Chapter 5 · Words
Bless, Never Sell
Sound like a letter from someone who knows your child, never a brochure.
Warm, but never salesy.
Confident, but never boastful: numbers are testament, not pitch.
Faithful, but always hospitable: "arms wide open."
Unhurried, but never vague: state dates and facts plainly.
Playful, but rationed: camps and Lions cheer; academic and faith pages don't.
Grateful, but never self-congratulating: credit God's faithfulness and the community.
| We say | Not |
|---|---|
| students, children, learners | kids |
| Head of School | headmaster, principal |
| flexible tuition | financial aid, scholarships |
| Enrollment Management office | Admissions office |
| invest / investors (in giving contexts) | donate / donors |
| Lower School, Middle School, Upper School | elementary, junior high |
| transitional kindergarten (TK) | pre-K |
| fourth graders, kindergartners | 4th graders |
| Grandparents Day | Grandparent's / Grandparents' Day |
| Varsity Gold Boys Basketball (level · color · gender · sport) | the boys' gold varsity b-ball team |
Quick Writing Rules
- Serial comma: truth, goodness, and beauty.
- One space after periods; periods in a.m./p.m.
- Spell out one–nine; numerals from 10, except grades 2–6, grade 9.
- Capitalize divisions and courses (Middle School, Algebra I); lowercase generic subjects, but always Bible and Latin.
- Titles with names capitalize: Head of School Chip Denton; generic references don't.
- Events in headline style: Back-to-School Night, Blue-Gold Games.
- Students carry class years: Lucy Harshbarger '26. Cross-Country hyphenates; Track & Field takes an ampersand.
- Open with the why. Ration exclamation points; one per newsletter is plenty.
- Everything else: Chicago + Merriam-Webster, with Trinity's exceptions in the full writing style guide.