The Art of the Admissions Email

​A practical, hands-on session focused on one of the most frequently used - and often overlooked - tools in admissions: email. Participants will explore how tone, language, timing, and seemingly small communication choices can make everyday messages warmer, clearer, and more reflective of a school’s authentic voice. Using examples, the session will examine how thoughtful email communication can reinforce a school’s story, build trust, and shape a family’s experience throughout the admissions process.

​SPEAKERS: Elizabeth Bacon and Jessie Saunders are partners at SB Independent, a communications consultancy that helps independent schools articulate their identities, strengthen relationships with their communities, and navigate increasingly complex communications challenges.

​Elizabeth brings more than 25 years of experience working with the leadership of New York City independent schools in admissions, communications, advancement, and administration. Her previous institutions include The Buckley School, The Cathedral School, The Chapin School, and Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School. She has also served for more than a decade as an adjunct reader in Columbia University’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

​Jessie is an author, editor, illustrator, and communications strategist who has created print and digital materials for schools including Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, The Cathedral School, and School of the Holy Child. Her work encompasses admissions materials, websites, alumni magazines, school histories, case statements, viewbooks, annual reports, and institutional branding.

​Together, Elizabeth and Jessie draw on deep experience inside independent schools to help leaders communicate with clarity, authenticity, and a nuanced understanding of school culture.