Description
Book SynopsisThe foundation of successful school district/community relationships is communication that focuses on what most interests average residents no matter what you, as a school district leader, believe they should be interested in. Communicate in their language, at their level of interest, and at their pace, and you and your patrons will soon be headed in the same direction more often than not.Based on more than 20 years of research data, and filled with real-life examples and specific recommendations, School Communication that Works explains what your patrons really care about (and wish you'd talk more about), what they are only somewhat interested in, and what makes them tune you out.Highlights of the book:An easy-to-follow organizing principle (The Patron Information Pyramid) that sorts school communication topics into three categories Essential, Important, and As-Needed.Case studies that show the findings in action, drawn from more than 20 years of research with school districts of al
Trade ReviewKen DeSieghardt knows public relations and knows schools. This book contains great insight and practical advice on communicating effectively with school district patrons. It’s a must-read for anyone involved in strengthening school/community relations. -- Dr. Carter D. Ward, Executive Director, Missouri School Boards Association
Implementing major change in school districts is never easy. Ken DeSieghardt not only assisted the school district in securing valuable community feedback, but more importantly, in developing a means of communicating our school district messages to the community. In his book, Ken shares his vast knowledge of successfully working with the public on a variety of difficult issues. I found Ken’s assistance to be invaluable in solving problems. -- Dr. Lane Plugge, Chief Administrator, Green Hills Area Education Agency, Former Superintendent, Iowa City Community School District
Ken DeSieghardt is an essential partner in any public relations project. From helping you build the conceptual framework and establishing research parameters, through analysis and interpretation of the data, his expertise and insights are unmatched. -- Dr. John Heim, Executive Director, Kansas Association of School Boards
Ken DeSieghardt knows the territory, and he is clear about how to help us really link with our stakeholders. Doing less is malpractice—doing too much is just noise. -- Scott Robison, Ph.D., Zionsville Community Schools, Suburban Indianapolis
This book will make you call a “time out” on your communication effort. Most of today’s books tout the latest tech innovation to improve your program. But, even great tech advances won’t help you the way this book will, because it gets to the core of great school communication. It focuses on messages that will be understood and appreciated by your audiences. It is based on more than 20 years of research in school communities, and Ken DeSieghardt’s advice will increase the clout of your communication messages. It will help convince your communities to support and maintain their schools — a goal that is needed more than ever, as we navigate our way through new waves of competition and criticism in our school communities. -- Rich Bagin, executive director, National School Public Relations Association, Rockville, Maryland
Table of ContentsSchool Communication that Works Table of Contents Preface Introduction Chapter 1 – The 80/20 rule Chapter 2 – Patron-speak versus district-speak: A primer Chapter 3 – The Patron Information Pyramid Chapter 4 – The Top Tier of the Pyramid: Essential Information Chapter 5 – Essential Information: Value for the tax dollars spent Chapter 6 – Essential Information: Quality of school facilities Chapter 7 – Essential Information: Quality of teachers Chapter 8 – Essential Information: Quality of education Chapter 9 – Essential Information: Preparation of students for the future Chapter 10 – Essential Information: Ongoing communication between the district and patrons Chapter 11 – The Middle Tier of the Pyramid: Important Information Chapter 12 – Important Information: Performance of principals Chapter 13 – Important Information: Student safety Chapter 14 – Important Information: Class sizes Chapter 15 – Important Information: Technology available to students in the classroom Chapter 16 – Important Information: District promises made and fulfilled Chapter 17 – Important Information: Spending balance Chapter 18 – The Bottom Tier of the Pyramid: As-Needed Information Chapter 19 – As-Needed Information: Extracurricular activities Chapter 20 – As-Needed Information: Courtesy and responsiveness of staff members (in schools or in the Central Office) Chapter 21 – As-Needed Information: Performance of the Superintendent and the Board of Education Chapter 22 – Special situations: Handling hot topics Chapter 23 – Special situations: What patrons say they want and need in a crisis Chapter 24 – Making your school communications program work Chapter 25 – Some final thoughts
