February is seen by the rest of the world as the last full month of Winter - and with all the snow the country has had this year, many are waiting for a slow thaw so that life can get back to normal.

But those of us involved in education know that February is synonymous with insanity - budgeting for next year, processing financial aid applications, seeking more enrollment, and preparing for the development activities that take place in the Spring, like golf outings and themed dinners (not to mention getting our taxes done and completing those all important FAFSA applications if you have children in college).

Realizing all the things that have to be done, we may have to plan when we're going to do those things.  Further, budgeting, estimating enrollment and preparing for those development events all require plans of their own.

Recall the Yiddish proverb, "Mann tracht und Gott lacht."  Translated, it means "Man plans and God laughs."  Several years ago, a friend asked me to get involved with a project that sounded very exciting, but I had absolutely no time to devote to it.   He shared with me his difficulty in jumping in to the activity as well, as he was taking care of his parents who are both experiencing dementia, and his sister who is struggling with Leukemia, all while looking for gainful employment!  He gave me four words of advice - "All in God's Time."

There may be so many things that we have to get done...and some things so large that they require a good plan.  So, take time to plan!  But before doing that, take time to change two of those letters...change the "l" to and "r," and the "n" to a "y."   PRAY - since everything we do is for God's glory and His kingdom, that He will guide our planning, so that our actions will be what He wants us to do when He wants us to do it.

If we think it's in our hands, remember we are His hands.  It's good to fold them.

A Bonus Marketing Matter!

Yard signs are now popping up announcing that PUBLIC schools are registering students for Kindergarten.  There are three things to be learned from this:

1) If you need a Public school to remind you to get your yard signs for your school into the community, you're too late.  This should have happened 6 months ago when school began. 

2) Public schools can register students; registration implies that you will accept everyone.  However, if you have a parent that has a child confined to a wheelchair, and you have no elevator in your school, it may be very difficult to accept them.  Therefore, you must say that you are "Accepting applications," or invite parents to "Apply now," NOT register.

3) And this is a sign of our times - Public schools are now seeing the need to market themselves since they're facing competition from charter schools, cyberschools and cyber-charter schools.  Some public school districts have started their own "Academy" program, with advanced academic subjects, dress code, code of honor and strict discipline.  These programs have waiting lists of parents, and schools are pleased with the success of the program.  Students enrolled in the program follow the rules, and parents motivate their children to achieve to remain in the program since, if they leave or are dismissed from the program, there are other students ready and willing to take their place.