Using E-Communication to Enhance Your Communication Plan Annette Eyman, APR
Kala Morrissey
Director of Communications
Communications Specialist
What do you want to gain from this presentation?
About PLSD • 1,700 employees • 11,000 students • Upper Middle Class Schools • 14 Elementary Schools • 2 Middle Schools • 2 High Schools – 3 Off-site Programs
Today’s Agenda • Electronic Newsletters – Schools, classroom, District Parent and staff
• Websites • Social Media
• District App – Sociability
Advantages • • • • • •
Cost effective Consistency Speed Reliability Parents need for information 24/7 Repurpose Content
Keys To Success • Research • Plan Content • Plan alternative modes or ways to enhance current mode • Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose • Collaborative relationship with IT department
Electronic Newsletters • Started 5 years ago with schools newsletters and staff all electronic – Added classroom and district parent
• Research told us… – 83% of parents said they would continue or were more likely to read an email – Parents wanted short and more frequent – Classified didn’t have email accounts/ computer access – 94% District parents have email address
Implementing Electronic Newsletters • Training, Training, Training… – Not just an emailed version of paper newsletter – Classified staff on how to use district e-mail
• Marketing – Told parents and staff it was coming
Implementing Electronic Newsletters (cont.) • Preparations – Paper for those without email – Computers for classified staff – Change of mindset internally
• Guidelines – Photo/graphic use – Headlines tell the story – One Page
Newsletter Content • School – Mark Your Calendar (2 weeks max), Highlights of School, Notes from Principal, Important Reminders
• Classroom – What students learned this week, What is coming up, How parents can help at home, Important classroom dates
Newsletter Content • District Parent – Dates to remember, Board Updates, Information important to all or majority of parents (i.e. snow make up day information)
• Staff – Dates to remember, Information staff need to do job, Benefits updates, Department updates, Video spotlight (plan to add to school and District)
Evaluation • Annually
• Tweak Content
Websites • Extranet – One-stop shop – Information parents and community members may want or need to know – i.e. Calendar of activities, lunch menus, handbooks, school search
• Intranet – All the info staff need to do their job • i.e. Benefits information, leave forms
Websites • School Sites – Same look and feel as District – Pulls content from District site – Encouraged to repurpose info from newsletter
• Teacher Sites – Not as common as they use to be
Social Media • Facebook, Twitter and YouTube • District page & each school a page (FB & Twitter) – Similar look and feel
• • • • •
Groups vs. Fan Pages School level implementation Teacher level implementation- optional Recommended security settings Staff training videos – How to create groups, fan pages
• Marketing, Marketing, Marketing
Social Media Content • District Pages – Photos, Photos, Photos – School Board Information – Upcoming events for the District (parent series) – District News Stories – Update on any Issues (boundary changes) – School Closings – Educational activitiessummer and winter breaks
• School/Teacher Pages – – – –
Photos, Photos, Photos Upcoming School Events Parent Reminders Information from Newsletter – News stories About School – School Cancellations – Curriculum Information
Social Media – Lessons Learned • Ongoing Training • Continue to monitor progress • Hesitation from senior principals and central office administrators • Regular Posts Including Pictures • Planning Never Ends • End of Year Plan • Stay up-to-date on Facebook Changes – Age based guidelines – Security Settings
District App • Research – Parents wanted info in one place – 70% of Americans have a smartphone • 77% PLSD Parents have smartphones
• Used ParentLink to develop our app – Pulls all info into one place – Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose
• Nearly 8,000 downloads
App Marketing • • • • • • • • • • •
Slogan “The App Is Where It’s At” Yard Signs Website/Social Media District Publications YouTube Videos Community Activities Newspaper Sporting Event Announcements Back to School/Parent Nights Parent and Staff E-newsletters Staff Meetings Press Release
Socialbility • More effective and efficient • Combines app and social media • Reduces all the emails
• Simplifies posting • Provides translation
Keys To Success • Research • Plan Content • Plan alternative modes or ways to enhance current mode • Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose • Collaborative relationship with IT department
Questions? Annette Eyman, APR Director of Communications aeyman@paplv.org
Kala Morrissey Communications Specialist kmorrissey@paplv.org