Parents’ group markets Gate of Heaven school

A group of volunteers from Gate of Heaven Roman Catholic School in Dallas have put together a marketing committee to promote the school.

The half dozen parent volunteers and Principal Abe Simon meet at the school at least once a month in an attempt to boost enrollment and market the school. The committee formed during the summer of 2008 and is a subgroup of the parent-teacher group.

Marketing committee members at the June 23 meeting included Principal Simon, John Kuderka, Myrna Cantando, Mary Lynn Pizzolato, Matt Dewees and John Hornlein.

Although the marketing committee members do not have specific roles, they do take turns chairing projects. They have completed several projects in the last year, with the largest one being a spring carnival open to the public and existing Gate of Heaven students and their families. The event recruited about six new students.

Enrollment at the school for kindergarten through eighth-grade is at 201 students and an additional 39 students are in the pre-kindergarten program.

Another project was the resurrection of the school’s Web site last fall. The site was created in 2006 but had not been updated regularly.

The committee also put together a brochure about the school to distribute throughout the area.

“One of the things we looked at was we’re targeting the Back Mountain Area, but we’re moving into the Tunkhannock area,” Kuderka said.

Kuderka says the group is currently advertising the school at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock.

Not everybody who lives in the Back Mountain realizes Gate of Heaven School exists, either. Dewees and Hornlein both attended Misericordia University and never knew about the school, so the group feels getting the word out is important.

The group is looking into purchasing booth space at various events to advertise the school. Group members are also trying to volunteer to work events together such as the fall festival at The Lands at Hillside Farms.

The committee has formed its own budget separate from that of the school to raise money for continued marketing efforts. It has conducted several fundraisers, including a t-shirt sale for students who went to Knoebel’s Amusement Park and a gator car magnet sale since the school mascot is the gator.

Currently, the group is selling raffle chances for tickets to a Penn State University football game.

The parents say even though many other Catholic schools in the diocese have closed, they are not worried. They believe strong enrollment, economical tuition, before and after-school care and technology will keep them alive.

“We’re trying to take away doubts or concerns people might have,” Kuderka said. “And, most importantly, the kids are getting a good education.”

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