Developing a Communication Plan for High School Dropout Prevention
Developing a District Communication Plan sans video...Developing a Communication Plan David Luther...
Transcript of Developing a District Communication Plan sans video...Developing a Communication Plan David Luther...
Developing a District Communication Plan
David Luther MASA
Director of Communications
Paul Tandy Parkway Schools
Chief Communications Officer
Developing a District Communication Plan
@MASAleaders @davidmluther @MOSPRApros
@ptandy
#masacomm
Communications Planning All communications documents, including sample comprehensive plans and annual reports, may be found at this link: www.masaonline.org • Resource Tab • Communications & Public Relations • Communication Planning Documents
Sage advice from the old supe:
➢ A curriculum mix-up -- forgivable ➢ An error in the budget – survival is probable ➢ A little botulism in the cafeteria – not pretty,
but life goes on ➢ Inability to effectively communicate – get
your résumé ready
Being here today means you are proactive in your communications!
What do you hope to hear? It’s impossible not to eavesdrop when you hear your district mentioned… You’re in line at the grocery story and two people in front of you are talking about the school district. What are two or three things you’d hope to hear?
What are your expectations for today’s workshop?
Overview of today’s session ➢ Group expectations ➢ Developing communication advisory teams ➢ Determining audiences: internal / external ➢ Briefly: The importance of Internal Communications ➢ The right communication tool for the issue ➢ Research: What do your audiences want and need? ➢ Developing and delivering message ➢ The right messenger ➢ Project-based communication plans ➢ Evaluation/follow-Up
Today’s work is only part of the process ➢ Today we frame out the plan ➢ Take it home with you ➢ Get others in on the plan (advisory team and
others) ➢ Do your research ➢ Fully develop and execute your comprehensive
and project-based communication plans.
Advisory Groups ➢ Don’t work in a vacuum ➢ Develop a team (or teams) of diverse voices ➢ External participants ➢ Internal participants ➢ Make the work meaningful ➢ Continue to tap into the groups
Build Your Communication Advisory Team ➢ On your worksheet, list the different areas
you want to have represented on the communication team (list specific individuals if you have someone in mind).
➢ Internal and external teams. ➢ “Key Communicators”
Determining Audiences: Internal / External
➢ Working with your communications team, identify all primary and secondary audiences in your district.
➢ List them on your worksheet. ➢ Let’s discuss as a group.
Internal Communications:“When the house is on fire, tell those inside first!” Staff must be informed of issues that affect them first. ➢ Builds trust ➢ “When the eagles are silent the parrots will
jabber.” (Knocks down rumors ) ➢ Your best PR team is your staff *Special survival note: you really want to tell your board
first.
Communication Tools & Methods
List all of the communication tools and methods your district currently employs to reach internal and external audiences.
Communication Tools & Methods Website Email Social Media Apps Letters home Publications Mass Media
Mass Media Large groups Small Groups Video Auto-calls Personal calls Direct Mail
Billboards App Local media Skywriting Others?
STAFF
Communication Tools & Methods ➢ Cross reference audiences with
communication tools and methods. ➢ Where is your district strong? ➢ Where are the weak spots?
Do your research (We’re going to use educated guesses now, but you need to do real research before your plan is really ready.)
Find out the answers to these vitally important five questions:
1. What information needs to be shared? 2. Who needs to know? 3. What do they need to know? (Not every audience
needs the same thing, but be consistent.) 4. How do they want to receive the information? 5. Who is the messenger?
Is a communication audit right for your district?
Forms of research (and the pros & cons of each)
➢ Phone surveys ➢ Focus/discussion Groups (DIY or hired help?) ➢ Community engagement ➢ Online surveys ➢ Individual interviews ➢ Coffee klatches ➢ Using available information from state and national
resources
When developing your message... Business guru Tom Peters says: “In a competitive environment, only those who have a strong, unified message, who create and sell quality and value, will survive.” What are key messages? ➢ The take-away, master narrative, elevator pitch; essence of what
you want to communicate. ➢ What’s needed to engage people. ➢ Bite-sized summations that articulate: what you do, what you stand
for, how you are different and what value you bring to stakeholders.
When developing your message... ● Remember radio station “W I I - F M”
● Audience is thinking, “what’s in it for me?”
● Your message should reflect their interests, not yours.
● Talk about outcomes for kids, not just inputs.
● Features tell, but benefits sell
● “I’m so excited to be here.” (so what…why?)
● Bring it back to students almost all of the time!
Sidebar: Avoid Jargon ● “Pre-dawn vertical insertion”
○ Parachute drop at night ● “Primary modular learning environment”
○ Cubicle ● “DCA”
○ District Common Assessment (huh?)
○ Test all the kids take
30-Word Home Base (elevator pitch) ● First 30 words are absorbed by audience
● Main point + 3 supporting points
● Takes 12-15 seconds to say
● About the length of a TV sound bite
● Forms basis of your “message map”
Sample Home Base
● The City of Springfield is about providing a high quality of life for residents by using tax dollars wisely, meeting citizens’ needs and hiring outstanding employees.
Sample Home Base
● Silver Dollar City creates memories worth repeating by providing fun family activities in a clean, friendly environment led by a caring staff.
A Good Home Base?
● FACS is a holistic, multidisciplinary, systems-approach to address complex and practical problems facing individuals, families and the environment.
Sample Home Base
● Parkway Schools help all students succeed by providing a great education with superior teachers, an outstanding curriculum and a caring environment.
Use Home Base to Map Your Message
Home Base Supporting Points
Proof Points
Example: Sex Ed Curriculum Change (handout)
What is your district’s Home Base? The Big Picture
Take a moment to note your district’s primary message. (Make sure the central focus is students.) (This could be a version of your district’s mission statement.)
Messengers What people hear is often directly related to who they hear it from. ➢ Neighbor or friend ➢ Cook or custodian ➢ School secretary ➢ Teacher/Principal ➢ Communications Director ➢ Superintendent ➢ Board Member
Who is the messenger? Depending on the issue, who should be telling the story? Does the audience dictate who tells the story? Ask: Does it rise to the level of the superintendent? ➢ Big fight on high school grounds before school (police
called) ➢ Teacher placed on administrative leave ➢ Bus accident with injuries ➢ Student wears t-shirt promoting hate group
Project-Based Communication Plans In a few minutes we will begin developing a project-based communication plan. With your team, determine an issue that is on the horizon that needs to be strategically addressed with multiple audiences. What is the issue? What is your primary message?
Develop a Sample Plan Revisit the issue your group chose earlier. Using the grid provided, create a sample project/issue-based communication plan for an important issue in your district. (Use your worksheet.)
Develop a Sample Plan Group discussion of sample plans
Evaluate
After developing and executing your communication plan… evaluate. It’s one thing to put the message out there, it’s another to know if it was heard and understood. Always evaluate and, if needed, follow-up.
Communications Planning: Review ➢ Developing communication advisory teams ➢ Determining audiences: internal / external ➢ Briefly: The importance of Internal Communications ➢ The right communication tool for the issue ➢ Research: What do your audiences want and need? ➢ Developing and delivering message ➢ The right messenger ➢ Project-based communication plans ➢ Evaluation/follow-Up
Communications Planning: Review Questions? Scenarios to consider? Current issues that call for a plan? Specific issues in your district? Crisis?
Communications Planning All communications documents, including sample comprehensive plans and annual reports, may be found at this link: www.masaonline.org • Resource Tab • Communications & Public Relations • Communication Planning Documents
Workshop Evaluation Please take a moment to share
your thoughts on today’s communication planning workshop:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MASAcommplan
Developing a Communication Plan
David Luther Director of Communications
[email protected] Office: 573.638.4825 Mobile: 573.353.0590
@MASAleaders @davidmluther
Paul Tandy, APR Chief Communications Officer
[email protected] Parkway School District
314.415.8082 @ptandy