Harness Your Story, Build Your Brand, Gain Momentum!

@thriveps #iNACOL16

Introductions

Thrive Public Schools Presenters:

Dr. Nicole Assisi, Chief Executive Office

Shelli Kurth, School Director

Presentation Goals Overview

1.Tell your story in more impactful ways

2.Manage your message

3.Use media strategically

COMMUNICATIONS 101

Truth about Media

1. Media is communication

2. Communication is constant

3. Relationships and trust are build based on communication

4. Everything you do communicates something (silence is also communication)

• How can you manage your message to get the results you need?

Media Relations 101:

Proactive media

• You drive the story and the messages

Reactive media

• Responding to current issues or crisis situations

Interactive Exercise: What Makes You Special?

–THINK—1 minute: Why should a family choose your school?

—SHARE—In 1 minute or less, introduce yourself and your school to

your neighbor. Tell 2 things that make your school special.

—FEEDBACK—

Warm: What resonated

Cool: What was unclear

Your Audience

• Prospective students and parents

• Current students and parents

• Media

• Neighboring communities

• Other schools

• Teachers

• Community organizations, including

businesses

• Public and elected officials

• General public

• Authorizers

How to identify your audience

http://causeclarity.org/bite-size-courses/how-to-identify-audiences-for-your-cause/

The Story of Thrive Public School: Sharing a Story in Action!

June 2013: Thrive began charting process through SDUSD, SDCOE and SBE to CDE

July 2014: Thrive Approved as a State Authorized Charter

September 2014: Thrive Public School opens its doors to 55 students

September 2015:Year 2 begins with 200 students and 300 students on the waitlist

September 2016Year 3 begins with 463 students and over 100 students on the waitlist

My Story

Exercise:Putting It All Together!

TELL YOUR STORY (5 mins.)

• FINE TUNE YOUR MESSAGE…Self—Your call to leadership (Challenge)

Us—The shared values and experiences (Choice)

Now—Strategy and Action (Outcome)

• Share with a partner

Gain Momentum with Your Story

Thrive opened in September 2014 with only 55 students…

BUT:

• Twitter: 482(many high profile)

• Facebook: 1300 (Single posts reach up to 7000) people

• 8000 people in our Nation

• 3000 people receive our newsletter

The Story of Thrive

Thrive Twitter-Philosophy

• Follow important ed-influencers, news media, and funders

• Our staff follows and retweets

• We add to as many conversations as possible, retweet and favorite our influencers and colleagues

Intended Outcomes:

• Community Building tool!

• Branding

• Name Recognition

The Story of Thrive

Thrive FB-Philosophy

• Engage Parents (ours and others)

• Show off our work

• Educate!

• Our staff likes, shares comments and tags as appropriate.

The Story of Thrive

Thrive Website-Strategy

• To be an interactive tool for Thrive Parents

• Promote Thrive’s vision.

• Capture Thrive history

• Show off our work

• Capture and send information

• Use as an “organizing tool”

Thrive Media-Strategy

• Always be positive

• Always stay on point and on message

• Maintain grace under pressure

• Remember THEY are looking for news!

• Leverage YOUR story. Tell it everywhere (blogs, journals and social media)

• Promote! Promote! Promote!

Thrive was featured on/in:KUSI, KFMB, FOXSports, 105.7MAXFM, Voice of San Diego,San Diego U-T, GettingSmart, andother Education Journals and Blogs

Key Messages

Think back to your 2 critical school features:

• What message do you want to communicate to whom?

• How can you do that without sounding redundant?

• Who else is telling your story?

Your Media Strategy

Tool Audience Message Stories or tools

Facebook Current and prospective parents

We rock teaching and learning Pictures Stories about education

Twitter FundersCommunityorganizationsPress

Education reform and innovative practices

#Retweet othersSharing work (ours & others)

Website Prospective parents We are a safe, caring schoolWe personalize learning and engage learners

Overview orinstructional designPowerPoints

Newsletter Current parents We are supporting your child to excel and keeping them safe. Our staff is amazing

EventsAwardsDay to day

CREATE YOUR CONVERSATION!

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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER@thriveps