WDA Marketing Research Report by Brenna Teichen

2011

Whatcom Day Academy Market Research Analysis

Brenna Teichen January â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June 2011

Table of Contents Introduction/Overview  Description of Firm……………………………………………………………..3  Learning Objectives…………………………………………………………….3  Summary of Skills Acquired…………………………………………………..3  Job Description…………………………………………………………………..4

Letters of Evaluation………………………………………………………………...5-6 Whatcom Day Academy: Survey #1 Description………………………………….7  Survey #1 Questions: Current Parents……………………………………7-15  Survey #1: Descriptive Analysis………………………………………….16-29  Survey #1: Differences Analysis…………………………………………30-37  Survey #1: Association Analysis………………………………………....38-49

Whatcom Day Academy: Survey #2 Description………………………………...50  Survey #2 Questions: Previous Parents…………………………………50-58  Survey #2: Descriptive Analysis…………………………………………59-74  Survey #2: Differences Analysis…………………………………………75-83  Survey #2: Association Analysis…………………………………………84-95

Final Presentation to Board of Directors………………………………………96-99 Appendix………………………………………………………………………..100-101

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Introduction/Overview Description of Firm Whatcom Day Academy is an independent, non-sectarian and non-profit school that educates children from Kindergarten to eighth grade. Founded in 1988 in Bellingham, Washington, the school began with the goal of meeting every student’s educational, social, and emotional needs in a safe environment that facilitated growth. Today, Whatcom Day Academy serves over 100 students and continues to thrive. With a unique curriculum that caters to every child’s individual needs and small class sizes that promote specialized attention, Whatcom Day Academy provides a nurturing environment that will prepare children for the life that lies ahead of them.

Learning Objectives  Apply the knowledge attained from my marketing research course at Western Washington University in a professional environment.  Develop effective surveys using Qualtrics that target current as well as previous parents of Whatcom Day Academy in order to gain insight into the school’s performance.  Utilize SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) software to analyze data obtained from both surveys.  Provide accurate recommendations for Whatcom Day Academy that will improve the school and encourage enrollment of more students.

Summary of Skills Acquired  Strategically develop surveys: avoiding extreme absolutes as well as overstated, loaded, leading, and double-barreled questions.  Improved interpersonal skills by mediating between client’s requests and marketing research experience from an academic setting.  Perform appropriate statistical analysis tests and determine if the results are significant.  Increased technical skills with SPSS and Microsoft Excel.  Interpret respective outputs and express their meaning in a concise and comprehendible fashion for Whatcom Day Academy members.  Evaluate trends and patterns within a small sample size and communicate these findings verbally in addition to visual communication devices.

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Position Title: Marketing Intern – Demographic Survey Organization: Whatcom Day Academy, 5217 Northwest Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226 WDA is an independent, non-profit and non-sectarian school serving approximately 120 children from age three years through 8th grade. Position Summary: The Marketing Intern will be responsible for creating and executing surveys, and performing analysis to understand our current and past WDA community in order to market to existing and potential new families. Understand trends and patterns in the current WDA community and the broader local area. Make recommendations on future marketing initiatives. Objectives: 



Create survey questions and methodology to be used presently and on an ongoing basis to ascertain information on the following: current families’ rationale for choosing WDA, departing families’ rationale for leaving WDA, what current families find that are the most attractive elements of the school, what areas families feel need improvement, education values of families and their influence on school choice. Compile survey reports including analysis. Produce detailed, prioritized report listing factors that most influence their educational choices including factors that parents are often looking for to help them make decisions, but are not finding. Complete demographic analysis including: total potential local families who could be targeted based on income, and age of children. Research trend on birth rates. Identify number of children in public school vs. private school vs. home-school. Provide recommendations for future targeted marketing campaigns.

Required Qualifications:      

Knowledge of how to design effective surveys and analyze data. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Competency in data analysis. Proficiency with Microsoft Office skills and knowledge of internet survey tools. Must be able to maintain confidential information. Must be able to successfully complete multiple projects, meet deadlines and provide regular status updates.

Time and Place: Specific hours are flexible, but entire project must be completed by the end of Spring quarter. Duties will be performed at WDA and/or off-site, as appropriate. Start/End Date: Work should take place during the Winter and Spring quarters. Application Procedure: Submit resume and cover letter to Shaerna Beech at: shaerna@beechnut.org 4|Page

Dear Professor Wendy Wilhelm;

March 13, 2011

It has been my pleasure to work with and supervise Brenna Teichen this term during her marketing internship with Whatcom Day Academy. She has been flexible in attending meetings at various times and locations and has been in regular contact via e-mail. Brenna has been working collaboratively with our Head of School, Marketing Committee Chairperson, and myself as School Board President. Additionally, Brenna has teamed up with a graduate student, Michelle Neff, who is also interning for us at this time. The first of two surveys has been successfully concluded and Brenna has completed a lengthy preliminary report. These initial findings proved useful in our most recent school board meeting where we were able to make informed decisions for the next school year. The second survey has been created and launched. For both surveys, Brenna worked diligently with us to create questionnaires appropriate to our needs while continuing to follow guidelines for good survey creation. Brenna has met or exceeded 80 hours of work toward our survey projects this quarter. Brenna’s dedication, professionalism and positive attitude make her a pleasure to work with and our school is already benefitting from her efforts. I look forward to continuing to work with Brenna for the remainder of the term.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Carr President of the Board of Trustees Whatcom Day Academy

5217 Northwest Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 360-312-1103 ● Fax: 360-312-1804 ● info@whatcomday.org ● www.whatcomday.org

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Dear Professor Wendy Wilhelm;

May 26, 2011

I am pleased to say that Brenna Teichen has continued her exemplary performance in her marketing internship with Whatcom Day Academy. She has completed 160+ hours of work under my supervision and has always been a pleasure to work with.

Brenna created, launched, and analyzed two surveys to help us understand our current and past customers. The data analysis culminated in the creation of formal, very professionallooking reports. She also co-presented a summary presentation to our Board of Trustees on May 24th.

The information Brenna has provided will be utilized in many ways by Whatcom Day Academy’s Board and Marketing Committee to improve student retention and attract new families to the school. We are truly grateful for the work Brenna has done and the professional manner with which she addressed these projects.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Carr President of the Board of Trustees Whatcom Day Academy

5217 Northwest Drive, Bellingham, WA 98226 360-312-1103 ● Fax: 360-312-1804 ● info@whatcomday.org ● www.whatcomday.org

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Survey #1 Description This survey was created in order to assess how current parents of Whatcom Day Academy feel about particular aspects of the school. Due to the fact that the number of enrollments is steadily declining, it is crucial to discover the causes. By analyzing their responses using statistical software, an evaluation can be made to determine which areas are performing and those which need improvement. Areas in the survey include the length of time parents have been with the school, how they rate particular factors, their overall satisfaction, and their demographic as well as psychographic information.

Survey #1 Questions: Thank you for deciding to take our survey! With your responses we will be able to identify where we need to focus our attention in our efforts to make Whatcom Day Academy even better for all of our families. We sincerely appreciate your participation!

Are you a current parent of a child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? Yes No How did you hear about Whatcom Day Academy? Check all that apply. Word of Mouth Website Open House Newspaper or Magazine Booths at Community Events (example: Farmers Market) Other How many children of yours are enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? One Two Three Four More than four 7|Page

What age are your children that attend Whatcom Day Academy? Check all that apply. 3-5 years old 6-7 years old 8-9 years old 10-11 years old 12-13 years old 14-15 years old How long have your children been at Whatcom Day Academy? Less than one year 1-2 years 3-5 years More than five years What classes are your children in? Check all that apply. Marmot ( T / TH ) Marmot ( M / W / F) Chickadee Eagle Salmon Intermediate Middle School What public school district do you live in? Bellingham School District (No. 501) Blaine School District (No. 503) Ferndale School District (No. 502) Lynden School District (No. 504) Meridian School District (No. 505) Mount Baker School District (No. 507) Nooksack Valley School District (No. 506) Other 8|Page

How important were the following factors when you searched for schools? Not at all Important

Somewhat Important

Extremely Important

Academics Safety Student-to-Teacher Ratio Diversity Classroom Environment Religious Education Non-sectarian Education Facilities After School Care Extracurricular Activities Community Involvement Location Cost Faculty

What other schools did you consider for your child before deciding on Whatcom Day Academy? ( Up to 300 characters )

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Please answer the following questions regarding your experience with Whatcom Day Academy. How would you rate Whatcom Day Academy on the following aspects? Very Poor

Poor

Good

Very Good

Excellent

Academics Safety Facilities Location Communication Class Size Classroom Environment Faculty After School Care Cost

Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Strongly Disagree Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. Whatcom Day Academy has an effective approach to addressing concerns. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. I am confident that my child will be prepared for high school after leaving Whatcom Day Academy. Whatcom Day Academy keeps me informed about school news and events. 10 | P a g e

Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Which adjectives do you believe best describe Whatcom Day Academy?

What does Whatcom Day Academy offer that other local schools don't offer? ( Up to 300 Characters )

Overall, how satisfied are you with Whatcom Day Academy? Very Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Neutral

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Please answer the following questions related to Whatcom Day Academy's communication.

Where do you receive current information about the school? Check all that apply. Word of Mouth / Conversations with Parents WDA Life Email Newsletters Wall Displays Conversations with Faculty or Staff Other Have you gone online to WDA Life for current information? Yes No

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Why don't you visit WDA Life? I haven't transitioned from email to the website yet. I don't have time to go to the website. I don't like using the computer for current information. I didn't know about WDA Life. I don't know how to access WDA Life, but am interested in learning. Other How often do you visit WDA Life? Never Rarely ( Less than once a week ) Sometimes ( Once a week ) Quite Often ( 2-3 times a week ) Very Often ( Every day ) Please indicate if you have any recommendations for Whatcom Day Academy in the box provided below.

What do you think would make Whatcom Day Academy more attractive to prospective families? ( Up to 300 Characters )

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Please answer the following questions about yourself.

Which of the following sources do your receive information from? Bellingham Herald Cascadia Weekly Bellingham Business Journal Echo Quarterly Parks & Rec Leisure Guide Entertainment News NW

The Record Journal KAFE 104.1 KVOS KISM www.neighborhood-kids.com www.livebellingham.com

Ferndale Record Journal

Other

Lynden Tribune Please indicate how important the following core values are to you. Extremely Unimportant 1

Extremely Important 9

Excitement Financial Stability Healthy Lifestyles Supporting Local Businesses Social Life Contributing to the Community

Indicate activities or interests which you and your household members enjoy on a regular basis: Arne Hanna Public Participating Mom's Club Sportsplex Aquatic Libraries in Clubs Center Skiing / Jump Around Bowling Karate YMCA Snowboarding Fun Zone Everett Summer Park Movie Girl Scouts / Children's Soccer Concerts Theaters Boy Scouts Museum Other Lightcatcher Performance Gymnastics Local Parks Museum Theaters Other Boys and Girls Museums Club 13 | P a g e

What is your gender? Male Female Prefer not to answer What is your marital status? Single Married Divorced Widowed Committed Partnership Prefer not to answer What is your age? 25 years old and below 26-30 years old 31-35 years old 36-40 years old 41-45 years old 46-50 years old 51 years old and above Prefer not to answer

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What is your income? $30,000 and below $30,001 to $50,000 $50,001 to $70,000 $70,001 to $90,000 $90,001 to $110,000 $110,001 to $130,000 $130,001 to $150,000 $150,001 and above Prefer not to answer What is the highest level of education you have completed? Less than High School High School / GED Some College 2-Year College Degree 4-Year College Degree Masters Degree Doctoral Degree Professional Degree (JD, MD) Prefer not to answer We sincerely thank you for taking the time to answer our questions!

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Respondent Profile Gender Marital Status Age Income Education

Female Married 41-50 $150,000 and above 4-year college degree

The typical respondent is a married woman in her 40s who has attained a 4-year college degree and has a household income of $150,000 or above. The graphs below provide a more detailed description of the respondents:

Number of Responses

Age of Respondents 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 26-30

31-35

36-40

41-45

46-50

51 +

Age (years)

The majority of respondents were between the ages of 41 and 50, with only a few younger than 30 or older than 51.

Number of Responses

Highest Level of Education Achieved 20 15 10

5 0 Some College 2-Year College 4-Year College Masters Degree Professional Degree Degree Degree (JD, MD)

Approximately 74% of respondents have a 4-year college degree or have achieved an even higher level of education.

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Household Income Number of Responses

8 7

6 5 4 3 2 1 0 $30,000 and $30,001 below $50,000

$50,001 $70,000

$70,001 $90,000

$90,001 $110,000

$110,001 - $130,001 - $150,001 + $130,000 $150,000

Houshold Income

As indicated by the graph above, the highest household income category selected by respondents was $150,001 and above, and the second highest was from $90,001 to $110,000.

Marital Status Number of Responses

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Married

Divorced

Widowed

86.8% of respondents are married, whereas 10.5% are divorced and %2.7 are widowed.

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How did you hear about Whatcom Day Academy?

Newspaper or Magazine, 7%

Community Events, 2%

Open House, 7% Website, 23%

WOM, 61%

The majority of respondents (61%) heard about Whatcom Day Academy by word of mouth, and approximately 1 in every 4 heard about the school by visiting their website. These findings show that it would benefit Whatcom Day Academy to conduct more promotions in the community, and perhaps even gain some publicity for their achievements.

How many children of yours are enrolled at WDA? Three Children, 2%

Two Children, 29% One Child, 69%

69% of respondents only have one of their children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy, and 29% have two children attending the school. Perhaps Whatcom Day Academy can promote multiple-child discounts to the parents with only one child enrolled, so that they will be encouraged to enroll their other children. Please note that this was a direct recommendation from one of the respondents.

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Number of Responses

What age are your children that attend WDA? 20 15 10 5 0 3 to 5

6 to 7

8 to 9

10 to 11

12 to 13

14 to 15

Age of Children (Years)

The majority of respondents have children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. Due to the sheer quantity of children in this age category, an evaluation should be conducted to determine strengths and opportunities for improving this segment. The age categories of 10-13 should be evaluated because of the significant reduction of children enrolled between the ages of 14 and 15.

Number of Responses

How long have your children been attending WDA? 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Less Than 1 Year

1 to 2 Years

3 to 5 Years

More Than 5 Years

Length of Time at WDA

Most children have been attending Whatcom Day Academy for three to five years. There was a significant reduction in the number of responses in the category of more than five years, which should be further analyzed to determine the causes.

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What classes are your children in? 29%

11%

Marmot ( T / TH ) 5%

15% 24%

11%

Marmot ( M / W / F ) Chickadee Eagle Salmon Intermediate Middle School

29% of respondents said that their children are in Middle School at Whatcom Day Academy, and 24% said that their children are in the Intermediate level. This finding is interesting since the age category of 14-15 years old was the smallest when compared to the other categories. Also, there are not as many parents whose children have been attending Whatcom Day Academy for more than five years. This shows the possibility that children in the Intermediate and Middle School level have not been attending the school throughout their elementary education.

Number of Responses

What Public School District Do You Live In? 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Public School District

The majority of respondents live in the Bellingham school district, and a select few commute from as far as Burlington and Sedro Woolley. This information is valuable because it describes the approximate location of the respondents as well as their vicinity to other schools near their home.

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Adjectives that best describe Whatcom Day Academy:

 Supportive  Non-Traditional  Well-Rounded  Flexible  Engaging  Nonconformity  Challenging  Caring  Balanced  Innovative Academic Excellence  Transformative

21st-century  Small  Integrity  Passionate  Nurturing  Progressive  Quality  Team Leadership Building  Dynamic  Compelling  Deliberate  Aloof 

 Personal  Academic  Individualized  High Expectations  Out of the Box  Inspiring  Unique  Ethical  Hope-Building  Encouraging  Complete  Friendly  Structured

 Professional  Democratic  Artistic  Open-Minded  Inclusive  Evolving  Positive  Liberal  Character Enhancing  Accepting  Warm

The most common adjectives communicated by current parents of Whatcom Day Academy were: Personal, Individualized and Unique. Adjectives that may raise some concerns are: Aloof and High Expectations.

Comments from Parents about Whatcom Day Academy:



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 Unafraid to tackle controversial subject matter Small enough to avoid pitfalls common to most middle schools, where kids can fall through the cracks and/or be abused by their peers  Encourages more global "big picture" thinking  Always striving to produce self confident children

Other Schools Considered Before Selecting Whatcom Day Academy:

 St. Paul’s Academy  Irene Reither  Samish Woods Montessori  Acme Elementary  Carl Cozier

Samish School Loving Space Public School Bellingham Christian  BCS  CDC    

 Lynden Christian  Assumption  Bellingham Cooperative  Home School  Meridian

 Whatcom Community College Childcare Center  Bellingham Childcare and Learning Center  Geneva  Redeemer Lutheran  Northern Heights  Wade King Elementary

Number of Responses

Schools Considered Before Selecting Whatcome Day Academy 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

As the chart indicates above, the schools considered most by parents before they chose Whatcom Day Academy were St. Paul’s Academy, public schools and Montessori schools in the Bellingham area. An interesting finding is that no parents had considered the Waldorf School, which was assumed to be one of their biggest competitors.

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Suggestions for Whatcom Day Academy:  Lower Tuition  Multi-Child Discounts  Improvement of Facilities  More Community Projects

 Uniforms  Strengthen Academics  More Technology in Classroom  Keep Class Sizes Small  Financial Stability

 More Accessible Location  Better Community Area  Better Marketing  Offer High School  Expanded Curriculum

 Indoor Recreation Areas  Advanced Music Options  Mandarin Classes  Larger Play Area  Improvement of Playground (Pavement Dangerous for Children)

Directly from Respondents:       



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“Re-evaluate merger with St. Paul’s for financial longevity.” “Reduce yearly enrichment in the upper divisions.” “Get the word out about the unique curriculum and that it's an educational philosophy for 21st century.” “The upper wing could use a way to bring parents in contact with each other as the check in system in the lower wing does.” “Better marketing and visibility in the community. Improve 'curb appeal' of the facilities. Direct marketing to potential families.” “Continue to promote individual attention by faculty, but follow-up. Publicize the achievements of graduates and compare to public schools, providing metrics for that comparison.” “The recent change to offer a discounted first year is very good. I think expressing how challenging, but adaptive to each student the curriculum is could be communicated better, and that could attract more people who are looking.” “They need to see more video footage of classes in action and personal testimonies. They need to see comparative research on schools and the end results. They need to know that a better education is not simply elitist thinking but that it has practical value.” “The school needs marketing -- there is virtually no voice in the community. There is a lack of awareness of the positive differences between the public school choice and WDA. You're on one of the highest traffic roads in the county -- dress up the road front area -- message and promote along it.”

Number of Responses

Recommendations for Improvement 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Better Facilities

More Awareness

Lower tuition

Curriculum

Improve Curb Appeal

Uniforms

Better Multi-Child Location Discounts

As indicated in the graph above, respondents felt that the areas that demand the most attention are the improvement of the facilities, the increase in public awareness, and lower tuition. Other areas that are satisfactory but need some improvement are the curriculum and the curb appeal. Parents indicated that the curriculum could be expanded to include more fine arts and language courses and that by landscaping the entrance, prospective parents would have a better perception of Whatcom Day Academy.

0=Not at all important, 5=Extremely Important

Importance of Search Criteria 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

Parents of Whatcom Day Academy believed that academics, safety, student-to-teacher ratio, and faculty were the most important factors when searching for schools for their children. The least important factor was religious education. This indicates that parents of Whatcom Day Academy are not concerned with a religious academic environment for their children, relative to other factors.

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1=Very Poor, 5=Excellent

Average WDA Ratings 5 4.5 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0

Whatcom Day Academy was rated as very good or excellent in the areas of academics, class size, classroom environment and faculty. However, the school was rated poorly for their facilities and location. As mentioned earlier in the report, respondents had suggested that the school improve the facilities and curb appeal as well as to lower the cost of tuition. Perhaps these are the aspects that need the most attention in order to appeal to prospective families.

Number of Responses

WDA Ratings Breakdown 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

5 Rating 4 Rating 3 Rating 2 Rating 1 Rating

The graph above describes how many times each category was rated on a scale from 1 to 5 (1=Very Poor, 5=Excellent). For example, most parents gave a rating of 5 to the following categories: academics, class size, classroom environment and faculty, whereas most gave a rating of 2 to the areas of facilities, location, and cost. Although there are areas for improvement, respondents said that they were really satisfied with Whatcom Day Academy overall. 25 | P a g e

Number of Responses

Where do you receive current information about the school? 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

The majority of respondents either receive information from their email or from WDA Life. Some respondents have suggested that receiving email notifications to check WDA Life for current information was a little redundant. Perhaps an â&#x20AC;&#x153;opt-outâ&#x20AC;? option should be available on the site so that parents can choose how they receive school news.

Have you gone online to WDA Life for current information? No, 16%

Yes, 84%

The majority of respondents (84%) said that they have gone online to WDA Life for current information, but 16% have not. The reasons why parents have not gone onto the site for current news about the school are listed in the graph below:

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Why don't you visit WDA Life?

17%

I haven't transitioned from email to the website.

17%

I don't have time to go to the website.

17%

I don't like using the computer for current information.

50%

WDA Life is inconvenient and difficult to navigate.

The most common reason why respondents do not visit WDA Life is because they do not have time. An interesting finding is that one respondent thinks the site is inconvenient and difficult to navigate. Perhaps Whatcom Day Academy can remodel the website and make it easier for parents to locate the information that they are looking for.

How often do you visit WDA Life? Never 5% 5%

23%

33%

Rarely (Less Than Once a Week) Sometimes (Once a Week)

35%

Quite Often (2-3 Times a Week) Very Often (Every Day)

73% of respondents visit WDA Life once a week or less. Since most parents simply do not have enough time to visit the site, perhaps Whatcom Day Academy could make it easier to navigate so that current news and events could be accessed in a shorter amount of time.

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Which of the following sources do you receive information from? Number of Responses

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

The majority of respondents receive their information from the Bellingham Herald, either online or in print. Whatcom Day Academy could increase public awareness by placing segments in the Bellingham Herald with their achievements, history and stories about their school.

Number of Responses

How important are the following core values to you? 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Overall, respondents feel that all of the listed core values are important to them, especially financial stability and healthy lifestyles. Some parents indicated that they have some concerns about Whatcom Day Academyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finances and would like to stay updated on how the school is doing. If possible, Whatcom Day Academy could provide parents with financial statements on a quarterly basis in order to ease concern. 28 | P a g e

Number of Responses 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

29 | P a g e Public Libraries Bowling Everett Children's Museum Lightcatcher Museum Mt Vernon Children's… Art Galleries Participating in Clubs Karate Soccer Gymnastics Boys and Girls Club Mom's Club YMCA Summer Park Concerts Local Parks Sportsplex Skiing / Snowboarding Movie Theaters Performance Theaters Arne Hanna Aquatic… Jump Around Fun Zone Girl Scouts / Boy Scouts Taekwondo Seattle Aquarium Seattle Zoo Ballet 4H Farmer's Market

Which of the following activities do you and your household members enjoy on a regular basis?

The activities that parents enjoy most with their families on a regular basis are: local parks, movie theaters, and public libraries. These would be ideal locations to place Whatcom Day Academy’s promotions, such as information about open houses and community activities.

Differences Between Gender Item

Males

Females

Classroom Environment

4.08

4.67

Cost

3.85

3.13

Rating of the Importance of Search Criteria*

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy

No Difference

Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy

No Difference

How Respondents Heard About WDA

No Difference

Recommendations for Improvement

No Difference

Where Respondents Receive Current Information Wall Displays

18.2%

81.8%

How Often Respondents Visit WDA Life Quite Often or Very Often 16.7% 83.3% *Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Not At All Important" and 5 = "Extremely Important."

 Please Note: There were 24 females and only 13 males that took this survey, which could affect the accuracy of the results when applying to the entire population of current parents at Whatcom Day Academy.  As indicated in the chart above, women value the classroom environment more than men. On the other hand, men place more importance on the cost of education than women.  When rating Whatcom Day Academy, there was no difference between the sexes in any category and both are equally satisfied overall with the school.  When it comes to communication, women differ from men in that they receive current information about the school from wall displays. Women also visit WDA Life more often than men; 83.3% visit the site “Quite Often” or “Very Often.” With this information, Whatcom Day Academy can better understand how male and female respondents differ when it comes to the importance of search criteria, as well as how they communicate. This will be valuable when targeting prospective mothers or fathers that visit the school during an open house or similar event.

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Differences Between Age Categories Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria* Student-to-Teacher Ratio Rating of Whatcom Day Academy** Safety Location Cost Level of Agreement with Provided Statements***  Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly.  WDA has an effective approach to addressing concerns.  I am confident that my child will be prepared for high school after leaving WDA. Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy

35 years old and below

36 to 40

41 to 45

46 to 50

4.57

4.75

5.00

4.20

3.90 3.10 2.81

4.08 3.25 3.25

5.00 2.00 4.00

3.80 2.60 2.80

4.67

4.42

5.00

3.80

3.71

4.17

5.00

3.40

4.53

4.67 5.00 No Difference

4.00

*Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Not At All Important" and 5 = "Extremely Important." **Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Very Poor" and 5 = "Excellent." ***Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Strongly Disagree" and 5 = "Strongly Agree."

 Please Note: nineteen respondents are 35 years old or below, twelve are 36 to 40 years old, two are 41 to 45 years old, and five are 46 to 50 years old. This should be taken into consideration when evaluating the results.  When evaluating the importance of student-to-teacher ratio when searching for schools, respondents between the ages of 41 and 45 rate Whatcom Day Academy higher than those from 46 to 50 years old.  When asked to rate the school on safety, parents between the ages of 46 and 50 rated this aspect between “Good” and “Very Good,” whereas those between 41 and 45 rated it as “Excellent.”  When asked about location, respondents aged 41 to 45 felt that it was “Poor,” whereas those below this age category rated it as “Good.”  When considering cost, respondents aged 35 and below as well as 46 to 50 rated this element between “Poor” and “Good,” whereas the 41 to 45-year olds felt it was “Very Good.”  The age category of 46-50 consistently rated their level of agreement with the provided statements lower than those between 41 and 45. Their responses were between “Neither Agree nor Disagree” and “Agree,” but none of them “Strongly Agreed” like the 41 to 45-year olds. 31 | P a g e

Whatcom Day Academy can use this data in order to target prospective parents who fit into these different age categories. By knowing that parents 35 years old on below as well as 46 to 50 rate the school lower overall than the other age categories, Whatcom Day Academy can determine the best way to handle these concerns with future parents. Since the majority (81.6%) of parents are 40 years old and below, more consideration should be placed on their data when applying the findings to the general population.

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Differences Between Education Levels Some College

2 Year Degree

4 Year Degree

Masters Degree

Professional Degree

Diversity

3.75

4.20

3.12

3.57

1.50

Facilities

3.50

2.60

3.00

3.71

3.00

Academics

4.25

4.60

4.41

4.57

3.50

Facilities

3.50

2.80

2.76

2.29

2.50

Location

3.25

4.00

3.00

2.71

2.50

Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child.

4.5

4.00

4.47

4.14

3.00

Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria*

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy**

 Please Note: The majority of respondents have a 4-year college degree (17) or a Masters Degree (7), whereas only two respondents have a Professional Degree. Four respondents have some college experience and five have a 2-year college degree. This should be taken under consideration when evaluating the means listed in the chart above.  Overall, respondents with a Professional Degree rate Whatcom Day Academy differently than those with other levels of education:  They rate the importance of diversity as “Not at all Important,” whereas the other levels of education rate it as “Somewhat Important” to “Important.”  They rate academics lower than those with a Masters or 2-year degree.  Those with a Professional Degree neither agreed nor disagreed that the curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for their child, whereas the other categories agreed with the statement.  When it comes to facilities, respondents with a Masters Degree rate this aspect lower (between “Poor” and “Good”), whereas those with some college rate it between “Good” and “Very Good.”  Parents with a 2 year degree rate location as “Very Good,” whereas those with a 4 year degree or Masters rate it as “Good.” Those with a Professional Degree rate this aspect the worst with a rating between “Poor” and “Good.” As the level of education increases, the ratings of Whatcom Day Academy decreases. Those with a Professional Degree are less satisfied with the academics, facilities and location of the school than those with a lower level of education achieved. Due to the small sample size, only two respondents have a Professional Degree, which indicates that it might not be as accurate as desirable. Approximately 69% of respondents have either a 4-year degree or a Masters degree, so perhaps their means are more relevant when applying the results to the total population of parents at Whatcom Day Academy. 33 | P a g e

Differences Between Income Levels Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria* Student-to-Teacher Ratio Rating of Whatcom Day Academy** Cost Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy

$30,000 and below

$30,001 to $90,000

$90,001 to $110,000

$110,001 to $130,000

$130,001 to $150,000

4.00

4.64

5.00

4.86

4.54

3.33

3.00

4.00

2.86

2.92

5.00

4.57

3.50

4.57

4.46

5.00

4.36

3.50

4.14

4.15

No Difference

 Please Note: Only three respondents had an annual income of $30,000 and below.



Fourteen respondents had incomes between $30,001 and $90,000, two between $90,001 and $110,000, seven between $110,001 and $130,000, and thirteen respondents had incomes from $130,001 and $150,000. When evaluating the means listed in the chart above, these frequencies must be taken into consideration in order to accurately analyze the data. Respondents with an income of $30,000 and below rated the importance of student-toteacher ratio lower than those with incomes between $90,001 and $130,000. Although they rated the student-to-teacher ratio lower, their mean is not as accurate as the other income categories due to the small sample size. When rating Whatcom Day Academy, those with incomes of $30,001 to $90,000 as well as those with incomes above $110,001 felt that cost was between “Poor” and “Good.” On the other hand, respondents with an income of $90,001 to $110,000 rated this factor as “Very Good.” When asked to rate their level of agreement with the statement “Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly,” respondents with an annual income between $90,001 and $110,000 agreed less than all other income categories. Similar to the results above, those with an income between $90,001 and $110,000 were indifferent, whereas those with an income of $30,000 and below strongly agreed with the following statement: “The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child.”

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ď ś When it comes to rating the overall satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy, there was no difference between income levels. Parents with higher incomes tend to rate Whatcom Day Academy lower on the aspect of cost, and also feel that the student-to-teacher ratio is a more important search criterion than parents of lower incomes. There also seems to be a trend that the higher the income level, the lower the level of agreement with the statements provided in the survey. Although this data was collected from a small sample, this information is useful for targeting prospective families and developing strategies to compensate for perceived disadvantages.

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Differences Between Duration at WDA Less than 1 Year

1-2 Years

3-5 Years

More than 5 Years

Diversity

3.67

3.62

3.19

2.29

Classroom Environment

4.67

4.69

4.50

3.86

Facilities

3.56

2.69

2.57

2.56

Communication

4.22

3.77

3.29

3.13

Class Size

4.89

4.62

4.38

4.00

Classroom Environment

4.78

4.23

4.44

3.57

Cost

3.56

3.00

2.75

3.00

Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child.

4.56

4.38

4.25

3.57

Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy****

4.78

4.67

4.44

4.00

Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria*

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy**

 Please Note: Nine respondents have had their children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy less than 1 year, thirteen 1 to 2 years, sixteen 3 to 5 years, and seven more than five years. This should be taken under consideration when evaluating the means listed in the chart above.  Respondents who have had their children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy for more than five years rate the importance of diversity and classroom environment lower than the other categories of “Less than 1 Year,” “1-2 Years,” and “3-5 Years.”  Many differences were found between categories when rating Whatcom Day Academy on the following aspects:  Facilities: Parents who have had their children enrolled for less than one year rate facilities higher (between “Good” and “Very Good”), whereas those who have been with the school longer rate this factor between “Poor” and “Good.”  Communication: Those who have had their children attending Whatcom Day Academy for less than one year rate communication higher (“Very Good”) than those who have been there for more than three years (“Good”).  Class size: Respondents who have been at Whatcom Day Academy less than one year up to two years rate this factor as “Excellent,” whereas more than five years rate it lower (“Very Good”). Although these groups differ from each other, Whatcom Day Academy still receives a good rating for this aspect. 36 | P a g e

 Classroom Environment: Parents that have stayed for more than five years also rate this factor lower than the other categories. However, the school still receives a decent rating between “Good” and “Very Good.”  Cost: Those who have had their children attending the school for less than one year rated cost between “Good” and “Very Good,” whereas the category of three to five years rated it between “Poor” and “Good.”  Another difference was found when indicating the level of agreement with the following statement: “The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child.” Those whose children have been attending Whatcom Day Academy for more than five years disagree with this statement more than those who have been there for a shorter period of time.  The respondents whose children have been at the school for more than five years are also less satisfied overall with Whatcom Day Academy. Many differences arose when evaluating the durations at Whatcom Day Academy. The chart above reveals the inverse relationship that exists; as duration increases, ratings and overall satisfaction decreases. This information can help the school target the factors that decrease in rating and satisfaction so that those who have had their children attending for more than five years are satisfied in the future.

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What school districts do current parents live in based on their marital status?

Public School District Bellingham Blaine Ferndale Meridian Mount Baker Other Total 100%

90%

18%

80% 70%

18%

60%

Divorced

Widowed

54.5% 6.1% 18.2% 18.2% 3.0% 100%

25% 25% 50% 100%

100% 100%

Other 50%

Mount Baker

Meridian

50%

100%

40% 30%

Married

25%

Ferndale Blaine

55%

Bellingham

20% 25%

10% 0%

Married

 



Divorced

Widowed

Over half (54.5%) of married respondents live in the Bellingham School District, whereas 36.4% live in either the Ferndale or Meridian school districts. Of the respondents who are divorced, 50% live in either the Blaine or Mount Baker school districts and the other half live in a school district other than the ones listed in the survey. The respondents who indicated that their marital status was “Widowed” live only in the Bellingham School District.

This information provides a more specific demographic profile, by indicating where respondents with different marital statuses reside. With this data, Whatcom Day Academy can determine which competitors are closest to their current parents. Whatcom Day Academy can also evaluate driving distances that their parents have to endure, and decide if they are compensating for this disadvantage.

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What school districts do current parents live in based on their annual income?

Public School District Bellingham Blaine Ferndale Meridian Mount Baker Other Total

$30,000 and below

$30,001 to $90,000

$90,001 to $110,000

$110,001 to $130,000

$130,001 to $150,000

33.3% 33.3% 33.3% 100%

28.6% 7.1% 28.6% 21.4% 14.3% 100%

50.0% 50.0% 100%

57.1% 28.6% 14.3% 100%

84.6% 7.7% 7.7% 100%

100.0% 14.3% 80.0%

14.3%

33.3% 21.4%

50.0%

7.7% 7.7% Other

28.6% Mount Baker

60.0% 33.3%

Meridian

28.6% 84.6%

40.0% 7.1% 20.0%

50.0%

33.3%

Ferndale

57.1% Blaine

28.6% Bellingham

0.0% $30,000 and below

ď&#x201A;ˇ

$30,001 to $90,000

$90,001 to $110,000

$110,001 to $130,000

$130,001 to $150,000

Levels of Income $30,000 and below: Parents in this income category are equally divided into three school districts: Bellingham, Mount Baker and another not listed in the survey. $30,001-90,000: Only 28.6% of people with this level of income live in the Bellingham School District and another 28.6% live in the Ferndale district. A select few (7.1%) live in Blaine, approximately one fifth (21.4%) live in Meridian, and 14.3% in some other school district not provided as a possible response in the survey.

39 | P a g e



$90,001-$110,000: Half of current parents live in the Bellingham School District, whereas the other half live in the Ferndale School District. $110,001-$130,000: Over half of parents in this income category live in the Bellingham School District (57.1%), whereas 28.6% live in the Blaine School District and 14.3% live in the Meridian district. $130,000-$150,000: The majority of respondents whose incomes fall within this range live in the Bellingham district (84.6%), and the rest (15.4%) are equally divided into either the Meridian or Ferndale districts.

The most common school district that parents live in is Bellingham, and Ferndale is the second most frequent response. With this information, Whatcom Day Academy can better understand where their parents live and which competitors have the greatest access to them. It’s possible that the commute to and from Whatcom Day Academy can have an impact on how parents are satisfied overall; In other words, parents with a longer commute might hold other aspects of the school to a higher standard than those conveniently located by Whatcom Day Academy.

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How many children do current parents have based on their highest level of education achieved?

Number of Children Enrolled

Some College

2-Year College Degree

4-Year College Degree

Masters Degree

Professional Degree (JD, MD)

One Two Three Total

75.0% 25.0% 100%

80.0% 20.0% 100%

52.9% 47.1% 100%

71.4% 28.6% 100%

50.0% 50.0% 100%

100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

25.0%

20.0% 47.1%



50.0% Three

75.0%

80.0% 52.9%

Some College 2-Year College 4-Year College Degree Degree



28.6%

Two

71.4% 50.0%

Masters Degree

One

Professional Degree (JD, MD)

Levels of Education Some College: The majority (75%) with this level of education has one child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy, whereas a quarter has two children enrolled. 2-Year College Degree: The majority (80%) in this category has one child enrolled, and 20% have two children attending the school. 4-Year College Degree: Approximately half of parents in this category have one child, and the other half have two children. Masters Degree: 71.4% of parents with a Masters Degree have one child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy, whereas 28.6% have two children attending. Professional Degree (JD,MD): Half of the respondents have one child enrolled, and the other half have three children attending.

41 | P a g e

The most interesting finding is that those with a Professional Degree either have one child or three enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy. They are also the only level of education that has more than two children attending. Whatcom Day Academy should provide multiple-child discounts to current parents so that they are encouraged to have their succeeding children attend, especially since they are familiar with the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s principles, values, and academics.

42 | P a g e

How many parents visit WDA Life online based on their highest level of education achieved?

Visited WDA Life Online

Some College

2-Year College Degree

4-Year College Degree

Masters Degree

Professional Degree (JD, MD)

Yes No Total

100.0% 100%

82.4% 17.6% 100%

100.0% 100%

100.0% 17.6%

90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0%

100.0%

82.4%

40.0%

No Yes

30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Some College

  

2-Year College Degree

4-Year College Degree

Masters Degree

Professional Degree (JD, MD)

Parents with some college, a 2-year college degree, or a Masters Degree have all gone online to WDA Life for current information. Those with a Professional Degree (JD, MD) have not gone online to the site at all. 82.4% of parents with a 4-year college degree have gone online to WDA Life, whereas 17.6% have not.

Since WDA Life was launched, little has been known about whether or not current parents actually go online to the site. These results reveal that the majority of respondents have indeed visited WDA Life, except those with a Professional Degree. Perhaps Whatcom Day Academy should focus on revamping WDA Life to make it easier for parents to navigate. The site should also have an opt-out option to avoid unnecessary email notifications. Although these were only a couple of the suggestions mentioned earlier, further surveys should be launched to see what else can be done to improve the number of parents who go to the site for current information about the school. 43 | P a g e

Is there a strong or weak relationship between search criteria?

Variables positively correlated with the importance ofâ&#x20AC;Ś Academics

Correlation

Strength of Relationship

0.381 0.345 0.327

** ** **

Diversity

0.362

Extracurricular Activities Community Involvement

0.624 0.540 0.431 0.416 0.368 0.362

**** *** *** *** ** **

0.463 0.368

*** **

0.349

Cost Faculty Community Involvement

0.379 0.327

*** *** *** *** ** **

0.559 0.543 0.431 0.411 0.351 0.349

*** *** *** *** ** **

Religious Education After School Care

0.452 0.381 0.351 0.335 0.335

*** ** ** ** **

0.309

** ** ** **

Faculty Classroom Environment Community Involvement Academics

0.463 0.410 0.345

*** *** **

0.452 0.344 0.295

*** ** **

Variables negatively correlated with the importance ofâ&#x20AC;Ś

Correlation

Strength of Relationship

0.559 0.493 0.416 0.379 0.335 0.309 0.295

*** *** *** ** ** ** **

-0.334

0.624 0.543

**** *** *** ***

Safety Diversity

Location After School Care Classroom Environment Safety Classroom Environment Faculty Diversity Religious Education Location Facilities Cost After School Care

0.344 0.335

Facilities Cost Religious Education After School Care After School Care Location Extracurricular Activities Diversity Community Involvement Cost Religious Education Facilities Extracurricular Activities Diversity Location After School Care Community Involvement

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Community Involvement Diversity Extracurricular Activities Location Faculty After School Care Academics

0.493 0.444

0.540 0.444 0.411 0.410

Location After School Care Extracurricular Activities Diversity Community Involvement Cost Religious Education Cost Facilities Academics Location

Student-to-Teacher Ratio Cost Cost Student-to-Teacher Ratio

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: The strongest correlation found was between diversity and extracurricular activities. There is a moderate relationship between these search criteria, which means that parents who rate diversity as either important or unimportant rate the importance of extracurricular activities similarly. There is a weak relationship between the following search criteria:  Diversity, community involvement, location, extracurricular activities and after school care  Classroom environment and faculty  Facilities and cost  Faculty, classroom environment, community involvement Therefore, there was a tendency for respondents to rate these aspects alike. However, the data reveals that the relationship is not necessarily consistent if applied to the general population of parents at Whatcom Day Academy. Student-to-teacher ratio and cost have a very weak relationship, but they are the only variables where parents tend to rate their importance differently.

This information reveals how respondents rated the importance of search criterion, whether particular ones were rated similarly, and the strength of the relationships if they exist. Whatcom Day Academy can use this data in order to better understand which aspects of the school are important to parents and how they are related to each other.

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Is there a strong or weak relationship between the ratings of certain factors?

Variables positively correlated with rating… Academics Safety Faculty Class Size Safety Academics Facilities Cost

Correlation

Strength of Relationship

0.364 0.335 0.324

** ** **

0.352 0.325

** ** **

Safety

0.558 0.414 0.352

*** *** **

Cost

0.299

Cost Facilities

0.451 0.414 0.321

*** *** **

0.596 0.324 0.321

*** ** **

0.364

Facilities Cost Communication

Classroom Environment Class Size Faculty

0.596 0.423

*** ***

Faculty Classroom Environment

0.423

Academics After School Care Cost Cost Facilities Communication

0.335

*** **

0.314

0.558 0.451

Safety After School Care Location

0.325 0.314 0.299

*** *** ** ** **

Location Communication

Class Size Class Size Classroom Environment Academics Communication

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: There were only weak or very weak relationships between the ratings of certain factors. However, the information still reveals that parents had a tendency to rate the aspects similarly. Weak relationships:  Facilities, cost, and communication  Class size, classroom environment, and faculty As mentioned earlier in this report, the factors in the first group had poor ratings relative to other factors (“Good”), whereas the second group had more positive reviews (between “Very Good” and “Excellent”). Therefore, Whatcom Day Academy can take these groupings into consideration when evaluating how they could improve or maintain these aspects. 46 | P a g e

Is there a strong or weak relationship between the levels of agreement with the statements provided?

Variables positively correlated with the level of agreement with the following statements:

Correlation

Strength of Relationship

0.650 0.413 0.402

**** *** **

0.402 0.317

** **

0.650 0.401 0.317

**** ** **

0.413 0.401

*** **

Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. I am confident that my child will be prepared for high school after leaving Whatcom Day Academy. Whatcom Day Academy has an effective approach to addressing concerns. Whatcom Day Academy has an effective approach to addressing concerns. Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. I am confident that my child will be prepared for high school after leaving Whatcom Day Academy. Whatcom Day Academy has an effective approach to addressing concerns. I am confident that my child will be prepared for high school after leaving Whatcom Day Academy. Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. * None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: There is a moderate relationship between the levels of agreement with the following two statements:  “Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly.”  “The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child.” Parents tend to rate their level of agreement with each statement similarly. This information shows Whatcom Day Academy that parents perceive their children’s academic experience to be very good, with individual attention and a challenging curriculum.

47 | P a g e

Is there a strong or weak relationship between overall satisfaction and the rating of particular aspects?

Variables positively correlated with overall satisfactionâ&#x20AC;Ś Rating of particular aspects: Classroom Environment Class Size Communication Academics Faculty

Correlation 0.544 0.448 0.431 0.344 0.338

Strength of Relationship

*** *** *** ** **

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: There is a weak relationship between overall satisfaction and classroom environment, class size, and communication. However, the correlation between these factors is still relevant. Parents who rate these three factors tend to rate their overall satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy similarly. Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine if parents who rate particular aspects of the school also rate their overall satisfaction along the same lines. The data reveals that there are no moderate or strong relationships between these variables, but there is a tendency for them to be rated alike.

48 | P a g e

Is there a strong or weak relationship between overall satisfaction and the level of agreement with the statements provided?

Variables positively correlated with overall satisfactionâ&#x20AC;Ś Level of agreement with provided statements: Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. The curriculum is challenging but not overwhelming for my child. Whatcom Day Academy has an effective approach to addressing concerns.

Correlation 0.526 0.336 0.321

Strength of Relationship

*** ** **

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: No moderate or strong relationships were found between overall satisfaction and the level of agreement with the statements provided in the survey. However, there was a weak relationship found between overall satisfaction and the level of agreement with the following statement: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly.â&#x20AC;? Therefore, those who rate their overall satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy also have a tendency to rate their level of agreement about teacher attentiveness similarly. Although there is not enough support to determine with certainty that a relationship does indeed exist between the two, it does reveal a similarity. Due to the small sample size, these numbers are not as stable as desired. Perhaps Whatcom Day Academy can distribute a survey in the future in order to get more accurate results.

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Survey #2 Description The second survey was designed for past parents of Whatcom Day Academy in order to assess their feelings about the school in addition to the reasons why they decided to leave. By analyzing their responses to questions surrounding their experience with the school, what their children are doing now, overall satisfaction, as well as their demographic and psychographic information, the strengths and weaknesses of Whatcom Day Academy can be determined. These results will help the school in developing and implementing a new strategic approach in order to encourage current parents to stay and persuade prospective parents to enroll their children.

Survey #2 Questions: Thank you for deciding to take our survey! With your responses we will be able to identify where we need to focus our attention in our efforts to make Whatcom Day Academy even better for all of our families. We sincerely appreciate your participation! Were your children previously enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? Yes No How did you hear about Whatcom Day Academy? Check all that apply. Word of Mouth Website Open House Newspaper or Magazine Booths at Community Events (ex. Farmers Market) Other How many children of yours were enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? One Two Three Four More than four 50 | P a g e

What ages were your children when they attended Whatcom Day Academy? Check all that apply. 3-5 years old 6-7 years old 8-9 years old 10-11 years old 12-13 years old 14-15 years old How long were your children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? Less than one year 1-2 years 3-5 years More than five years What public school district did you live in while your children were enrolled at WDA? Bellingham School District (No. 501) Blaine School District (No. 503) Ferndale School District (No. 502) Lynden School District (No. 504) Meridian School District (No. 505) Mount Baker School District (No. 507) Nooksack Valley School District (No. 506) Other

51 | P a g e

How important were the following factors when you searched for schools? Not at all Important Academics Safety Student-to-Teacher Ratio Diversity Classroom Environment Religious Education Non-sectarian Education Facilities After School Care Extracurricular Activities Community Involvement Location Cost Faculty

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Somewhat Important

Extremely Important

Which of the following are reasons why you left Whatcom Day Academy? Check all that apply. It was too expensive.

Poor communication with WDA faculty.

My family and I relocated.

Too many requests for donations.

My child graduated.

Did not feel comfortable approaching faculty with concerns.

WDA did not require school uniforms.

Only interested in pre-school.

Dissatisfied with experience at WDA.

Other

Not enough structure.

What are your children doing now? Check all that apply. Home schooled Attending a different private elementary or middle school Attending a public elementary or middle school Attending high school Attending college Graduated and looking for employment Graduated and employed Other Where did your children go after leaving WDA?

If your children are employed, what is their current occupation?

53 | P a g e

Do you believe that Whatcom Day Academy contributed to their success? Yes No How has Whatcom Day Academy contributed to their success? (Up to 300 characters)

Please answer the following questions regarding your experience with Whatcom Day Academy. How would you rate Whatcom Day Academy on the following aspects? Very Poor Academics Safety Facilities Location Communication Class Size Classroom Environment Faculty After School Care Cost Art, Music, and Language Classes Physical Education Preparation for Future Academics 54 | P a g e

Poor

Good

Very Good

Excellent

Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. Strongly Disagree Teachers provided individual attention to my child regularly. Whatcom Day Academy effectively addressed my concerns. The curriculum was challenging but not overwhelming for my child. Whatcom Day Academy maintained sufficient communication with me. My child had positive and varied interpersonal interactions with their peers. The academic structure at WDA did not suit my child's educational needs. I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age.

55 | P a g e

Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Overall, how satisfied were you with Whatcom Day Academy? Very Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Neutral

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Did your level of satisfaction vary throughout your children's education? Yes No Please explain why your satisfaction throughout their education was not consistent: (Up to 300 Characters)

Would you recommend Whatcom Day Academy to others? Yes No Please answer the following questions about yourself. What is your gender? Male Female Prefer not to answer

56 | P a g e

What is your marital status? Single Married Divorced Widowed Committed Partnership Prefer not to answer What is your age? 25 years old and below 26-30 years old 31-35 years old 36-40 years old 41-45 years old 46-50 years old 51 years old and above Prefer not to answer What is the combined income of your household? $30,000 and below $30,001 to $50,000 $50,001 to $70,000 $70,001 to $90,000 $90,001 to $110,000 $110,001 to $130,000 $130,001 to $150,000 $150,001 and above Prefer not to answer

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What is the highest level of education you have completed? Less than High School High School / GED Some College 2-Year College Degree 4-Year College Degree Masters Degree Doctoral Degree Professional Degree (JD, MD) Prefer not to answer We sincerely thank you for taking the time to answer our questions!

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Respondent Profile Gender Marital Status Age Household Income Education

Female Married 36 to 50 $90,001 to $110,000 4-year college degree

The typical respondent is a married female between the ages of 36 to 50. She has an annual household income from $90,001 to $110,000 and has a 4-year college degree. For a more detailed description of the demographic characteristics of the respondents, please see the graphs below:

Gender

Marital Status 3%

32%

Married

Male

Divorced Female 68%

Committed Partnership

92%

Age 9

9 7

8 6 4

2 0 31-35 years old

36-40 years old

41-45 years old

46-50 years old

51 years old and above

The majority of respondents (70.3%) are middle-aged (41+), whereas 29.7% are younger. 59 | P a g e

Household Income 7 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

6 5 4

4 2 1

$30,001 to $50,001 to $70,001 to $90,001 to $50,000 $70,000 $90,000 $110,000

$110,001 to $130,000

$130,001 to $150,000

$150,001 and above

The most common income category selected was $90,001 to $110,000, whereas the second most frequent was between $30,001 and $50,000. Over half of the respondents have an annual household income below the most common (51.7%), whereas 24.1% have an income greater than $110,001. This information is valuable because it reveals that approximately half of the parents that have left Whatcom Day Academy have an annual household income of less than $90,001. Further evaluations are required in order to determine which aspects of the school were unsatisfactory to those who left Whatcom Day Academy.

Highest Level of Education Achieved 16 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

8 1

The results show that the most common level of education achieved by past parents of Whatcom Day Academy was a 4-year degree (42.1% of respondents). 21.1% of respondents had achieved a level of education lower than a 4-year degree, whereas 36.8% had achieved a higher level. 60 | P a g e

How did you hear about Whatcom Day Academy? 25 25 20

15 10

Other:     

Teachers and friends DSHS Flyer at children’s consignment store (3) Board member visit to preschool Reputation (2)

    

Drive-by Internet Phone book Lived close by Summer program

Word-of-mouth was the most common response by past parents when asked about how they heard about Whatcom Day Academy. The second most common was by the school website which, according to present parents, needs some improvement to make navigation easier and more efficient. Due to the increased dependency on the internet for information, Whatcom Day Academy should evaluate how effective their website is to potential families and how they could improve the degree to which they engage visitors. Perhaps the school can focus on the other means of communication in order to reach those who do not rely on word-of-mouth, but research their options instead. In addition to these recommendations, Whatcom Day Academy should focus on having a greater presence in the community by increasing the number of promotions and/or events.

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How many children of yours were enrolled at WDA? 4% One 28% Two

67%

Approximately 67% of past parents had one child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy, whereas 28% had two children attending the school. A very small percentage of respondents had three children at Whatcom Day Academy (4%). Due to the fact that these respondents left Whatcom Day Academy, perhaps the school should consider offering multi-child discounts to encourage the enrollment of more students whose siblings are already attending.

What ages were your children when they attended WDA? 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

32 22 17

15 7

3-5 years 6-7 years 8-9 years 10-11 12-13 14-15 old old old years old years old years old

As indicated in the graph above, the most common age of the children who left Whatcom Day Academy was 3 to 5 years old. However, there was also a significant amount of children who fell into the age category of 6 to 7. There was a significant decrease in the number of older children (ages 14-15), which should be further analyzed for potential causes. Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine the age(s) of children when they were pulled out of the school, and decide if there is a pattern amongst them. If there is a relationship between the age of the children (with specific classes/teachers) and when they left Whatcom Day Academy, then more will be known about which age group faces the greatest dissatisfaction and the possible causes of it.

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How long were your children enrolled at WDA? Less than one year

1-2 years

26% 34%

3-5 years More than five years

36%

38% of respondents did not have their children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy for more than 2 years. Only 36% of past parents continued with the school for a period of 3 to 5 years. It is important to focus on these two groups in order to figure out why they were dissatisfied and/or decided to discontinue enrolling their children. It is possible that there is a certain point in their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education in which parents decide that Whatcom Day Academy is not the perfect fit for their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. Further analysis should be conducted if such a relationship is present in order to determine what improvements could be made to encourage parents to stay.

School District Parents Lived in While Their Children Attended WDA 30

25 20

15 10

0 Bellingham School District

Blaine School District

Ferndale School District

Nooksack Valley School District

Other

The majority (87%) of past parents resided in either the Bellingham School District or the Ferndale School District.

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Reasons Why Parents Left WDA 25 21 20

18 14

6 5

The most common reason why parents left Whatcom Day Academy was because the tuition was too expensive. The second most common reason was because their children graduated. There is still a significant percentage of parents (35%) that discontinued enrolling their children because of their dissatisfaction with their experience, the communication with WDA faculty was poor, there were too many requests for donations, or there was not enough structure. Very few parents said that they left Whatcom Day Academy because they relocated (2), there were no school uniforms (1), they did not feel comfortable approaching faculty with concerns (2) or that they were only interested in pre-school (3). Whatcom Day Academy should focus on the cost on their tuition, since this is the most common reason that parents decide to leave Whatcom Day Academy. If modifying the price is not an option, perhaps the school can improve other elements so that parents could feel that their child’s education and experience is worth the money. Another recommendation is to ask for fewer donations. If parents leave a school because of these types of requests, then perhaps it is doing Whatcom Day Academy more harm than good. The school also has to try a new approach when it comes to communicating with parents. However, it is possible that WDA Life is making a significant improvement in this area. To see the “other” reasons, please see the list provided on the following page. 64 | P a g e

Other Reasons….. “Our child’s learning issues were not supported.” “Middle school teachers were awful to our son.” “Felt our son was ready for public school.” “Did not get the attention needed to succeed.” “Child wished to go to a larger public school.” “Far from o ur ho use, wanted to try Montessori.” “Too far.” “Mother’s health, could not drive regularly.” “Academically and mixed grades in 1 class.” “Too few parents/families carrying the financial burden to keep WDA going.” “Commitment to local school beginni ng in K/1.” “Education didn’t meet one of my child’s needs.” “My ex-husband wanted my child to go to a neighborhood school to “get to know the neighborhood kids.” We did this for two years, my child lapsed academically while at public school.” “Dissatisfied with the middle school program, unhappy with o ur child’s relationship with the middle school teachers at that time.” “Too small for one child and not enough structure for the other.” “Social experience lacking.” “We were interested in another educational philosophy.” “Poor facility in general and lack of a facility for PE and o utdoor activities; also poor planning for the future.”

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What are your children doing now? 16 16

12 10 8

6 4

Approximately 55.8% of past parents have their children currently attending a different private elementary or middle school, a public elementary or middle school, or are home schooled. This means that over half of the respondents of this survey could have continued enrolling their children at Whatcom Day Academy. This does not include those who are now in high school (14), which indicates that the percentage could actually be higher if they left before graduating from WDA.

Do you believe that WDA contributed to their success? 18.2%

Ye s 81.8%

Almost 1 in every 5 respondents did not feel that Whatcom Day Academy contributed to their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. Although there is still a significant percentage of past parents who believed otherwise, Whatcom Day Academy should still evaluate how they can improve this perception. 66 | P a g e

Did your level of satisfaction vary throughout your children's education?

39.5%

Yes No

60.5%

Approximately 40% of parents said that their level of satisfaction did vary throughout their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education. Whatcom Day Academy should develop strategies in order to ensure that their actions are consistent. If implemented effectively, current parents will be more satisfied with the improved structure of WDA over the course of their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enrollment.

Would you recommend WDA to others? 27.5%

Yes

No 72.5%

More than 1 in every 4 past parents said that they would NOT recommend Whatcom Day Academy to others. This reveals that there were many areas that needed improvement that caused parents to leave the school. If significant changes have not already been made, Whatcom Day Academy runs the risk of losing more parents. More needs to be analyzed to determine what aspects of the school should be changed in order to increase the percentage of parents recommending the school.

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How would you rate the importance of the following search criteria? Number of Responses Academics Safety Student-to-Teacher Ratio Diversity Classroom Environment Religious Education Non-sectarian Education Facilities After School Care Extracurricular Activities Community Involvement Location Cost Faculty

Not at all Important 0 1 0 11 0 34 20 3 25 20 13 5 1 1

2 1 1 0 6 1 7 4 6 6 10 9 8 3 0

Somewhat Important 2 7 4 11 6 4 7 26 5 12 20 20 20 4

4 15 19 11 13 17 1 5 10 2 3 2 9 15 15

Extremely Important 29 19 32 4 22 0 9 2 7 0 2 4 7 27

Average Rating* 4.53 4.15 4.60 2.84 4.30 1.39 2.53 3.04 2.11 1.96 2.37 2.98 3.52 4.43

*Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Not at all Important" and 5 = "Extremely Important."

When past parents originally searched for schools for their children, they valued certain criteria over others. These results show that past parents felt that religious education, non-sectarian education, after school care, and extracurricular activities were not important factors. However, they felt that the most important factors listed in the survey were academics, safety, student-to-teacher ratio, classroom environment and faculty.

50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

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Extremely Important 4 Somewhat Important 2 Not at all Important

How would you rate WDA on the following aspects? Number of Responses Academics Safety Facilities Location Communication Class Size Classroom Environment Faculty After School Care Cost Art, Music, and Language Classes Physical Education Preparation for Future Academics

Very Poor 1 0 1 1 3 0 0 1 1 2 1 3 3

Poor 1 1 7 5 10 1 2 3 1 21 6 5 3

Good 12 15 32 29 12 6 12 11 13 16 18 24 9

Very Good 15 16 3 5 13 14 16 10 10 2 11 7 15

Excellent 14 11 0 2 4 22 13 18 4 0 5 4 12

Average Rating* 3.93 3.86 2.86 3.05 3.12 4.33 3.93 3.95 3.52 2.44 3.32 3.09 3.71

*Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Very Poor" and 5 = "Excellent."

 Please Note: The number of responses per rating scale point is displayed in the chart above, as well as the average rating. Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to see the number of past parents who felt that Factor A was rated as “Very Poor” to “Excellent.” When past parents were asked to rate Whatcom Day Academy on certain aspects provided in the survey, they felt that…    

Cost and Facilities were between “Poor” and “Good.” Location, Physical Education, Communication, and Art, Music, and Language Classes were “Good.” Academics, Safety, Classroom Environment, Faculty, After School Care, and Preparation for Future Academics were between “Good” and “Very Good.” Class Size was between “Very Good” and “Excellent.”

The percentages of past parents who rated the following factors as either “Poor” or “Very Poor.” Academics: Safety: Facilities: Location: Communication: Class Size: Classroom Environment: After School Care: Cost: Art, Music and Language Classes: Physical Education: Preparation for Future Academics: 69 | P a g e

4.65% 2.33% 18.6% 14% 30.23% 2.33% 4.65% 4.65% 53.49% 16.28% 18.6% 14%

The area that needs the most attention is Cost, which seems to be consistent with how current parents feel. In addition, over half of past parents (53.49%) rated Cost as either “Poor” or “Very Poor.” Later on in this report, a list of open responses from past parents will be provided, which contain many opinions surrounding this element of the school.

45 40 35

Excellent

30 25

20 15

Very Good Good

10 5 0

Poor

Very Poor

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Please rate your level of agreement with the statements provided. Number of Responses

Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. WDA effectively addressed my concerns. The curriculum was challenging but not overwhelming for my child. WDA maintained sufficient communication with me. My child had positive and varied interpersonal interactions with their peers. The academic structure at WDA did not suit my child's educational needs. I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age.

Agree

Strongly Agree

Average Level of Agreement*

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neither Agree nor Disagree

4.00

3.40

3.79

3.60

3.91

2.35

3.74

*Based on a scale where 1 = "Strongly Disagree" and 5 = "Strongly Agree."



Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy rated their level of agreement between “Disagree” and “Neither Agree nor Disagree” with the following statement: The academic structure at Whatcom Day Academy did not suit my child’s educational needs. A rating between “Neither Agree nor Disagree” and “Agree” was given for the following four statements: o WDA effectively addressed my concerns. o The curriculum was challenging but not overwhelming for my child. o WDA maintained sufficient communication with me. o I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age. Past parents rated their level of agreement as “Agree” with the following two statements: o Teachers provide individual attention to my child regularly. o My child had positive and varied interpersonal interactions with their peers.

Whatcom Day Academy should focus on the four statements where past parents were indifferent with their level of agreement. The school should try and improve how they address concerns from parents, as well as how they communicate with them. Past parents did not feel that they were well-informed about how their children were performing, which could have been a contributing factor to why they discontinued enrollment with Whatcom Day Academy. 71 | P a g e

Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy Number of Responses Very Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Neutral

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Average Level of Satisfaction*

3.74

*Based on a scale where 1 = "Very Dissatisfied" and 5 = "Very Satisfied."

 

As indicated in the chart above, past parents rated their overall satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy between “Neutral” and “Satisfied.” Out of the past parents of Whatcom Day Academy that responded to the survey, 16.3% were either “Very Dissatisfied” or “Dissatisfied” with the school, and 18.6% were indifferent. Therefore, 34.9% were not satisfied, which is more than one in every three past parents.

14 12 10

8 6 4

2 0 Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied

Neutral

Satisfied

Very Satisfied

Whatcom Day Academy should first focus on improving cost, facilities, and communication. These factors seem to be a problematic trend with past as well as present parents of Whatcom Day Academy. For a more indepth look at how past parents feel about the school, please see their comments listed on the following page.

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Additional Comments: 

 



 

“We were conflicted and sad about leaving Whatcom Day Academy as our child thrived there. Ultimately, we decided that tuition was too expensive to continue for the remainder of elementary school.” “I wish our experience would have been different at WDA.” “The teachers and staff need a better understanding of the outside support that is available to them to help struggling students. If WDA had recognized how far behind he was they should have come up with solutions to help. They did not!!! And, we did not know how far behind he was until we got to public school.” “Comparative cost of education not par with others in area. Teacher communication with parents poor.” “My child left WDA unfortunately just after Kindergarten for financial reasons and because her mother(me) could not drive regularly because of her health. My daughter is a good student that applies a large amount of effort to whatever she attempts and is very conscientious about completing her homework. Not a grand "success" story but we are very pleased with her efforts so far! (She is only in 2nd grade.)” “Because of our child's academic challenges, he has not done well academically in public school. He has done well in other aspects of his life. He is a stellar athlete and is making very good decisions regarding friends and social activities.” “The leadership at wda has failed the school. The lack of ability to make decisions re academics and/or behavioral issues has been a problem for many years. WDA should decide if it wants to have children w/behavioral issues and then hire staff that can help those children or don't take the children and allow them to get the help they need at other facilities but make a decision so that the children without behavioral issues aren't harassed, bullied and/or adversely affected. WDA leadership talks great and makes you believe what you are hearing it’s the action of the leadership that fails. WDA should quit spending so much time and effort brown nosing the parents and focusing on the children, parents shouldn't care about all the 'fuzzy warm feeling brown nosing' they should care that their child is getting a good education. Academically, the education starts out superior in preschools, k-1 it fails and 2 & 3 is ok.” “THANK YOU WDA Board, Faculty, staff and SUSAN for all you did to prepare my children successfully to transition to their next chapter!” “I strongly feel that Whatcom Day Academy provided my two children with an excellent start in school- they love school and have confidence, curiosity, and pride. In particular, I'd like to mention that they were both given a wonderful start in literacy. Their teachers were fantastic, caring individuals and I highly recommend WTA to those who can afford and aspire to private school for their children.”

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

“Parents concerns regarding teacher behavior and classroom environment needs to be taken seriously and steps taken immediately to correct poor performing teachers (even midyear removal). Often, one complaint can represent a huge number of (for a variety of reasons) unspoken, yet very valid complaints.” “Very disappointed how the ancillary classes are essentially pushed aside, with all the focus on the math, science, english. Our child essentially learned NO Spanish, and NEVER had any Spanish homework!!! That class was a joke at WDA! YOU managers of the school need to stress the importance of ALL classes equally, and make them all as good as Ms. Nikula's Science class. When the teacher demands hard work and good performance, the students LIKE it, and work HARD to achieve their goals!! When the class is a sideshow, it takes the kids about 10 seconds to lose interest, and blow it off. WDA should make it priority #1 to demand EXCELLENCE in all classes. YOU set the tone of the school... not the kids. But if they sense that nobody cares about a class, they're the first ones to blow it off. SO FIX IT!!!!!” (Profanity eliminated from this comment) “The prevailing comment that I have heard from people when WDA is mentioned is that "I heard it's a great school but it's super expensive". While I hate to put a price tag on my child’s education each year we were at WDA the tuition was increased and at some point we hit our personal cap at what we felt we could comfortably afford. We are still committed to our children’s education and continue to send them to a private school, so we felt we were able to have the best of both worlds; a quality education that was affordable.” “I think the cost of education at WDA is not in line with other private schools in the area. You may pride yourself on your faculty but there are choices and you can get a quality education for thousands less per year. It is also difficult to place a child in this school when the class size is so small that they are either grouped up a level or down a level.” “Whenever I hear of someone looking for a private school I ALWAYS recommend WDA. It changed my son's life and we are both grateful. It was an excellent school and I hope it continues to be.” “The preschool teachers were poorly qualified and inappropriate. Unmotivated, lazy, and uncommunicative. How about hiring teachers with some zest and education? Also, poor leadership from the top (faculty is flaky), it trickles down. Spacy, and rude sums it up. So happy to be out of that crazy place!” “The sub-standard school facility combined with a poor facility for PE and outdoor extra-curricular activities together with a general lack of solid longer-term financial planning spelled doom for my son continuing attendance @ WDA. There was always an emphasis on surviving month to month that scared me into leaving.”

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Differences Between Gender Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria*

Males

Cost Rating of Whatcom Day Academy Overall Satisfaction with WDA

Females

2.92 3.85 No Difference No Difference

*Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Not at all Important" and 5 = "Extremely Important."

There were not many differences found when it came to the gender of past Whatcom Day Academy parents. The only difference found was how they rated the importance of cost as a search criterion when looking for schools for their children. Men feel that cost is “Somewhat Important” whereas women feel that it is “Important.” Since women tend to focus their attention on this aspect more than men, Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to better understand how to target prospective mothers. They can do so by compensating for the high cost of tuition, by showing how the money will be spent, and also the beneficial factors that are offered to students that are not found at any other school in the area. Hopefully by utilizing these strategies, prospective parents will be encouraged to enroll their children.

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Differences Between Marital Statuses Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria* Academics Rating of Whatcom Day Academy** Class Size Faculty Cost Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** WDA effectively addressed my concerns. WDA maintained sufficient communication with me.

Married Divorced 4.47

5.00

4.24 3.84 2.49

5.00 5.00 3.00

3.30 3.51

5.00 5.00

I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age.

3.68

5.00

Overall Satisfaction with WDA****

3.68

5.00

*Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Not at all Important" and 5 = "Extremely Important." **Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Very Poor" and 5 = "Excellent." ***Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Strongly Disagree" and 5 = "Strongly Agree." ****Based on a rating scale where 1 = "Very Dissatisfied" and 5 = "Very Satisfied."

 Please Note: The other marital statuses were not selected often enough to run the proper difference analysis tests. Therefore, only married and divorced are examined in this report. 36 respondents or 92.3% are married, 2 or 5.13% are divorced, and 1 or 2.56% are in a committed partnership.

Rating the Importance of Search Criteria: Out of the past parents of Whatcom Day Academy, the ones who are married rate academics lower (between “Important” and “Extremely Important”) than those who are divorced (“Extremely Important”). Rating of Whatcom Day Academy:  Class Size: Parents who are married rate this factor lower (between “Very Good” and “Excellent”) whereas divorced parents rate class size as “Excellent.”

 Faculty: Those who are married rate this aspect lower (between “Good” and “Very Good”), versus divorced parents who rate faculty as “Excellent.”  Cost: There was a slight difference between married and divorced past Whatcom Day Academy parents. However, those who are married rate this factor between “Poor” and “Good” whereas those who are divorced rate it as “Good.”

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Level of Agreement with the Following Provided Statements:  Whatcom Day Academy effectively addressed my concerns, Whatcom Day Academy maintained sufficient communication with me, and I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age  For all three statements, married parents indicated that their level of agreement was between “Neither Agree nor Disagree” and “Agree,” whereas divorced parents strongly agreed with all three.

Overall Satisfaction with Whatcom Day Academy:  The data shows that married respondents are between “Neutral” and “Satisfied” with Whatcom Day Academy overall, versus those who are divorced who rate the school as “Very Satisfied.”

Although the sample size was small, Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to better understand how married parents rate the importance of particular search criteria, the school itself, their level of agreement with the statements provided and their overall satisfaction with WDA, versus those who are divorced. The results indicate that those who are divorced rate the school better than those who are married, although there were only two divorced parents.

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Differences Between Ages Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria*

31 to 35

36 to 40

41 to 45

46 to 50

51 +

Safety

4.50

4.22

4.30

4.33

3.00

Safety Faculty Cost Level of Agreement with Provided Statements***

3.00 3.00 2.00

4.22 4.00 2.38

3.70 3.30 2.22

3.78 4.56 2.56

4.00 4.25 3.00

4.00

3.11

3.30

4.22

4.63

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy**

I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age.

 Please Note: 2 of the respondents are between 31 and 35 years old, 9 between 36 and 40, 10 between 41 and 45, 9 between 46 and 50, and 7 that are 51 years old and above. This should be taken into consideration when evaluating the results of the difference analysis tests. Rating the Importance of Search Criteria: The only difference between age groups that was found was on the factor of safety. Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy who were between the ages of 31 and 50 feel that safety is between “Important” and “Extremely Important,” whereas those who are 51 and above believe that this factor is “Somewhat Important.” Rating of Whatcom Day Academy:

 Safety: Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy who are between the ages of 31 and 35 rate this factor as “Good,” whereas those who are 36 to 40 rate it as “Very Good.”  Faculty: Past parents of WDA who are between the ages of 31 and 35 rate this aspect as “Good,” whereas those who are 46 to 50 rate it between “Very Good” and “Excellent.”  Cost: Those who are 31 to 35 rate cost as “Poor” whereas those who are 51 and over feel this aspect is “Good.”

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Level of Agreement with Provided Statements:

 I felt well-informed about how my child was performing in school and how he/she was performing relative to their age: Past parents who are between 36 and 40 indicated that their level of agreement was “Neither Agree nor Disagree” whereas those who were 51 and above were between “Agree” and “Strongly Agree.” Whatcom Day Academy can use these differences between age groups in order to better understand how they view the importance of certain factors as well as how they rate the school and their level of agreement with the statements provided; particularly the one concerning how well informed they felt about their children’s performance. It is important to note that past parents tend to rate WDA lower as they get to older age categories on the aspects of safety, faculty, and cost.

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Differences Between Income Levels Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria* Academics Religious Education Non-Sectarian Education Location Rating of Whatcom Day Academy** Location

Classroom Environment Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** WDA effectively addressed my concerns

$30,001 to $50,000

$50,001 to $70,000

$70,001 to $90,000

$90,001 to $110,000

$110,001 to $130,000

$130,001 and above

4.50

4.80

3.75

4.43

4.00

4.40

1.17

1.80

1.25

2.50

1.20

3.17

2.60

4.25

2.88

2.00

1.60

3.17

3.20

3.50

2.88

4.50

2.40

3.00

2.75

2.88

2.80

3.00

3.80

2.88

3.80

4.33

4.00

4.25

4.00 3.00

3.60

4.17

3.80

2.25

3.88

3.50

3.40

2.80

 Please Note: Six of the past respondents have an annual household income between $30,001 and $50,000, five between $50,001 and $70,000, four between $70,001 and $90,000, seven between $90,001 and $110,000, two between $110,001 and $130,000, and five have an annual household income of $130,001 and above. Rating the Importance of Search Criteria: 



Academics: Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy with an annual household income between $50,001 and $70,000 rate the importance of this factor between “Important” and “Extremely Important,” whereas those with an income between $70,001 and $90,000 rate it between “Somewhat Important” and “Important.” Religious Education: The respondents with an income between $30,001 and $50,000, $70,001 and $110,000, and $130,001 and above all rate this factor between “Not at all Important” and “Not Important,” whereas those with an income between $110,001 and $130,000 rated it between “Not Important” and “Somewhat Important.” Non-Sectarian Education: Those with an annual household income between $70,001 and $90,000 rate this aspect between “Important” and “Extremely Important,” whereas past parents with an income of $110,001 and above rate it as “Not Important.”

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

Location: Respondents with an income between $90,001 and $110,000 as well as $130,001 and above rate this factor between “Not Important” and “Somewhat Important,” whereas those between $110,001 and $130,000 rate it between “Important” and “Extremely Important.”

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy: 



Location: o Those with an annual household income between $70,001 and $90,000 rate this aspect between “Poor” and “Good,” whereas those from $50,001 to $70,000 rate it between “Good” and “Very Good.” o Past parents with incomes between $30,001 and $50,000, $90,001 and $110,000, and $130,001 and above rate location between “Poor” and “Good,” whereas those with an annual household income between $110,001 and $130,000 rate it as “Very Good.” Classroom Environment: Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy with an annual household income between $30,001 and $50,000 rate this factor between “Very Good” and “Excellent,” whereas those between $110,001 and $130,000 rate it as “Good.”

Level of Agreement with Provided Statements: Whatcom Day Academy effectively addressed my concerns  Respondents with an annual household income between $30,001 and $50,000 rate their level of agreement with this statement between “Agree” and “Strongly Agree,” whereas those with an income between $70,001 and $90,000 rate their level of agreement between “Disagree” and “Neither Agree nor Disagree.” Generally speaking, as annual household income increases, the ratings of the importance of search criteria, the ratings of Whatcom Day Academy, and the level of agreement with the statements provided decreases. Those with lower incomes, particularly between $30,001 and $70,000, have a tendency to give higher ratings for Whatcom Day Academy than other income categories. Whatcom Day Academy can use this information for current and prospective parents with higher incomes by developing strategies to improve their satisfaction with particular aspects. Since cost proved to be one of the poorest aspects, perhaps the school needs to focus on compensating for the high tuition by improving other factors that parents feel are lacking.

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Differences Between Education Levels Item Rating the Importance of Search Criteria* Academics Cost

Rating of Whatcom Day Academy** Facilities Class Size Classroom Environment Art, Music, and Language Classes Physical Education Level of Agreement with Provided Statements*** WDA effectively addressed my concerns

High School / GED or Some College

2-Year College Degree

4-Year College Degree

Masters Degree

Doctoral Degree

Professional Degree (JD, MD)

4.75

5.00

4.44

3.88

4.67

3.50

3.31

3.22

3.00

3.50

3.31

3.22

4.33

4.67

4.33

3.25

2.67

2.88

3.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

4.50

4.22

3.33

5.00

4.50

4.33

3.94

4.00

3.00

4.00

3.67

3.13

3.38

2.33

4.00

3.25

3.67

3.25

3.44

2.00

4.00

4.33

3.56

3.33

2.33

 Please Note: Five past parents of Whatcom Day Academy (or 13.16%) have completed high school, GED, or some college, three (or 7.89%) have a two-year degree, sixteen (or 42.11%) have a four-year degree, eight (or 21.05%) have a Masters, three (or 7.89%) have a Doctoral Degree, and three (or 7.89%) have a Professional Degree. Rating the Importance of Search Criteria: 



Academics: Those who have a Master’s Degree rate this factor between “Somewhat Important” and “Important,” whereas those with a two-year degree rate it as “Extremely Important.” Cost: o Past parents of Whatcom Day Academy with a Doctoral Degree, rate cost as “Somewhat Important,” whereas those with a Professional Degree rate it between “Important” and “Extremely Important.” o Respondents with a high school diploma, GED, or some college, a four-year degree, or a Master’s Degree, rate cost between “Somewhat Important” and “Important,” whereas those with a two-year degree rate it between “Important” and “Extremely Important.”

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Rating of Whatcom Day Academy: 

 



Facilities: Respondents with a high school diploma, GED, or some college, a fouryear degree, Master’s Degree or Professional Degree rate facilities between “Good” and “Very Good,” whereas those with a Doctoral Degree rate it as “Poor.” Class Size: Those with a Professional Degree rate this factor as “Excellent,” whereas those with a Doctoral Degree rate it between “Good” and “Very Good.” Classroom Environment: Past parents with a high school diploma, GED, or some college rate this aspect between “Very Good” and “Excellent,” whereas those with a Doctoral Degree rate it as “Good.” Art, Music, and Language Classes: Respondents with a Professional Degree rate these classes as “Very Good,” whereas those with a Doctoral Degree rate them between “Poor” and “Good.” Physical Education: Those with either a two-year degree or a Master’s Degree rate physical education between “Good” and “Very Good,” whereas those with either a Doctoral Degree or a Professional Degree rate it as “Poor.”

Level of Agreement with Provided Statements: Whatcom Day Academy effectively addressed my concerns  Past parents with a two-year degree indicated that their level of agreement with this statement was between “Agree” and “Strongly Agree,” whereas those with a Professional Degree are between “Disagree” and “Neither Agree nor Disagree.”

Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine how past parents with particular education levels differ on how they rate the importance of search criteria, how they rate the school, and how much they either agree or disagree with the statements provided. Their responses provide valuable insight into how current parents possibly feel about Whatcom Day Academy, and the factors that could potentially cause them to discontinue enrollment. There appears to be a trend with parents who have a Doctoral Degree, in that they have a tendency to rate aspects of the school lower than other educational segments. However, there are only three parents with a Doctoral Degree. There were low ratings for facilities, art, music, and language classes as well as physical education, so perhaps Whatcom Day Academy should focus on how they can improve these aspects for current parents before they decide to leave the school. Also, developing and implementing improvement projects while communicating with current parents consistently throughout the process could encourage them to stay. Many past parents felt that Whatcom Day Academy did not effectively address their concerns or maintain sufficient communication with them, which needs to be changed if the school is expecting to satisfy current parents who may have similar issues.

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Does the gender of past parents relate to how many children were previously enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? Number of Children Previously Enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy One Two Three Total

Male

Female

75.0% 8.3% 16.7% 100.0%

72.0% 28.0% 0.0% 100.0%

100.0% 90.0%

16.7%

80.0%

8.3%

28.0%

70.0% 60.0%

Three

50.0% 40.0%

Two

75.0%

72.0%

Male

Female

30.0%

One

20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

  

75% of men and 72% of women had one child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy. However, only 8.3% of men and 28% of women had two children enrolled. There were no women that had three children enrolled, whereas 16.7% of men had three children attending the school.

Overall, male and female respondents were similar in that approximately 75% of both had one child enrolled at the school. The most interesting finding is that no women had three children attending Whatcom Day Academy, whereas a small amount of men did (16.7%). WDA can use this information to see how many children male and female respondents had enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy before they left the school, and how they compare to each other.

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Does the marital status of past parents relate to the number of children previously enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy? Number of Children Previously Enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy One Two Three Total

100.0% 90.0% 80.0%

Married Divorced 71.4% 25.7% 2.9% 100.0%

2.9% 25.7% 50.0%

70.0% 60.0%

Three

50.0% 40.0% 30.0%

50.0% 0.0% 50.0% 100.0%

Two 71.4%

One 50.0%

20.0% 10.0% 0.0% Married

  

Divorced

The majority (71.4%) of married respondents and half of those divorced had one child enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy before they left the school. Only 25.7% of married parents and no divorced parents had two children enrolled. There were only 2.9% of married parents that had three children enrolled, but half of divorced respondents had three children attending WDA.

Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine if multi child discounts could have kept more parents from leaving the school. 28.6% of married respondents had more than one child enrolled, and 50% of those divorced had three children enrolled. Cost has not only been rated as poor by past parents, but current parents as well. This aspect of the school needs to be adjusted either by reducing the cost, informing parents of where their money is going, or by adding value through improvement projects for other areas that may be lacking, such as facilities.

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Is there a relationship between the age of the respondents and how long their children were enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy?

Length of Time Enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy Less than one year 1-2 years 3-5 years More than five years Total

100.0%

70.0%

36-40 years old

41-45 years old

46-50 years old

50.0% 50.0% 0.0% 0.0% 100.0%

0.0% 88.9% 11.1% 0.0% 100.0%

10.0% 20.0% 40.0% 30.0% 100.0%

0.0% 11.1% 44.4% 44.4% 100.0%

11.1%

90.0% 80.0%

31-35 years old

30.0% 50.0%

28.6%

44.4%

60.0% 50.0%

88.9%

40.0%

30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

51 years old and above 0.0% 14.3% 57.1% 28.6% 100.0%

More than five years

40.0%

57.1%

1-2 years

44.4% 50.0%

Less than one year

20.0% 10.0%

3-5 years

11.1%

14.3%

31-35 years 36-40 years 41-45 years 46-50 years 51 years old old old old old and above

ď&#x201A;ˇ

Ages: 31 to 35 years old: Half of respondents in this age category had their children enrolled for less than one year, whereas the other half was between one and two years. 36-40 years old: The majority of past parents within this age range (or 88.9%) had their children enrolled between one and two years, and 11.1% between three and five years. 41 to 45 years old: 70% of respondents had their children enrolled for three years or more, whereas the other 30% had their children attending two years or less.

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ď&#x201A;ˇ

46-50 years old: There were no past parents that had their children enrolled less than one year. A small portion of this category (11.1%) was attending the school between one and two years, 44.4% between three and five years, and another 44.4% for more than five years. 51 years old and above: 28.6% of past parents in this age group had their children attending for more than five years, over half (57.1%) between three and five years and 14.3% between one and two years.

There seems to be a strong relationship between how long past parents had their children enrolled at Whatcom Day Academy and their age. Most parents in the age categories of 31 to 35 as well as 36 to 40 had their children enrolled for two years or less, whereas a significant portion of older age categories were there for three years or more. 30% of past parents between 41 and 45 had their children enrolled for two years or less, 11.1% between 46 and 50, and 14.3% of those aged 51 and above. Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine why younger parents decided to leave early on in their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education, unlike the older parents. Please note that this information does not show how old the children were while they were attending, which means that the assumption that the younger parents only used the preschool programs should not be weighed too heavily when interpreting the results.

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Does the age of past parents relate to whether or not their level of satisfaction varied throughout their children’s education? Did your level of satisfaction vary throughout your children's education? Yes No Total 100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

31-35 years old

36-40 years old

41-45 years old

46-50 years old

100.0% 100.0%

11.1% 88.9% 100.0%

20.0% 80.0% 100.0%

66.7% 33.3% 100.0%

33.3%

100.0%

88.9%

42.9%

80.0%

66.7%

11.1%

51 years old and above 57.1% 42.9% 100.0%

No 57.1%

Yes

20.0%

31-35 years 36-40 years 41-45 years 46-50 years 51 years old old old old old and above



Ages: 31 to 35 years old: All of the past parents who were between the ages of 31 and 35 did not have a level of satisfaction that varied throughout their children’s education. 36 to 40 years old: Out of the respondents aged 36 to 40, 11.1% said that their level of satisfaction did vary, whereas 88.9% said that it did not. 41 to 45 years old: The level of satisfaction varied for 20% of past parents between the ages of 41 and 45, whereas the other 80% had a steady level of satisfaction with the school when their children were attending. 46 to 50 years old: Out of the respondents aged 46 to 50, 66.7% of them said that their level of satisfaction with the school did vary throughout their children’s education, whereas 33.3% said that it did not.

88 | P a g e

ď&#x201A;ˇ

51 years old and above Those who are 51 years old and above were almost equally divided, with more (or 57.1%) feeling that their level of satisfaction did vary and 42.9% did not.

Another trend shows that the older the past parents are, the more unstable their level of satisfaction was during their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education at Whatcom Day Academy. Approximately two-thirds of respondents (or 66.7%) between 46 and 50 experienced a change in their level of satisfaction, and over half of those aged 51 and above (or 57.1%) as well. Whatcom Day Academy must conduct further investigations as to the causes of these satisfaction changes so that older parents that are still having their children enrolled will decide to stay.

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Does the school district that past parents lived in while their children were attending Whatcom Day Academy relate to whether or not they recommend the school? Would you recommend Whatcom Day Academy? Yes No Total

100.0% 90.0% 80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

Blaine Ferndale Nooksack Bellingham School School Valley School District District School District (No. (No. District (No. 501) 503) 502) (No. 506) 90.0% 10.0% 100.0%

10.0%

0.0% 100.0% 100.0%

71.4% 28.6% 100.0%



0.0% 100.0% 100.0%

28.6% 50.0%

90.0%

100.0%

100.0% 71.4%

50.0%

Yes Bellingham Blaine Ferndale Nooksack School School School Valley District (No. District (No. District (No. School 501) 503) 502) District (No. 506)



50.0% 50.0% 100.0%

Other

School Districts: Bellingham School District: Out of the past parents that previously lived in the Bellingham School District, 90% of them would recommend Whatcom Day Academy, whereas 10% would not recommend the school. Blaine School District: All of the respondents who had lived in this district while their children were attending would not recommend Whatcom Day Academy to others. Ferndale School District: The majority of respondents (or 71.4%) who lived in the Ferndale School District would recommend WDA to others, whereas 28.6% of them would not. Nooksack Valley School District: The past parents that previously lived in this school district are evenly divided where half would recommend Whatcom Day Academy and the other half would not.

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ď&#x201A;ˇ

Other (Burlington) School District: All of the respondents that lived in this district would not recommend WDA to others.

All of the past parents who previously lived in either the Blaine School District or Burlington School District would not recommend Whatcom Day Academy to others. Half of those who lived in the Nooksack Valley School District would not recommend the school either. Although the majority of those that lived in Ferndale (71.4%) would recommend the school, over a quarter of them (28.6%) would not. These results show that perhaps the distance that past parents traveled every day to drop their children off at Whatcom Day Academy was one of the factors that made them decide to discontinue their childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enrollment. Although further analysis should be conducted to determine the causes, Whatcom Day Academy should use this information for deciding whether or not other aspects of the school outweighed the distance travelled by past parents. They could also determine if their competitors offered past parents a better value proposition, especially since over half (or 55.8%) of previous WDA students are either homeschooled, attending another private school, or attending a public school (mentioned earlier in this report).

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Is there a relationship between the belief that WDA has contributed to their children’s success and whether or not they recommend the school? Would you recommend Whatcom Day Academy?

Do you believe WDA has contributed to your children's success?

I would recommend WDA. I would not recommend WDA. Total

100.0% 90.0%

Yes

90.0%

0.0%

10.0% 100.0%

100.0% 100.0%

10.0%

80.0% 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0%

90.0%

100.0%

I would not recommend WDA. I would recommend WDA.

30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

Yes

Has WDA contributed to your children's success?



90% of respondents who believe that Whatcom Day Academy has contributed to their children’s success would also recommend the school to others, and 10% of them would not. All of the past parents who do not believe that Whatcom Day Academy has contributed to their children’s success would not recommend the school to others.

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Is there a strong or weak relationship between search criteria? Variables positively correlated with the importance of…

Correlatio n

Strength of Relationshi p

Academics Faculty Cost Safety

0.473 0.405 0.358

*** ** **

0.532

***

0.441 0.358 0.348

*** ** **

Safety Cost Classroom Environment Academics Faculty Student-to-Teacher Ratio Classroom Environment Diversity After School Care Community Involvement Non-Sectarian Education Classroom Environment Student-to-Teacher Ratio Safety Faculty Religious Education Extracurricular Activities Non-Sectarian Education Diversity Facilities Extracurricular Activities After School Care Diversity

0.555 0.449 0.432 0.326

*** *** *** **

Extracurricular Activities Religious Education Community Involvement Facilities Community Involvement Extracurricular Activities Diversity

0.570

***

0.505 0.320

*** **

0.505

***

Cost Faculty

0.432 0.408 0.394

*** ** **

Cost

0.371

Safety

Location Faculty

0.532 0.408 0.405 0.371 0.354

*** ** ** ** **

Academics Community Involvement Cost Safety Classroom Environment

0.473 0.394 0.354 0.348 0.348

*** ** ** ** **

Location Cost Community Involvement Academics

Faculty 0.555 0.441 0.348

*** *** **

0.570

***

0.326

0.320

0.449

***

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: There were no relationships found between search criteria that were moderate or strong. However, there were weak relationships between the following criteria that should still be taken under consideration:   

Academics and faculty Safety, cost and classroom environment Student-to-teacher ratio and classroom environment

93 | P a g e

 

Diversity, after-school care, and community involvement Religious education and extracurricular activities

Is there a strong or weak relationship between the ratings of certain factors? Variables positively correlated with rating WDA on the following aspects... Academics Preparation for Future Academics Communication Classroom Environment After School Care Faculty Safety Class Size Art, Music, and Language Classes Physical Education Cost Facilities

Correlation

Strength of Relationship

0.808

****

0.723 0.723

**** ****

0.682 0.656 0.642 0.520

**** **** **** ***

0.448 0.415

*** ***

0.377 0.336

** **

0.697

****

0.647 0.642 0.601 0.596 0.458 0.401

**** **** *** *** *** **

0.358

0.495 0.366 0.336

*** ** **

0.331

0.747 0.723 0.723

**** **** ****

0.721 0.697 0.594 0.510

**** **** *** ***

0.470

***

Faculty Communication

0.446 0.418

*** ***

Physical Education Class Size

Safety Communication Preparation for Future Academics Academics Classroom Environment Faculty Physical Education After School Care Art, Music, and Language Classes Facilities Art, Music, and Language Classes Class Size Academics Physical Education Communication Classroom Environment Academics Faculty Preparation for Future Academics Safety After School Care Cost Art, Music, and Language Classes Class Size Physical Education

94 | P a g e

Class Size Classroom Environment Academics Art, Music, and Language Classes Faculty After School Care Communication Preparation for Future Academics Facilities Classroom Environment Faculty Communication Academics Preparation for Future Academics After School Care Art, Music, and Language Classes Safety Class Size Physical Education Cost Faculty Classroom Environment Communication Preparation for Future Academics Academics After School Care Safety Physical Education Class Size Cost Art, Music, and Language Classes After School Care Academics Classroom Environment Preparation for Future Academics Art, Music, and Language Classes

0.566 0.520

*** ***

0.454 0.450 0.450 0.446

*** *** *** ***

0.381

0.366

0.788 0.747 0.723

**** **** ****

0.677 0.670

**** ****

0.623 0.601 0.566 0.479 0.310

**** *** *** *** **

0.788 0.723

**** ****

0.723 0.656 0.597 0.596 0.521 0.450 0.446

**** **** *** *** *** *** ***

0.353

0.682

****

0.670

****

0.644

****

0.629 0.597 0.594 0.510 0.450

**** *** *** *** ***

Cost Communication Preparation for Future Academics Faculty Academics

0.510

***

0.453 0.446 0.377 Classroom Environment 0.310 Art, Music, and Language Classes After School Care 0.629 Classroom Environment 0.623 Facilities 0.495 Communication 0.470 Class Size 0.454 Academics 0.448 Physical Education 0.392 Preparation for Future Academics 0.384 Safety 0.358 Faculty 0.353

*** *** ** **

Physical Education Faculty After School Care Preparation for Future Academics Classroom Environment

**** **** *** *** *** *** ** ** ** **

0.521 0.510

*** ***

0.489 0.479

*** ***

Safety Communication Academics Art, Music, and Language Classes Facilities

0.458 0.418 0.415

*** *** ***

0.392 0.331

** **

Preparation for Future Academics Academics 0.808 Faculty 0.723 Communication 0.721 Classroom Environment 0.677 Safety 0.647 After School Care 0.644 Physical Education 0.489 Cost 0.453 Art, Music, and Language Classes 0.384 Class Size 0.381

**** **** **** **** **** **** *** *** ** **

* None + .00 to + .2 ** Very Weak + .21 to + .40 *** Weak + .41 to + .60 **** Moderate + .61 to + .80 ***** Strong + .81 to + 1.00

Interpretation of Findings: Strong relationships were found between the following factors:  

Academics, preparation for future academics, communication, classroom environment, after school care, faculty, and safety. Art, music, and language classes, after school care, and classroom environment.

Therefore, past parents rate the factors within each group similarly to each other. All of these factors received ratings between “Good” and “Very Good” as mentioned earlier in the report. Those factors showing a weak relationship between each other are:    

Academics, class size, physical education, and art, music, and language classes. Safety, classroom environment, faculty and physical education. Facilities and art, music, and language classes. Communication, after school care, cost, class size, physical education and art, music, and language classes.

Whatcom Day Academy can use this information to determine which factors are rated similarly to each other, so that they can better understand how past parents think about the school. 95 | P a g e

Current Parents 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Market Research Analysis

Brenna Teichen Michelle Neff

Previous Parents

8 3

30 25 20 15 10 5 0

25 15 6

Research and Findings • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

Current Parents

How parents heard of WDA Compare number of children enrolled Compare length of stay Current parent suggestions Current parent ratings Past parent ratings Reasons for leaving WDA Comparison of overall satisfaction

Two Children 29%

Previous Parents Three Children 4%

Three Children 2%

Two Children 28%

One Child 69%

Survey Based Recommendations Marketing Recommendations Campaign Recommendations Event Specific Recommendations Overall Marketing Tips

One Child 68%

Current Parents More Than 5 Years 15%

Less Than 1 Year 20%

3 to 5 Years 36%

96 | P a g e

1 to 2 Years 29%

Previous Parents More than five years 26%

Less than one year 4%

1-2 years 34% 3-5 years 36%

Reasons Why Parents Left WDA

Number of Responses

Recommendations for Improvement 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

21 18

15 6

10 4

3 2

6 2

“Other reasons” Breakdown:

Number of Responses

WDA Ratings Breakdown 35

5 Rating

30 25

4 Rating

3 Rating

15 10

2 Rating

1 Rating

• • • • • • • • •

“Our child’s learning issues were not supported.” “Felt our son was ready for public school.” (2) “Did not get the attention needed to succeed.” (2) “Too far.” (2) “Too few parents/families carrying the financial burden to keep WDA going.” “Dissatisfied with the middle school program, unhappy with our child’s relationship with the middle school teachers at that time.” (2) “Social experience lacking.” “We were interested in another educational philosophy.” “Poor facility in general and lack of a facility for PE and outdoor activities; also poor planning for the future.”

What Are Children Doing Now

WDA Ratings 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Excellen t

16 16

12 10

Good

Poor

4 2

Very Poor

97 | P a g e

Very Good

Would you recommend Whatcom Day Academy to others?

Has Whatcom Day Academy contributed to your children’s success?

Ye s

18.2%

27.5%

Yes

72.5%

81.8%

• Facilities • Plant trees, flowers, etc. to improve curb appeal • Improve play area • Awareness • Personal testimonies • Video footage of classes in action • Publicize achievements of school as well as graduates • Improve WDA website • Press releases • More transparency

Current Parents Rating

Very Dissatisfied

Number of Response s

Dissatisfied Neutral Satisfied

Very Dissatisfied 0

Dissatisfie d 0

Very Satisfied

Average Level of Satisfaction*

3.74

Previous Parents Rating Number of Response s

Neutral 4

Satisfie d 14

Very Satisfied 26

Average Level of Satisfaction* 4.5

*Based on a scale where 1 = "Very Dissatisfied" and 5 = "Very Satisfied."

• Focus on students transitioning from preschool to kindergarten

• Four areas to focus on: • • • •

Cost Communication Facilities Awareness

• Spring Ahead Curriculum Night: • Include kids and let parents see happiness • Pick a theme • Mini-lesson • Parents can see learning process in action • Kids leave and teacher discusses lesson

• How to make improvements: • Cost  Three Options • Reduce yearly tuition or offer discounts (Example: multi-child) • Disclose what tuition/donations are funding • Increase the value of other areas to make cost worthwhile • Communication • Reduce the number of requests for donations • Address concerns of parents on a timely basis • Create an efficient way for parents to voice opinions (Example: online forum)

• Reduce items sent home • Parents are bombarded with flyers & reminders • Results in white noise • Competing with yourself for parents attention • Track amount & reduce this number drastically 15

98 | P a g e

• SCRIP

• Must improve word-of-mouth

• Email parents at the beginning of program with list of vendors • Have them sign up (or opt in) for companies that they are interested in • Send them discounts just for those companies • Also seasonal events or projects

• Create more incentives for current parents • Build “exit interview”

• Avoid abbreviated words or phrases in external communication • Example: WDA & Soccer Saturdays • General community does not register WDA as Whatcom Day Academy immediately

Idea- Do the work for them

• Light & Enlightenment

• Although when WDA is used it “saves” space

• Unclear name • Possible name: Illumination Art Festival

• Result is actually wasted communication opportunity 19

• Theme

• People select or purchase item based on:

• Should focus on children • How it can improve their lives • What specific benefit will they get from attending WDA • Who they can become with help from WDA

• Is it the best fit for present purpose? • Relevance • Uniquely relevant

• Message

• Whoever has signaled this to us most frequently in the past? • Coherence:

• Consistency in message key for recognition • Current tagline: “Nurturing the brilliance in every child” is quite lengthy • Suggested change is to reduce the length without changing the message too drastically

• Coordinated efforts, similar message across all lines of communication

• Suggested tagline: Nurture. Build. Believe. • Layout

• Who have they interacted with most intensely? • Participation:

• To build brand recognition the marketing campaign should follow a similar layout

• Interaction, make connections

• Annual Campaign • Initial launch • Ask “Are you unable to pledge at this time. If so, how much would you be able to pledge in November?” • Track this information • Reminder Boost • Send form to remind how much individuals noted they could pledge • Re-Launch • Include a picture of the grandparent or alumni who is writing the letter to put a face to the letter

Thank You! 21

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