SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
De la Salle Collegiate High School
A Century of Brotherhood, A New Era of Communication
For nearly 100 years, De La Salle Collegiate High School has built its mission on relationships. Located in the heart of Warren, Michigan, this all-boys Catholic high school is known for its strong alumni network, committed families, and a tight-knit student body of over 530 young men.
At a Glance
Founded in 1926, De La Salle Collegiate High School is an all-boys Catholic high school in Michigan, inspired by the spirit and tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle.
But even in a community built on connection, communication can still fall short, especially when parents are inundated with emails, reminders, and multiple platforms for sports and academic updates. For Kevin Fitzhenry, a proud De La Salle graduate and the school’s Director of Marketing and Communications, it was a problem he knew all too well.
“We were sending everything—emails, newsletters, updates—but parents still said, ‘I didn’t know there was no school,’ or ‘I didn’t know my son had to turn something in.’ It wasn’t getting through.”
With so many digital channels to manage as a one-person communications team, Kevin needed a way to simplify the experience for families and streamline his own workload. That’s when De La Salle made the strategic decision to fully integrate Finalsite’s mobile app into their communication plan.
The Challenge: Too Much Noise, Not Enough Connection
As the primary communicator for De La Salle Collegiate, Kevin wears many hats: he’s a department of one managing marketing, communications, and storytelling for over 530 students, a large and engaged parent body, and a growing alumni network. Despite a strong school culture and consistent communication efforts, Kevin ran into the same frustration shared by many schools: parents simply weren’t getting the message.
“We all try to over-communicate,” Kevin admitted, “but parents would still say, ‘I didn’t know there was a schedule change,’ or ‘I didn’t know it was a dress-down day.’”
Email newsletters were going unread, important calendar updates were buried, and the school website, while rich with content, wasn’t easy to navigate on mobile. And for parents juggling work, multiple kids, and extracurriculars, time spent digging for information wasn’t realistic.
The content was great, but it was getting lost.
“Parents weren’t ignoring us because they didn’t care,” Kevin shared. “They just weren’t finding the information fast enough, or in the places they naturally look.”
There were also bigger issues at play:
- Too many apps: Coaches and clubs were using different apps for team communication. One parent might need seven different apps to stay up-to-date across their children’s school activities.
- Website usability on mobile: While the school’s website was the primary source of truth, it wasn’t exactly organized for quick mobile access. Families often couldn’t find the right dropdowns or pages while on the go.
- One-size-fits-all communication: Without customization, parents received communications that didn’t always apply to their child’s grade, team, or interests, making it easier to tune out.
Even with all the right content in place, Kevin needed a better way to meet families where they were. “Everybody has a smartphone, everyone is app-savvy,” he said. “We had to shift the way we were thinking about how we deliver information. We want to place all of our information in the palm of their hands.”
Kevin knew they didn’t need more communication, but they did need smarter communication.
The Solution: A Streamlined, App-Based Strategy for Smarter Communication
To solve the communication gap, De La Salle turned to Finalsite’s mobile app. Their goal wasn’t to replace their website or traditional newsletters, but to simplify how families accessed the information they needed, when they needed it.
The app became an extension of their existing communications tools. “We didn’t want to create more work,” Kevin explained. “We wanted to make it an extension of our website, and something that would actually reduce the number of touchpoints parents had to manage. We wanted it to be seamless.” And seamless it was. Kevin described the transition as remarkably easy.
“My IT director, Sheryl Anderson, and I were flabbergasted when it came time to switch over, and how quickly Finalsite got it done. ‘It’s already done,’ they said. We literally had to download the app ourselves just to see it.”
The app connected directly to De La Salle’s Finalsite website, pulling in Posts, calendar events, and athletics content automatically. That meant Kevin could post once and have it published everywhere, including push notifications, website news, emails, and social media—using Finalsite’s COPE (Create Once, Post Everywhere) framework.
De La Salle quickly made the app the centerpiece of their comms strategy:
Focus on Parent Experience
Rather than deciding what should go in the app themselves, Kevin and Sheryl listened to what parents wanted. The app's home screen was built around real needs, like the school calendar, upcoming events, live stream links, sports updates, and news stories.
“What you see in the app wasn’t dictated by me or IT—it was dictated by our parents. This is the information they care about.”
Built-In Promotion, Everywhere
Once the app was live, Kevin and his team made sure it stayed top-of-mind to boost downloads and get their families using it.
- A landing page had all details on how to download the app, set up notifications, and what information parents would find.
- QR codes were printed on fridge magnets, flyers, and posters throughout the school
- The Parent Playbook, a printed guide to engagement, featured step-by-step download instructions
- Every parent newsletter, TV screen in the hallway, and even the alumni magazine included a visual reminder to download the app
Supporting a Department of One
As a solo communicator, Kevin needed tools that could work hard in the background. Finalsite’s mobile app—and the way it integrates with the rest of the platform—helped him avoid repeating tasks or duplicating effort.
That means fewer manual updates and more time spent telling stories. “I get to focus on highlighting the great things our students are doing,” Kevin said. “I’m not wasting time reposting the same content in five places.”
By connecting tools like Messages XR and Posts, the app became a single hub for publishing everything from event reminders to links for livestreams.
“The app is helping us tell our story...Parents are realizing that things are happening. They hear all of the awesome stories about what our students are doing on a daily basis.”
KEVIN FITZHENRY
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
The Results: High Adoption, Strong Engagement, and a Culture Shift in Communication
Since upgrading to the new Finalsite mobile app, De La Salle Collegiate has seen a noticeable shift in how its community engages with school communications. What started as a solution to help busy parents stay informed has grown into a daily tool that parents rely on, and one that reinforces the school’s commitment to transparency and connection.
“We know they’re using it because the questions stopped,” Kevin said. “That’s the biggest sign. Parents aren’t calling, asking where to find things—they already know. We don’t tell people to check their email,” Kevin said. “We say: ‘Go to the app.’ That’s our answer for everything.”
Consistent Growth, One Download at a Time
Kevin tracks adoption through Finalsite’s integration with Appfigures, which provides analytics around mobile app downloads. One stat in particular stands out: “We average about one new download a day, every day, year-round. That’s 365 new users a year, even outside our big pushes like orientation.”
During orientation events, that number skyrockets. Families are asked to pull out their phones and download the app right on the spot. Parents download the app, customize their notifications, subscribe to the right feeds, and walk away with everything set up. “We had the second-longest line of the night,” Kevin laughed. “Right after the uniform sizing line.”
More Reach with Less Effort
Using the COPE model—Create Once, Post Everywhere—Kevin posts content in one place and it automatically appears across platforms: the website, mobile app, emails, and social media. Whether it’s a livestream link for graduation or a last-minute calendar change, it only takes one step to notify families.
“The ability to pull all that content into the mobile app for parents to access has really been a game changer for us,” Kevin said. “Now parents aren’t missing as much information. We put everything right there in the palm of their hands, which is one of the reasons we went to the app in the first place.”
Real Results in Family Engagement
With push notifications and app-based alerts, families are more aware of what’s happening in school, without feeling overwhelmed. Whether it’s reminders for physical forms, club meetings, or student spotlights, communication feels more personalized and timely.
“Moms love seeing their sons featured. When we post a student spotlight, it’s not just on the website; it’s in the app. Their phone dings, and they see it instantly.”
This visibility also means families are sharing content more often, helping spread the school’s story organically through social media and word-of-mouth.
Setting the Stage for Long-Term Impact
“The app is helping us tell our story,” Kevin shared. “Parents are realizing that things are happening. They hear all of the awesome stories about what our students are doing on a daily basis.”
And now that parent engagement is strong, Kevin is shifting focus to alumni. With over 10,000 living alumni and a major capital project underway (a $6 million STEM center) the school sees the mobile app as a vital part of donor communication and community-building.
“Alumni want to know what’s going on, and they want to stay connected. And if they download the app, they’ll see the news, the events, and maybe even their old homeroom. That’s how we keep them involved.”
As De La Salle approaches its 100-year anniversary, the school remains grounded in the value it was founded on: relationships. With smarter, more accessible communication, they’re honoring that legacy in a modern way, making it easier for families to stay informed, involved, and connected. It’s a continuation of a century-long tradition of building community, one relationship at a time.
The best way to see how Finalsite’s mobile app works — is for yourself.
Get a behind-the-scenes tour of the mobile app!
Strengthen your school’s connection with families with an intuitive, seamless, and branded experience.