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