetery.
Now, there is nothing wrong with this type of advertisement but there was nothing for Catholic schools except the feeble attempt to pay for a couple of ads on Metro buses earlier this year.
Although they will not admit it, marketing has been left up the to local schools. Local schools do the best they can, relying on parents who may have some marketing experience to assist.
Why?
As I see it, it is because these are parish schools and therefore, the responsibility rests with them, even though the Archdiocese tells them what to teach, how much to pay teachers, etc.
Well, after years of being left on their own, a large number of Catholic schools closing and enrollment dropping like Obama's approval ratings, combined with the new education policies, the Archdiocese has finally announced a new position:
DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL MARKETING AND ADVANCEMENT
(BTW, it is interesting to note that the position of Coordinator of Parish Social Ministry has a larger advertisement than the School marketing position in the Catholic Standard.)
