Insights into the international school market and new digital communications technology with Finalsite CEO Jon Moser

AAIE’s Annual Conference holds true to their motto – Connect, Share, Lead. Their recent conference prompted Finalsite to reflect on all that has happened in the past 18 years while at the same time inspired them to share key takeaways on the future market direction and how their company is committed to meeting the challenges facing school leaders.

When Finalsite entered the international school market in 2005 by working with the International School of Brussels, there were 2419 international schools serving 1.1 million students. Today there are over 9450 schools serving over 5 million students according to data from ISC Research - the leading supplier of data and intelligence on the English-medium K-12 international schools market.

Jon Moser, Finalist’s CEO (pictured above), shares insights on the international school market based on working with over 225 schools in 80 countries providing not only websites but the latest in digital communication solutions.

Why do you make it a priority to attend the AAIE Conference?

AAIE, a longtime partner of Finalsite, enables the Finalsite team to connect with leaders from around the world. It’s like a family reunion - We see a lot of familiar faces but this year it was exciting to see new faces as they bring good energy and change to the market. Internationally we find the class of directors exceptional and they are leading the market in a good direction.

We also want to congratulate Paul Fochtman, a long time Finalsite friend now at Frankfurt International School, on being voted Superintendent of the Year! He exemplifies outstanding leadership and service among international schools worldwide. It’s people like Paul who have committed themselves to international education which in turn has helped fuel the massive growth in this market and bolstered the reputation of international education.

Conferences are about learning – what did you learn at AAIE?

It’s clear that the issues are more challenging and demanding that ever before. Key themes included: enrollment, parent communication, teacher recruitment, data privacy and protection and social media.

• Enroll the right students through a more meaningful web experience

International schools are unique in the fact that often families don’t ever visit the school before enrolling so the website is often their first point of contact and sometimes their only point of contact. Clearly the website has to be engaging and up to the latest technology standards. But to take that a step further, directors are looking for the right fit for their school – they want good inquiries that fit their profile and students that will succeed in their school not only academically but socially as well.

Finalsite spends a lot of time helping schools get that messaging across to those perspective families so they really get to know the heart and soul of the school from their website.

• Search Engine Optimization is more critical than ever before

Another critical piece to the puzzle is search engine optimization (SEO). Google is by far the most popular search engine and they are constantly changing their algorithms so it’s hard for schools to keep up with the changes. Whether schools tackle it themselves or work with a provider like us, heads need to ensure that no matter where people are searching from – their school is found. If you are in a competitive market like Singapore or Dubai, SEO is even more critical to success.

• Teacher recruitment is important

In 2005 there were just over 100,000 international teaching staff and today that number is 474,000; based on growth trends, ISC Research forecasts there will be a need for an additional 200,000 full time teachers in the next five years.

Recruiting good teachers is just as critical as attracting students: prospective staff and faculty go to your website, so why not provide the information they are looking for to make sure that is also a good fit? Zurich International School recently launched their new site and made great efforts to optimize their recruiting efforts. We have found that schools that showcase their school more accurately and in greater detail are able to streamline their recruitment process as well as make better use of their time at recruitment fairs.

• Parent Communication needs to be streamlined

Most schools struggle with parent communication and need to do a better job. Having information all over the place is dysfunctional, and losing a family due to poor communication should not happen.

Finalsite has taken a multi-pronged approach to parent communication as there is no one fit solution for all parents. Through portals, our robust eNotify newsletter, social media feeds and through our newly development blogging functionality called Posts, schools can really engage parents and keep them informed. Our new tools are state-of-the-art and enable schools to create an authentic, engaging and enjoyable parent experience.

• Website hosting, data protection, and privacy should not slow schools down

Directors should not have to worry about the technology running their schools. Companies like Finalsite are here to do that; from website hosting and systems integration, to protecting your data, good technology companies utilize the latest tools to keep schools up and running.

GDPR is also a big worry and Finalsite is committed to working with schools to make it through the transition period. This year in particular I have found that heads are savvier about technology and how it can really make their lives easier -- this is great to hear as the CEO of a tech company!

What’s up next?

I am always open to connecting with leaders to discuss their ideas, concerns and visions. These conferences last just a few days, but we like to keep the dialogue moving. I encourage people to reach out to me personally but also meet up with our team on the road or attend one of our Web Strategy Workshops where we showcase the latest trends and best practices. I am excited to be headed to ECIS in Berlin in April to meet with European leaders so look to join me there.