The Director's Club

Join us as we dive into transforming enrollment strategies for childcare centers. In this episode, we discuss the importance of updating your digital platforms to enhance engagement with prospective families. We explore innovative ways to design marketing campaigns that uniquely position your center beyond the typical "Now Enrolling" ads. Additionally, we highlight the critical phase of ensuring robust follow-up processes to convert inquiries into enrollments effectively. Lastly, we invite you to join The Directors Club for ongoing learning and support within a vibrant community. Don't miss out on these insights designed to help your center thrive.

Build the foundation. Lead the shift.

https://thedirectorsclub.net/

Enrollment feels different. Hiring feels different. Families are making different decisions. And what worked six months ago may not be what works now.

But that doesn’t mean childcare is in another crisis.

In this episode of The Director’s Club, I’m sharing what I’m seeing inside my own childcare center—and, more importantly, what I’m changing because of it.

I’m talking about our unexpected Preschool and Pre-K openings, why I’m changing the way we market enrollment, what I’m doing differently with recruiting and staffing, and why I’m looking beyond the usual hiring strategies to build a stronger workforce.

This isn’t about panicking every time the market changes. It’s about paying attention, reflecting on what isn’t working anymore, and being willing to test something new.

I’ll take you behind the scenes of the strategies I’m trying at ScribbleTime right now—including some that are working, some I’m still figuring out, and what I’m learning along the way.

As you listen, I want you to ask yourself:

What is different at your center than it was six months ago—and what are you still doing simply because it used to work?

The market is going to keep changing.

Build the foundation. Lead the shift.

https://thedirectorsclub.net/

The One Email Every Childcare Director Should Be Sending Each Month

What if one simple email each month could strengthen your relationships with the people making decisions that impact your childcare center?

For many directors, advocacy feels overwhelming or like something someone else should handle. But after more than 21 years of leading ScribbleTime, I've learned that advocacy isn't about politics—it's about building relationships.

In this episode, I'm sharing the story that completely changed how I think about advocacy, why every childcare director should know their elected officials, and the simple strategy I use to stay connected throughout the year.

We'll talk about:

• Why relationship-building matters more than asking for funding
• How to write short, meaningful emails your elected officials will actually read
• The difference between bringing problems and bringing solutions
• Simple ways to advocate for children, families, and the early education profession
• How consistent communication can make a lasting impact over time

You don't have to be an expert in government to make a difference. You just have to be willing to share what's happening inside your center.

Looking for more practical resources you can use in your center? Visit The Director's Club for free downloads, workshops, podcasts, and tools created and used in a real childcare center to help you build stronger systems, support your team, and lead with confidence. Go to the website here thedirectorsclub.net

Some of the best leadership lessons I've ever applied to my child care center didn't come from the early childhood field—they came from my years in corporate banking.

In this episode, I'm sharing five leadership principles that helped me build a stronger foundation at ScribbleTime and continue to guide the decisions I make today. We'll talk about planning instead of reacting, building systems that create freedom, leading through change, understanding your numbers, and why a strong foundation helps your center navigate whatever comes next.

If you're looking for practical leadership ideas you can apply in your center this week, this episode is for you.

Build the foundation. Lead the transition.

Are you looking for a community to get connected to or need a one-off workshop? We have a new line-up I'm excited to share with you! Shop - CLICK HERE The Directors Club

Are you creating leadership bottlenecks without even realizing it?

In this episode, I'm sharing six common ways directors unintentionally slow down their own centers—from being the answer to every question to unclear expectations and missing systems. I'll walk you through simple shifts that can help you reclaim your time, strengthen your team, and build a center that runs more consistently—even when you're not there.

Build the foundation. Lead the transition.

Are you looking for a community to get connected to or need a one-off workshop? We have a new line-up I'm excited to share with you! Shop - CLICK HERE The Directors Club

Resource

Parent Handbook FREE Workshop HERE: https://memberships.kartra.com/page/parenthandbooktemplate

Episode Title:
5 Things I'm Updating at ScribbleTime Right Now

Episode Description:

What does summer really look like behind the scenes at a child care center?

In this episode, I'm taking you inside ScribbleTime and sharing the five areas we're updating before the school year begins. After more than twenty-one years of leading our center, one thing I've learned is that great programs are never "finished." Strong leaders are always looking for ways to improve their systems, strengthen their teams, and create a better experience for children and families.

I'll share the real projects we're working on right now, why we're making these updates, and how continuous improvement has become part of our leadership culture.

In this episode we'll discuss:

• Child Development Support updates
• Parent Handbook revisions
• Classroom procedures
• Leadership resources
• Why your systems should continue evolving every year

Whether you're reviewing one policy or rethinking an entire process, I hope this episode inspires you to take a fresh look at your own center.

Build the foundation. Lead the transition.

Are you looking for a community to get connected to or need a one-off workshop? We have a new line-up I'm excited to share with you! Shop - CLICK HERE The Directors Club

For those who are new to our community—and as a reminder for those who have been here for years—I wanted to share the story behind why I do this work.

In this episode, I talk about my journey from corporate banking to child care ownership, the leadership lessons that shaped how I run ScribbleTime, and the personal experiences that inspired The Director's Club and The Early Education Teachers Lounge.

You'll also hear why supporting directors, teachers, and leadership teams has become such an important part of my mission, along with a look at some exciting things coming next for our centers and our community.

If you've ever wondered what drives the work we do, this episode is for you.

Are you looking for a community to get connected to or need a one-off workshop? We have a new line-up I'm excited to share with you! Shop - CLICK HERE The Directors Club

Directors, how many times have you blamed a staff issue on onboarding — only to realize the real gap was something else entirely? In this episode, Noelle breaks down the critical difference between onboarding and compliance, and why mixing them up means you're solving the wrong problem. Onboarding teaches the what and the how. Compliance confirms it's actually happening — whether you're watching or not.

Through real scenarios (a bus driver off-protocol for a year, a teacher skipping rest time checks, staff records constantly lapsing), you'll learn how to quickly diagnose which system is broken and what to do about it. If your center is struggling with consistency, accountability, or staff not following through — this episode is your starting point.

In this episode:

• What good onboarding actually covers (and what it can't fix)
• Why compliance is a system, not a checklist binder
• Three real-world scenarios that show exactly where the gap lives
• The key questions to ask yourself when something goes wrong
• Why training someone once doesn't mean the behavior is locked in

Compliance is a full-time, full-year job. Onboarding is a moment in time. Know the difference — and lead your center like you mean it.

COMPLIANCE COMMAND CENTER WORKSHOP

Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Noelle shares a staffing dilemma at her childcare center: a group of six or seven teachers with ongoing attendance and punctuality issues that persist despite meetings, warnings, and write-ups, prompting her to start hiring and potentially work some staff out. She outlines an inexpensive hiring plan before paying for ads, including rewriting and simplifying job postings with a positive culture-and-growth message, testing a free Indeed account, trying EarlyDay.com, publishing a blog about expansion and workplace culture with a link to apply, creating Canva hiring graphics, posting in local community Facebook groups, and emailing past and potential client lists for referrals, including former students returning as staff. She also offers ideas for rural programs, such as proactively partnering with local high schools to present early-education career pathways and recruiting from relevant courses.

Check out our new Lunch and Lead series HERE
Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Noelle discusses a common question from childcare directors—how much to raise tuition—and explains that there is no universal percentage because each center’s expenses, staffing, benefits, rent, and financial goals differ. She recommends starting with a budget built from last year’s numbers, adjusting for expected changes like staff raises, rent, taxes, insurance, new programs, and extra cash flow, then calculating the revenue gap to determine the needed increase. After that, she suggests checking community rates within your specific market and positioning your center based on quality and demand so the final tuition rate balances what your budget requires with what is reasonable locally. She encourages directors to complete 2026 budgets, seek help from a CPA/bookkeeper or software, and invites listeners to join the Director’s Club for ongoing support.

Check out our new Lunch and Lead series HERE
Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Noelle talks about staff retention challenges in child care programs, including accountability, support needs across generations, and improvement that doesn’t always come from training or formal feedback. She explains how adding simple, intentional one-on-one “connection” check-ins a few times a year can shift a culture where employees only meet with leadership when something is wrong. These meetings are not evaluations or disciplinary conversations; they are protected, distraction-free time to build trust, celebrate what’s going well, surface concerns early, and understand what feels overwhelming. She outlines sample questions, key benefits such as stronger relationships, earlier problem awareness, improved morale, and higher retention, and encourages leaders to schedule check-ins consistently across the team, including assistant directors.

Check out our new Lunch and Lead series HERE
Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Ever feel like you're running your center instead of leading it? In this episode, Noelle shares the turning point that changed everything during ScribbleTime's expansion from 72 to 114 students. Discover why protecting just one hour a day for leadership work can give you back 240 hours a year to build the systems your center desperately needs. Learn the difference between managing day-to-day operations and leading your center forward, plus get practical strategies for setting boundaries with your team and finally tackling that project you keep putting off. If "enrollment" (or any other important project) keeps showing up on your to-do list week after week, this episode is your roadmap to breaking free from constant interruptions and reclaiming your role as a leader.

Check out our new Lunch and Lead series HERE
Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Noelle explains why teachers may struggle or quit within the first 90 days when onboarding is overwhelming or unclear. She shares how her center improved retention and confidence by breaking onboarding into day-by-day checklist sections (starting with safety), creating predictable routines, and adding quick daily check-ins from multiple leaders. She also recommends assigning dedicated onboarders by age group to ensure consistent training and accountability.

Check out our new Lunch and Lead series HERE
Connect with us at The Director's Club HERE

Tired of the "crisis" talk in early childhood education? Me too.

The truth: funding being pulled is a crisis. Everything else? That's just business asking you to lead.

I share what I learned when the payphone industry collapsed during my banking career - and how it changed how I run my childcare center today. We'll talk Money, Administration, and People: the three things you need to focus on to build a business that weathers any storm.

Stop reacting. Start leading. Let's do this work together.

https://thedirectorsclub.net/

This is just a "welcome back" to the new year! Here are all the links I spoke about in the podcast. Make sure you reach out with topics you want to hear about - I'm getting ready to write new episodes.

Reach out to me at customerservice@thedirectorsclub.net and send me topics you want to hear about on the podcast! I'd love to hear from you.

FREE Book Club JOIN HEREWe are hosting it on Thursday, January 15th 7 PM EST

Virtual Webinar - Protecting Your Center's Insurability Wednesday, January 21st 1 PM EST

In-Person Leadership Day! Come join us in Massachusetts on Thursday, February 12th 9 AM - 4 PM LEARN MORE HERE

https://thedirectorsclub.net/

Effective Mentoring through Workshop Reflections: Simple Steps for Childcare Educators

Join Noelle as she shares three practical ways to mentor and develop less experienced teachers through reflection and action sheets, staff meeting brainstorms, and shared learning activities. Discover how these methods can foster collaborative problem-solving, build strong team dynamics, and enhance the effectiveness of professional development workshops. Listen now for actionable tips to create a more engaged and capable teaching staff.

We're expanding our child care center in 2026 and we need to build up our rising leaders. We will need more assistant directors - lead teachers - an infant and toddler team! I've created leadership workshops for my rising leaders and I want to invite you and your team to join us!

Take Back Your Day CLICK HERE - Free workshop on September 9th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time

Leadership Day CLICK HERE - For Child Care Cetner Directors; In-Person in Wrentham, Massachusetts on October 2nd 8:30 AM - 5 PM meals and a pretty notebook included!

Leading The Way CLICK HERE - Rising Leadership 6-Week Virtual workshop starts October 8th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday's

Need help implementing what you heard today?
We’ve got your back. Inside The Director’s Club, we don’t just talk about solutions — we help you put them into action with done-for-you tools, coaching, and a supportive community of directors who get it. Whether you’re ready to create systems that actually stick or just want to stop feeling like you’re doing this alone, we’re here to support you. Reach out here: https://thedirectorsclub.net/

Behind every well-run child care center is a strong office team—but building one doesn’t happen by accident. In this episode, Noelle shares five simple but powerful systems that transform daily chaos into smooth operations. From setting the stage with quick admin check-ins to mentoring future leaders, you’ll discover practical ways to lighten your load, strengthen your leadership bench, and create consistency that benefits your entire center.

We're expanding our child care center in 2026 and we need to build up our rising leaders. We will need more assistant directors - lead teachers - an infant and toddler team! I've created leadership workshops for my rising leaders and I want to invite you and your team to join us!

Take Back Your Day CLICK HERE - Free workshop on September 9th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time

Leadership Day CLICK HERE - For Child Care Cetner Directors; In-Person in Wrentham, Massachusetts on October 2nd 8:30 AM - 5 PM meals and a pretty notebook included!

Leading The Way CLICK HERE - Rising Leadership 6-Week Virtual workshop starts October 8th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday's

Need help implementing what you heard today?
We’ve got your back. Inside The Director’s Club, we don’t just talk about solutions — we help you put them into action with done-for-you tools, coaching, and a supportive community of directors who get it. Whether you’re ready to create systems that actually stick or just want to stop feeling like you’re doing this alone, we’re here to support you. Reach out here: https://thedirectorsclub.net/

While some childcare centers are struggling to survive, others are quietly implementing three game-changing financial strategies that are adding thousands to their bottom line each month. In this episode, Noelle shares the exact trends that transformed her center's financial stability—and why they're becoming the new baseline for professional childcare operations.

What You'll Learn:

• Why eliminating discounts actually increased revenue by $3,400/month at ScribbleTime
• How digital billing systems can save you 30+ hours monthly while improving cash flow
• The revenue diversification strategies that now represent 22% of total monthly income
• Real numbers and specific examples from 20 years of center operations

Perfect for: Childcare center directors, owners, and administrators ready to move beyond traditional financial models and create sustainable, profitable operations.

Key Takeaway: These aren't complicated systems requiring huge investments—they're smart operational shifts any center can implement to increase revenue while reducing administrative burden.

Ready to stop chasing payments and start building financial momentum? This episode gives you the roadmap to transform your center's financial future.

We're expanding our child care center in 2026 and we need to build up our rising leaders. We will need more assistant directors - lead teachers - an infant and toddler team! I've created leadership workshops for my rising leaders and I want to invite you and your team to join us!

Take Back Your Day CLICK HERE - Free workshop on September 9th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time

Leadership Day CLICK HERE - For Child Care Cetner Directors; In-Person in Wrentham, Massachusetts on October 2nd 8:30 AM - 5 PM meals and a pretty notebook included!

Leading The Way CLICK HERE - Rising Leadership 6-Week Virtual workshop starts October 8th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday's

Need help implementing what you heard today?
We’ve got your back. Inside The Director’s Club, we don’t just talk about solutions — we help you put them into action with done-for-you tools, coaching, and a supportive community of directors who get it. Whether you’re ready to create systems that actually stick or just want to stop feeling like you’re doing this alone, we’re here to support you. Reach out here: https://thedirectorsclub.net/

We're expanding our child care center in 2026 and we need to build up our rising leaders. We will need more assistant directors - lead teachers - an infant and toddler team! I've created leadership workshops for my rising leaders and I want to invite you and your team to join us!

Take Back Your Day CLICK HERE - Free workshop on September 9th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time

Leadership Day CLICK HERE - For Child Care Cetner Directors; In-Person in Wrentham, Massachusetts on October 2nd 8:30 AM - 5 PM meals and a pretty notebook included!

Leading The Way CLICK HERE - Rising Leadership 6-Week Virtual workshop starts October 8th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time Wednesday's

Need help implementing what you heard today?
We’ve got your back. Inside The Director’s Club, we don’t just talk about solutions — we help you put them into action with done-for-you tools, coaching, and a supportive community of directors who get it. Whether you’re ready to create systems that actually stick or just want to stop feeling like you’re doing this alone, we’re here to support you. Reach out here: https://thedirectorsclub.net/

Ready to grow, relocate, or finally buy your center’s building? In this episode, Noelle shares the real, behind-the-scenes journey of transforming a historic downtown church into the new home of ScribbleTime. From due diligence and real estate scouting to SBA loan applications, code reviews, budgeting, and construction—this is your roadmap to navigating child care real estate expansion with confidence. Whether you're leasing, buying, or just dreaming, this episode is packed with practical tips, resources, and honest reflections to guide your next big move.

Need help implementing what you heard today?
We’ve got your back. Inside The Director’s Club, we don’t just talk about solutions — we help you put them into action with done-for-you tools, coaching, and a supportive community of directors who get it. Whether you’re ready to create systems that actually stick or just want to stop feeling like you’re doing this alone, we’re here to support you. Reach out here: https://thedirectorsclub.net/