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I believe we have come to the conclusion that we will be doing a ppt slideshow for the next season along with any other ideas that surface. All we need to do is discuss what, where, and how.
If you have any ideas for other things we could add or do away with, please share them here and we can iron out a solid plan for the next semester.
Also, if you want to teach classroom sessions, please step up and let me know. We will need to get together sometime in the off season to run through the inside sessions with everyone a few times to make sure it all flows nicely and does not take too much time. A little practice never hurt nobody.
Classroom Instructors:
1. Greg
2. Jordan
3.
4.
Duties to successfully pull one of these off:
1. Site acquisition
2. Clinic Promotion
3. Handling info request
4. Scheduling
5. Registration
6. Equipment pick-up & return
7. Classroom instruction
8. Field Instruction
9. Classroom support (PowerPoints, animation, exhibits, etc.)
10. Post-clinic follow-up
1. Site Acquisition - We cannot rely on one site, and we don't need to wear out our welcome at any one site either. As with Solo, we constantly need to be on the lookout for possible sites. The ideal site is at least 100' X 200', with easy access to classroom and bathroom facilities. Once found, someone needs to contact the site owner, sell the cause, and secure a range of possible dates.
2. Clinic promotion - we have a waiting list for 2009 already, and about half of those have already submitted payment, so promotion is not a big deal for Spring 2009. If we can get two or three paragraphs in the newspapaer, it will supply students for a full year. Strangely, TV and radio have not proven to be that effective, since these media are not "permanent" the way the News is.
3. Handling info request - Once a News story runs, we get literally hundreds of phone calls and emails requesting information. And the requests keep coming for about six months, trailing off with time. By then, we have had a few clinics, and those who have attended spread the word to other parents. It's unending. I made the decision a couple of years ago, from the standpoint of convenience and expense, to handle all requests for information by email.
4. Scheduling - not an easy task considering that the needs of the site owner(s) must be first considered (another reason to have more than one available site). Then we schedule around ALSCCA events, and we have lots of events. We also try to work around TVR's big events. Then in the Fall, we schedule around Alabama and Auburn home games, becaue we have found that people will sign up, only to cancel at the last minute when they realize that it's game day.
5. Registration - The reply to requests for information includes a registration form. We consider a registration complete when it is received in hand, by personal delivery or by snail mail, along with a check for payment. We register students on a first come, first served basis. We give them a choice of three clinic dates (usually) to attend in the Spring and three in the Fall, and ask them to list their dates in preference order. Based on that first come first served rule, we then start juggling the registrations around the various dates to accomodate as many people as possible. Once the clinics are filled, a notice is sent advising them of their clinic date. We always have a few to cancel or request a different date at the last minute, so we keep a waiting list handy to fill those spots. A week before each clinic, a reminder email is sent to the participants. Finally, a day or two before the clinic, the completion certificates are printed.
6. Equipment Pick-Up & Return - We have to pick up pylons, brooms, signal lights, etc. from the club trailer. When they are picked up depends on the site. For instance, at New South, I block off the lot on Friday at 5:00pm because people tend to park cars here over the weekend. And the number of cones needed also depends on the site, varying with the amount of outside access that must be blocked off. At any rate, the cones and equipment must be here and set up no later than 8:30 the morning of the clinic. When the clinic is over, it all has to go back to the trailer.
7. Classroom instruction - You've got a room full of teenagers who would rather be sleeping, shopping, zoning out than be at some dumb Driver's Ed class, so you've got to get their attention early and keep it entertaining all day. We have a ciriculum that is pretty much set and we can't deviate too much, but all the embellishment is all yours.
8. Field Instruction - when you get right down to it, this is the meat of the program; talking to the kids one-on-one after every exercise, sometimes riding with them, sometimes driving their car. This is where it all become real to them - when they can feel it in the - well, it you've been to a NDCCC, you know where.
9. Classroom support - I'm glad to see you guys jump on this because I think it's what's needed to bring a fresh approach to the clinics. PowerPoints, animations, exhibits, whatever works.
10. Post-clinic follow-up - a few days after every clinic, I send a follow-up email to the parents and ask for feedback. I also send an email to the student's school principal and let them know about course completion. This would be a duty of the Registrar.
If you have any ideas for other things we could add or do away with, please share them here and we can iron out a solid plan for the next semester.
Also, if you want to teach classroom sessions, please step up and let me know. We will need to get together sometime in the off season to run through the inside sessions with everyone a few times to make sure it all flows nicely and does not take too much time. A little practice never hurt nobody.
Classroom Instructors:
1. Greg
2. Jordan
3.
4.
Duties to successfully pull one of these off:
1. Site acquisition
2. Clinic Promotion
3. Handling info request
4. Scheduling
5. Registration
6. Equipment pick-up & return
7. Classroom instruction
8. Field Instruction
9. Classroom support (PowerPoints, animation, exhibits, etc.)
10. Post-clinic follow-up
1. Site Acquisition - We cannot rely on one site, and we don't need to wear out our welcome at any one site either. As with Solo, we constantly need to be on the lookout for possible sites. The ideal site is at least 100' X 200', with easy access to classroom and bathroom facilities. Once found, someone needs to contact the site owner, sell the cause, and secure a range of possible dates.
2. Clinic promotion - we have a waiting list for 2009 already, and about half of those have already submitted payment, so promotion is not a big deal for Spring 2009. If we can get two or three paragraphs in the newspapaer, it will supply students for a full year. Strangely, TV and radio have not proven to be that effective, since these media are not "permanent" the way the News is.
3. Handling info request - Once a News story runs, we get literally hundreds of phone calls and emails requesting information. And the requests keep coming for about six months, trailing off with time. By then, we have had a few clinics, and those who have attended spread the word to other parents. It's unending. I made the decision a couple of years ago, from the standpoint of convenience and expense, to handle all requests for information by email.
4. Scheduling - not an easy task considering that the needs of the site owner(s) must be first considered (another reason to have more than one available site). Then we schedule around ALSCCA events, and we have lots of events. We also try to work around TVR's big events. Then in the Fall, we schedule around Alabama and Auburn home games, becaue we have found that people will sign up, only to cancel at the last minute when they realize that it's game day.
5. Registration - The reply to requests for information includes a registration form. We consider a registration complete when it is received in hand, by personal delivery or by snail mail, along with a check for payment. We register students on a first come, first served basis. We give them a choice of three clinic dates (usually) to attend in the Spring and three in the Fall, and ask them to list their dates in preference order. Based on that first come first served rule, we then start juggling the registrations around the various dates to accomodate as many people as possible. Once the clinics are filled, a notice is sent advising them of their clinic date. We always have a few to cancel or request a different date at the last minute, so we keep a waiting list handy to fill those spots. A week before each clinic, a reminder email is sent to the participants. Finally, a day or two before the clinic, the completion certificates are printed.
6. Equipment Pick-Up & Return - We have to pick up pylons, brooms, signal lights, etc. from the club trailer. When they are picked up depends on the site. For instance, at New South, I block off the lot on Friday at 5:00pm because people tend to park cars here over the weekend. And the number of cones needed also depends on the site, varying with the amount of outside access that must be blocked off. At any rate, the cones and equipment must be here and set up no later than 8:30 the morning of the clinic. When the clinic is over, it all has to go back to the trailer.
7. Classroom instruction - You've got a room full of teenagers who would rather be sleeping, shopping, zoning out than be at some dumb Driver's Ed class, so you've got to get their attention early and keep it entertaining all day. We have a ciriculum that is pretty much set and we can't deviate too much, but all the embellishment is all yours.
8. Field Instruction - when you get right down to it, this is the meat of the program; talking to the kids one-on-one after every exercise, sometimes riding with them, sometimes driving their car. This is where it all become real to them - when they can feel it in the - well, it you've been to a NDCCC, you know where.
9. Classroom support - I'm glad to see you guys jump on this because I think it's what's needed to bring a fresh approach to the clinics. PowerPoints, animations, exhibits, whatever works.
10. Post-clinic follow-up - a few days after every clinic, I send a follow-up email to the parents and ask for feedback. I also send an email to the student's school principal and let them know about course completion. This would be a duty of the Registrar.
I'm exhausted!
Greg, are we still doing the classroom instruction for this upcoming event as we discussed at Autocross? I take the "friction circle" lecture after lunch?
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