The Secret to Unlocking ChatGPT: Prompts That Work for School Leaders
AI is everywhere. Parents are talking about it. Teachers are testing it. Boards are asking questions about it. For school leaders, the question is no longer if tools like ChatGPT will affect the way we work. It already has. The real question is: how can you use it strategically?
The answer lies in the prompt.
ChatGPT is like a mirror. The quality of your input determines the quality of the output. A vague prompt like “Write me a social post” produces something vague. A focused prompt like “Write a LinkedIn caption for a private school admissions director about open houses in October. Keep it professional, strategic, and under 120 words” produces something you can actually use.
If you want ChatGPT to save time and create real value, you need to learn the art of prompting. Here are six principles for school leaders.
1. Start With Your DNA
The best prompts do not begin with the task. They begin with who you are. ChatGPT only knows what you tell it, so the more details you feed in, the more authentic and useful the output becomes.
When you are crafting prompts, include details like:
Mission and vision: What is your school’s purpose and long term direction
Core values: What beliefs guide your community
Audience: Who are you speaking to, prospective parents, alumni, current families, donors, faculty
School type and size: Are you an urban day school, a rural boarding school, or a faith based K–8
Differentiators: What sets you apart, signature programs, approach to teaching, or unique traditions
Tone of voice: Do you want warm and relational, or polished and professional
Goals of the piece: Inform, persuade, inspire, or drive action
Example:
“Our mission is to develop creative thinkers and compassionate leaders. We serve 450 students in grades 6 to 12 in an urban setting. Our differentiators are a nationally recognized arts program and a strong mentoring culture. Write a 150 word email to prospective families that highlights the arts program, using an aspirational yet approachable tone.”
This level of context allows ChatGPT to act less like a generic assistant and more like a partner who understands your school’s identity and objectives.
2. Be Specific About the Task
Specificity produces better drafts. Include details like word count, platform, format, audience, and most importantly, expected outcome.
Instead of:
“Help me with a headline.”
Try:
“Write 3 headline options for a parent newsletter about fall open houses. Each should be under 10 words and spark curiosity.”
3. Set the Tone Intentionally
Tell ChatGPT whether you want professional, conversational, inspiring, or data driven. Otherwise, it will default to neutral.
Example:
“Write this Instagram caption in a friendly, community oriented tone.”
Pro Tip: Give it your school website link, viewbooks, and any other promotional or communication material, and ask it to analyze your schools unique tone. When you’ve got it right, ask it to use that same tone in every further output.
4. Ask for Multiple Angles
One of ChatGPT’s strengths is variety. Ask for options, then choose the best fit.
Example:
“Give me 3 options with different hooks: curiosity, emotional, and bold.”
5. Treat ChatGPT as a Collaborator
Do not settle for the first draft. Iterate. Ask it to refine, shorten, expand, or shift perspective.
Follow ups you can try:
“Make it shorter.”
“Add a stronger opening.”
“Rewrite without jargon.”
The best results come from a back and forth, not one click copy paste.
Pro Tip: Voice mode works really well here. Have a conversation about what you like, dont like, where you were hoping it would go and what feelings you hoped it would provoke. The back and forth conversation adds more context and depth for GPT, and is a more natural way of explaining your edits for you.
6. Apply It Where It Matters Most
For school leaders, prompting is not just a writing trick. It is a leadership tool. Common use cases include:
Admissions: inquiry follow ups, open house invitations, thank you notes
Marketing: social media captions, blog outlines, newsletter intros
Operations: job postings, board reports, staff communications
Innovation: brainstorming enrollment strategies, rethinking value messaging, or mapping the family journey
What to Avoid
Over reliance: AI should support, not replace, your school’s authentic voice
Copy pasting without editing: families recognize when writing feels artificial
Sharing sensitive information: never input private student or family data
Final Word
You do not need to be an AI expert. You simply need to learn how to prompt strategically. That begins with knowing your mission, vision, audience, and goals, then using ChatGPT to amplify them.
What matters most is not the tool itself, but the strategy behind it. Families are asking sharper questions about value, and schools need clear, consistent communication to answer them.
At Schoolcraft, we help schools define that story and deliver it with clarity across digital channels, enrollment communications, and marketing campaigns. We help schools reach mission fit families through targeted ads and strategies that drive measurable enrollment results.
👉 Ready to strengthen your school’s value story and connect with the right families? Contact Schoolcraft Digital today.
