With almost the entire world online today, school marketing and other information have to be online as well, and this school makes a concerted effort to communicate in a variety of ways.

Webmaster Mr. Tyler McClure ‘08 said, “We want to be able to tell a story about what Cathedral is.” As webmaster, McClure works to maintain the school website as well as the social media platforms the school uses to attract prospective parents and students and to communicate to current students and parents as well as alumni.

Using social media to appeal to students is a must now that so much of the world is online, and the school uses Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. McClure said the school now has a TikTok account as well, but, “We aren’t sure best how to use it yet.” Instagram is the easiest for the school to manage, because it consists mainly of pictures and quick captions. Facebook, on the other hand, has more “likes” because the age group for Facebook is more for alumni and parents.

McClure also manages the school website, which has undergone major remodeling, resulting in the display to be brighter and cleaner so that it pops. The videos on the home page were taken by professionals, which contributes to the new, fresh look, he said.

McClure noted that one of the goals of the website redesign was to make it easier to navigate. Therefore, specific portals – for parents, students, alumni and faculty/staff – were streamlined with clearer menus.

Marketing has also been influenced by the use of social media and the new website. Director of marketing Mrs. Grace Trahan-Rodecap said, “Cathedral has two primary sources of revenue: admissions and advancement.” She works closely with the admissions team, but said that the website is the school’s primary marketing method.

The school uses many forms of marketing, such as yard signs, billboards, direct mail, radio, cable advertising and social media. However, Rodecap said, “As much as we try to be strategic with how and where we place our ads, what helps us the most (is) word of mouth.” Rodecap noted that there is Parent Ambassador group that helps tell the story of the school, and most of their communication takes place on a personal level, either one-to-one or in small groups.

Marketing can even be done inside the school, such as on the walls on the first floor of Kelly Hall between the front entrance and the nurse’s office. When the alumni return, “their eyes light up,” Rodecap said. There is a display of the history of the school’s history and excellence, and it helps to excite parents and students at the prospect of enrolling, she said.

Diversity is one of the most emphasized Holy Cross core values, and admissions and the various forms of communication reinforce that. Rodecap, who worked for 18 years as a reporter and anchor for Channel 6, said, “We take a diverse group of students, and meet them where they are. We meet all of those kids where they are, and get them ready for college and for life, and eventually for Heaven.”

Rodecap said she enjoys working on the Hill and seeing kids “blossoming.” Those students include her own son, Nicholas, who is a sophomore. She said she loves telling the story of the school, and encourages others to do the same.