The Overlooked Details That Can Sneak Up on You When Starting a Hybrid School
If you’ve been following along with this series, you know we’ve worked our way from the planning phase—vision, feasibility, and structure—into building the infrastructure for your hybrid school.
Before we go any further, I want to hit pause for a moment and talk about the little things that often sneak up on people. These are the small-but-important details that can easily fall through the cracks or take way more time than you expect.
So grab a notebook—some of these you’ll want to take care of right away, and others are just good to have on your radar for later.
1. Your Website and Basic Marketing Materials
Let’s start with the basics: you’ll need some kind of online presence and a few marketing materials.
Building your website:
You don’t need to hire a full design team or spend thousands. I personally used Squarespace, and if I can figure it out, anyone can! (For context, I was a teenager before Windows 95 came out, so “tech savvy” is not how I’d describe myself.)
Squarespace is easy to use, but Wix and WordPress are good options too. If you’d rather not mess with it, you can hire someone on Upwork or Fiverr to create a simple homepage for a couple hundred dollars.
Other marketing needs:
Think brochures, business cards, and social media graphics. Canva makes this easy to DIY, but again, if design isn’t your thing, it’s affordable to outsource.
And don’t forget a logo—it doesn’t have to be fancy! Just something that gives your program a consistent, professional look.
2. Paperwork and Legal Setup
During your prep season, one of the first big steps is filing your Articles of Incorporation with your state. It’s a short application—just a few pages—and yes, you can do it yourself.
If paperwork makes you nervous, you can always have a lawyer review it or use an online filing service.
If you plan to become a nonprofit, you’ll eventually need to file IRS Form 1023 to get your 501(c)(3) status. That’s one form I do recommend hiring an accountant to handle—but you have up to two years to take care of it.
3. Managing Your Money Well
Whether you’re a nonprofit or not, money management is key.
If you are a nonprofit, donations and tuition must be tracked separately. It’s worth talking to an accountant early on so you know how to categorize everything properly.
At first, you might handle bookkeeping yourself, but plan to hire a bookkeeper as soon as your budget allows. Proper systems now will save you massive headaches later.
4. Admissions, Records, and Student Info
Once families start signing up, there’s a surprising amount of information to track—and it all matters.
Make sure your enrollment forms collect:
Student and parent contact info
Emergency contacts
Custody details
Medical or special needs information
It’s also important to think through and communicate your special needs policy early on.
If your program isn’t specifically designed for special education but you want to be inclusive, it’s fine to say something like:
“We welcome all students whenever possible, but we do not have the staff to provide one-on-one support.”
Be kind, be honest, and be clear. It helps families understand what you can and can’t provide.
5. Build a Culture of Communication
If I could give one piece of advice that will save you countless problems, it’s this:
Prioritize proactive communication.
That means regular check-ins with:
Parents
Staff
Your host building or facility
Don’t wait until there’s a problem—build in rhythms of communication so small concerns never become big issues. It’s not a “policy” so much as a culture.
6. Secretarial and Administrative Tasks
You’d be surprised how much time goes into keeping forms, records, and contact lists organized.
If you can, hire an administrative helper (even for a few hours a week) to manage:
Admissions data
Emergency forms
Student records
Printing and paperwork
This can be a great role for a parent who wants part-time work and is detail-oriented.
7. Safety and Emergency Procedures
Before opening day, make sure you’ve covered:
Fire exits and evacuation routes
Drop-off and pick-up routines
Locked door procedures
Visitor and safety policies
You don’t have to prepare for every “what if,” but it’s good to think through basic safety questions before they’re asked—because they will be asked.
8. Substitutes and Backup Plans
Teachers get sick, have emergencies, and take vacations. Plan for it now.
Have a substitute list ready before school starts. This might include:
Parents willing to fill in
Applicants who didn’t get hired but want to stay connected
Pay them a flat daily rate (for example, $100/day) and keep a couple of backup lesson plans in each classroom just in case.
Also—budget for subs. It adds up faster than you’d think.
9. Technology and Building Logistics
Even if your school is low-tech (ours didn’t even have internet at first!), you’ll still need to manage some basics like printers and supplies.
Have one person who knows:
How to connect devices to the printer
How to change toner and order supplies
Who to call for building maintenance issues
This person doesn’t have to be full-time—it might even be you—but having someone responsible for knowing things prevents chaos.
10. Don’t Forget the Cleaning Budget
If your school serves more than about 30 students, you’ll need help cleaning. Budget for it. Paying for cleaning support keeps your staff from burning out—and keeps your building pleasant to be in.
Final Thoughts
Starting a hybrid school is exciting, but the small details can make or break your sanity.
You don’t need to tackle all of these at once—just be aware of what’s coming so nothing catches you by surprise. A little preparation now will save you time, stress, and confusion later.
You’ve got this!
