Lake Worth Christian School

Matt Stegall is Director of Admissions and Alumni Relations at Lake Worth Christian School, where he oversees enrollment strategy, family engagement and alumni relations. Through a relationship-driven admissions approach, he focuses on creating welcoming experiences for families while helping students develop lasting connections throughout their educational journey.

Building Trust in a Competitive Market

The admissions landscape has changed significantly over the last several years. In Florida, the expansion of the voucher program has made private education accessible to more families than ever before. While that has benefited families and schools across the state, it has also created a more competitive environment by giving parents a wider range of educational options.

As those choices continue to grow, schools must distinguish themselves through more than facilities, academic offerings or marketing campaigns. Families want confidence that they are making the right decision for their children, and that assurance often comes through genuine connection. Visiting campus, meeting faculty and experiencing the community firsthand helps parents determine whether a school is the right fit.

For Stegall, nothing replaces the human element. Guiding families through the admissions process with care has a greater impact than many of the features schools can promote.

Guided by that philosophy, he revamped the admissions process at Lake Worth Christian School to make it simpler and easier to navigate. Applicants often balance multiple deadlines, applications and responsibilities, making a streamlined experience one of his first priorities.

“Nothing replaces the human element. Guiding families through the admissions process with care has a greater impact than many of the features schools can promote.”

The changes created a faster turnaround while keeping parents informed at every stage. Stegall uses the school's CRM platform to communicate next steps, key dates and enrollment updates efficiently, ensuring applicants remain informed throughout the process. That consistent communication helps parents navigate enrollment with confidence while reinforcing the individual attention he believes every family deserves.

Helping Families Experience School Life

For Stegall, admissions leaders should use every available tool to help families experience what a school can offer. Parents want to understand what everyday student life actually looks like, making authenticity an important part of the admissions process. Rather than simply describing the school, he wants prospective families to experience it through their own perspective and discover what makes the community distinctive.

To provide that authentic perspective, current students create social media content showcasing daily campus life. Prospective students see classrooms, activities and events through the eyes of their peers, often creating a stronger connection than traditional promotional materials.

Alongside those efforts, Stegall uses geo-targeted and geofenced social media advertising to introduce nearby families to opportunities available on campus. These campaigns also educate parents about the enrollment process and the advantages of applying early.

Early enrollment has become increasingly important as competition for available places continues to grow. Students who enroll in younger grade levels often have greater opportunities to continue through the school's full educational experience, while those applying during middle or high school may encounter fewer openings.

Extending Engagement beyond Enrollment

Enrollment marks the beginning of the relationship, but maintaining that connection after students arrive on campus is equally important. To help every new family feel at home, Stegall works closely with the parent community to support each transition into school life. Parent volunteers personally reach out to new families, answer questions and help them acclimate, creating a stronger sense of belonging from the very beginning.

He extends that same sense of community beyond current families by intentionally engaging alumni throughout the admissions journey. Last year, he established a goal of hosting multiple alumni events to give prospective families opportunities to meet graduates and hear firsthand about their experiences. Their stories demonstrate the long-term impact the school can have on a student's personal and academic development.

Meaningful relationships before and after enrollment also strengthen student retention. In Stegall's view, families remain engaged when schools continue expanding opportunities for growth. Advanced Placement courses allow students to earn college credit without leaving campus, while new classroom technologies keep learning current and build skills for higher education and future careers. He continually evaluates emerging technologies that enhance classroom learning while preparing students for the tools they will encounter in college and throughout their careers.

Learning extends well beyond the classroom. Technology-focused clubs, after-school programs and extracurricular activities encourage students to explore their interests, discover new strengths and shape potential career paths. Introducing new opportunities helps keep students engaged throughout their educational journey while preparing them for life beyond graduation.

Staying Responsive to Changing Family Needs

Adaptability remains central to Stegall's approach. Admissions leaders cannot afford to become stagnant. Parents have more educational choices than ever before, including homeschooling and hybrid learning models that combine at-home learning with on-campus experiences. Schools must recognize those shifts and respond to what families are seeking.

Whether through expanded academic programs, small class sizes, flexible learning opportunities or stronger partnerships with parents, the schools most likely to succeed are those that remain adaptable while preserving the personal attention families value most. Equally important is ensuring parents feel genuinely valued throughout their experience. When schools foster a true sense of community rather than a transactional enrollment process, families are far more likely to remain engaged for the long term.

For Stegall, staying responsive also means continually evaluating opportunities that strengthen both the admissions journey and the overall student experience. He emphasizes the importance of monitoring emerging trends, embracing innovation and assessing new opportunities.

At the same time, his philosophy remains grounded in a consistent principle. Lasting enrollment success comes from understanding what families value and adapting as those expectations evolve. By remaining responsive to changing needs while maintaining a relationship-first approach, schools can strengthen retention, build enduring trust and continue delivering meaningful educational experiences in an increasingly competitive landscape.