Almost every school district reports the same findings when it comes to how patrons receive district information.
The number one source is almost always friends and neighbors. This is often followed by social media/Facebook. Additional findings can include media resources (newspaper) and district-initiated communications, such as the district website, email blasts, etc. The piece of the puzzle that is sometimes missing is a printed newsletter sent via direct mail to patrons’ homes.
Yes, we know it’s old-fashioned. It can be time-consuming. And it can be expensive. But it’s often the only communication a key segment of your audience relies on.
We’re talking about senior citizens, who tend to not only be good stewards of the district but avid voters of ballot issues. Baby boomers, or patrons who are 60 and older, make up a large percentage of your audience. And while they don’t tend to show up for Board of Education meetings and aren’t posting videos on Instagram, they sure have opinions and make those opinions known at the ballot box.
“USD 415 worked hard to establish a social media presence for our patrons,” said Lonnie Moser, Hiawatha School District superintendent. “However, we found we were missing the mark with much of our population who choose the local newspaper as their means of keeping up with school news. ExcellenceK12 has been a great partner in helping us to bridge that communication and relationship gap (with our district newsletter).”
If you need help putting together a printed newsletter, we would be happy to talk you through your options. Contact Rick at 913-484-0920 or rick@excellencek12.com for more information.
