Download - Jennifer Caracciolo Director of Public Information and Communications Forsyth County Schools
Jennifer Caracciolo Director of Public Information and
Communications
Forsyth County Schools
Effective Communications|It Takes a Plan!
Comm.Plans
Social Media
RACE
PR in Action
Overview| Effective Communications
Why Communicate?School communication is fundamental to student success and the overall organizational success. Achieving strong school communication between and among all stakeholder is most often achieved through the development of a School Communications Plan. (Graham-Clay, 2005)
Overview
SimilaritiesIt doesn’t matter what size district or school you come from – the importance of communication remains the same.
Students = #1 Customer
Same Challenges: decreased funding and increased accountability
Finding Opportunities: positives of public education
Overview| Effective Communications
Importance Gets your message out to parents, community and studentsAllows you to clarify your goals and objectivesProvides a vehicle to dispel rumorsCrucial component of classroom, school and district perceptionsNear the top of most surveys as problems areas
Overview| Effective Communications
Comm.Plans
SocialMedia
Section 1
PR in Action
RACE| Effective Communications
Describes communications as four-step, continual cycle process. It involves:Research• Finds out about the situations facing your organization, how they came about, who is involved in them, how they relate to your organization’s goals, and how you can maximize the benefit and/or minimize the harm they might do.
Overview
RACE
Action• Uses your research findings to determine the best source of action, plan your response, and then implement these plans.
Communication• Takes advantage of all available media to deliver carefully focused messages through the most appropriate channels so they can have positive effect on your publics.
RACE| Effective Communications
Evaluation• Analyzes what’s been done during the first three steps to see how it affected your publics and their perception of your organization.
• Once this step is completed, you return to the research step and begin the process again.
RACE| Effective Communications
Section 3
SocialMedia
RACE
PRin Action
Sample Plans| Effective Communications
Reasons for PlanningAccording to Sparc (2006), a strong communications plan should outline who you need to communicate with, about what, how you’ re going to do it and how often.
Comm.Plans
Overview
A strong communications plan should:
• Support your organization in achieving its stated goals and objectives• Improve your operational effectiveness• Support or improve your relationships with those that are important to ensuring your success (stakeholders)• Deliver measurable results to your organization
Sample Plans| Effective Communications
A Communications Plan Should:• State mission and vision of school• Communicate priorities
High student performanceHealthy students in a safe, orderly and caring schoolEffective and efficient operationsInformed and involved family and community membersStrong family, community and business support
Sample Plans| Effective Communications
Review Plans• School • Program/Project
• Similarities• Audience• Purpose/Messages• Strategy/Tools• Timing/Timeline• Persons Responsible
Sample Plans| Effective Communications
Comm.Plans
Explore
RACE
PRin Action
Social Media| Effective Communications
CAUTION: Get your school and individual website RIGHT before proceeding!• Should be your primary marketing and
outreach tool• Must be dynamic – avoid a static site• Promote your site and train your
audience to visit – list in ALL communications tools you use
Overview
SocialMedia
If Social Media is simply people having online conversations then public school districts should be conversing via Social Media.
• 25% of all time spent online is 35 minutes per hour (Nielsen)• Over 900 million active Facebook users, 70% log in once a day (CNN)• Social media accounts for 1 of every6 minutes spent online (comSource)
Social Media| Effective Communications
Social Media Options• Blogging/Wikis• Tell your good stories• Introduce ideas and plans• Feature writing• Feedback through moderated
comments• Use text, photos and video
• Samples• http://blogs.forsyth.k12.ga.us/azink/• http://colttech.wikispaces.com/ColtTech
Social Media| Effective Communications
Social Media Options• Facebook• Communicate Facebook url (website)• Post links plus photos/videos• Have comments policy• Tag other schools/pages• Ask/answer questions
• Samples• https://www.facebook.com/ForsythCentralHS• https://www.facebook.com/NorthForsythMS• https://www.facebook.com/KellyMillES
Social Media| Effective Communications
Social Media Options• Twitter• Post once and hit two sites! Link
directly from Facebook or vice versa• On-the-go posting• Embedded links (tinyurl.com) and
photos
• Samples• https://twitter.com/timclark45• https://twitter.com/KellyMillES
Social Media| Effective Communications
Social Media Options• Video• Options: Website, YouTube or Vimeo
• Photos• Options: Website, SmugMug, Flickr or
Facebook• OQ (Quick Response) Codes• Smartphone bar code reader• Can send texts or emails after
scanning• Free !Google or
http://freenuts.com/top-10-free-online-qr-code-generators/
Social Media| Effective Communications
Comm.Plans
Social Media
RACE
Advance
PR in Action| Effective Communications
FCS’ Public Information and Communications Department’s vision is that all stakeholders have consistent, timely and accurate information with opportunities for effective, two-way communication that result in increased student achievement. Our mission is to implement an effective communications plan.
Overview
PR in Action
Goal: To help connect schools and the community by every means possible.
We value open, honest communication with all stakeholders, and believe in positive working relationships with parents, employees, community members, business leaders and representatives of the news media. We believe that public education is stronger when all stakeholders are well-informed and involved in issues affecting FCS.
PR in Action| Effective Communications
• Review Areas of Focus• Communication Guidelines for Schools• Q & A
https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/pr
• Other Resourceshttps://www.gspra.orghttps://www.nspra.orghttps://www.prsa.org
PR in Action| Effective Communications
Resources| Effective Communications
www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/piedmont