ISP Marketing and Communications Plan

France's Leading

International IB World School

As the only three programme IB World School in France, the International School of Paris offers an academically challenging, socially engaged and culturally rich education.

Vision...

Educating for Complexity

Mission...

As the leading International Baccalaureate World School in France, we prepare our students to engage with and succeed in a complex world.

High-Quality Learning Definition...

High quality learning is a social and experiential practice. It sparks students’ curiosity and stimulates their natural creativity. It inspires them to strive for excellence, and to take ownership of their own inquiry and research. It shapes the learner and the learning community, nurturing growth and new understandings.

OVERVIEW

The International School of Paris (ISP) is a not-for-profit organization governed by a Board of Trustees. Since 1964, ISP has served the needs of a linguistically and internationally diverse community and provided an education which is both inclusive and academically rigorous.

The school has consistently benchmarked itself against international standards for school improvement in collaboration with the accrediting bodies the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

ISP is also proud to be a three-programme International Baccalaureate (IB) World School.

ISP's Vision and Mission, reviewed in 2016, articulate the efforts to embrace a rapidly changing world. In 2019, as a means of engaging the ISP community after accreditation, the entire school community was invited to join one of six Interest and Review Teams, aligned to the six focus areas of the ISP Strategic Plan.

15 MINS

Monique Porter opened the International School of Paris

Complementing these philosophies, ISP’s High Quality Learning Definition (2021) and the newest evolution of the Strategic Plan further guide the school’s pedagogical decisions and nurture the confidence necessary for students to make informed decisions about the future

The current enrollment at ISP for the academic year 2022-2023 is 715 students, and this number is expected to rise to approximately 740 by the end of the year. The school includes students representing well over 65 nationalities with no single nationality greater than 20% of the whole school population The student population consists of 3 broad groups; Private payers, Corporate, and Embassy/ NGO staff.

The school is located across three campuses in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. The different sites are 1 2 kilometers apart, and 15 minutes by foot or metro All locations are easily reached by public transportation

Similar to the student population, the International School of Paris boasts a highly qualified and diverse staff. Currently, the school employs 163 staff across the school, and those members hold 27 different nationalities (37% of employees hold a French nationality). Their accumulated professional experiences and dedication enrich the students’ learning journeys in unique and transformative ways ISP teachers are International Baccalaureate (IB) workshop leaders, examiners and authors. Nurturing this expertise whilst helping each other to grow is a key element of the school’s new Strategic Plan

The School’s Strategic Plan

The Communications Plan

This Communications Plan is designed to complement the strategic goals as laid out in our Strategic Plan, Achieving Through Community, as applicable to the Advancement Department at ISP.

As such, it will focus most specifically on near-term goals within the next 12 months, and more generally on mid-term (1- 3 years) goals in the areas of ISP’s communications strategy, competitive positioning, brand recognition and marketing, and enrolment management and retention.

Dynamic and Evolving Curriculum Elevating Student Voice Personal and Organizational Growth.

David Henry was appointed ISP’s most recent Head of School in August 2021 Shortly after his arrival, the school’s strategic plan was reenvisioned and written to focus on three main areas: The timing of this new strategic plan was opportune after experiencing the global pandemic, Covid-19, and the subsequent needs that were observed and experienced as a learning community. As such, one of the strongest elements from the conversations came from the students in that more support is needed in the area of student wellbeing and individual pathways for growth.

This plan will be updated on an annual basis.

(Last update: December 2022)

as an international school which draws on a highly diversified linguistic and cultural community, anchors its communications strategy on the foundations of organizational trust, inclusivity, intercultural understanding and alignment with our shared school values.

ISP's Key Points of

Significance

These six key points of significance are areas to continually reinforce across all content channels, and which may be further developed depending on circumstance and support:

AN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE WORLD SCHOOL

The only three programme, IB World School in central Paris, fully accredited since 1982.

LOCATIONINSPIRATIONAL PARIS

OUR

& EXPERIENCE

PURPOSE

The only school in France holding three prestigious international accreditations : IB, CIS, NEASC Fifty-five years of educational best practice, governed by a parent-led board, as a non-profit Association 1901

The 4 C's of ISP's Communications Strategy

Work with key members of staff and community to enhance how we ‘tell the ISP story’. Role of ambassadors within the school ecosystem (PTA, Board, staff, students, alumni, individuals…)

Organizational streamlining with inter-departmental processes and procedures (IT, Finance, etc...)

Collaborate Curate

Consider the what, when, why and how for all communication channels

Audit performance on an ongoing basis using data analytics, surveys, focus groups, etc...

Maintain up-to-date information and photos on our website

Events, key accomplishments, reaccreditation process, ISP 60th year anniversary, reconnection moments

Capture ‘the heart of ISP’ at key school events and effectively communicate the context and meaning to our community

Celebrate Connect

Build the school’s reputation, gain global recognition, attract and persuade prospective families

Brand awareness & differentiation

Extend the reach of the ISP community

ISP Communications:

Key Strategies and Actions

The Communications Plan includes the following key actions which align with our Strategic Action Plan, Senior Leadership Team goals, Board of Trustees goals and Advancement Department objectives

Near Term: 0- 12 months

Senior Leadership Team Goals - Procedures and Protocols

1.1 - Define personas and related constituent groups and their communication needs

1.2 - Determine if ISP will continue with a centralized communications model as we transition from SIMS to iSAMS

1 3 - Establish calendar of regular survey data collection

1.4 - Develop timeline for implementation of ISP app, to reduce reliance on purely email communications Strategic Action Plan, Area of Strategic Focus: Elevating Student Voice

2 2 2 - Develop ways to showcase ISP's involvement in service through social media platforms, showcases, and events

2.2.3 - Guide students in the creation of a platform that promotes their activities and allows for visibility across the school Board of Trustees - Advancement & Development Committee Develop and implement communications strategies to increase visibility, community awareness, and understanding of the Board Advancement Department Audit and implement key communications response strategies (ISP communications channels visuals, event and field trip checklists…) using data from our first Staff Climate Survey, sent in March 2022 Support the information management system from SIMS to iSAMS and any relevant communications modules and modalities Reinstate admissions newsletter to key partners

Mid-Term: 1 - 3 Years

Continue to build upon the culture of the ISP Staff Climate Survey and how we can identify our organizational areas of improvement in the short, medium and long term Reorganize the parent portal, in connection with a school app, to streamline parent communications and reduce reliance on email ISP’s 60th year celebrations (2024) - how we connect and communicate with our extended learning community and partners Focus Groups & Reaccreditation Community Survey Data Analysis Revisit work done in 2018 and create strategic action mapping for specific subgroups (e g nationality or language-based, new to ISP, new to the IB, …)

ISP Marketing:

Key Strategies and Actions

The Marketing Plan includes the following key actions which align with our Strategic Action Plan, Senior Leadership Team goals, Board of Trustees goals and Advancement Department objectives.

Near Term: 0- 12 months

Senior Leadership Team Goals - Programmes and Marketing

2.1 - Evaluate previous marketing plan, KPIs and success/pathways to improvement

2.2 - Create a retention strategy linked to admissions transition programme, leaving processes and information retention protocols

2 3 - Map out a multi-year website redesign process that optimizes costs, SEO and marketing significant actions/points

Strategic Action Plan, Area of Strategic Focus: Personal & Organizational Growth

3 2 2 - Create a "speaker series" as a way to bring in outside experts to engage the ISP community Board of Trustees - Advancement & Development Committee

Develop an enrolment recruitment and retention strategy for the school while exploring a framework to secure the ISP brand name (in collaboration with Advancement Department) Advancement Department

Launch the 'Faces of ISP' Alumni Testimonial series

Primary School ‘ISP is IB’ open house (x3) New prospective family marketing brochure

Mid-Term: 1 - 3 Years

Consideration of potential role within an IB Association of France CIS University Fair and other high-profile events

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