Blog

Gossip today becomes a social media headline tomorrow

Sara Dressler Aug 11, 2020 4 min read

Friends and neighbors are talking about your school district’s fall reentry plans. Do you have a pulse on what they are saying? We know from conducting hundreds of research studies for school districts that “friends and neighbors” is the number one source patrons turn to for district news. Those same…

Case Study: Northwest School District uses unique, varied media channels for COVID-19 response

Susan Nenonen May 12, 2020 6 min read

At least once a week, while walking his dog, Lacy, Dr. Desi Kirchhofer, superintendent, reaches out through a video message to the “Lion Nation” of the Northwest School District in House Springs, Mo., to send out positive messages – and to simply connect with his patrons – during the COVID-19…

Communicating with your patrons during a crisis

Rick Nobles Apr 29, 2020 2 min read

In this time of uncertainty, some of the most vulnerable are our children and their families. How you respond to and communicate with them about Covid-19 – and the steps you are taking to ensure their education continues – will leave a lasting impression. Your school district is looking to…

Free survey to gauge patrons’ thoughts on your crisis response

Susan Nenonen Apr 7, 2020 2 min read

In a crisis situation, like the one everyone is experiencing with Covid-19, things can change at the drop of a hat. As district leaders, you are the ones everyone depends on to motivate them to stay positive and feel safe. Getting immediate feedback from your stakeholders about how you are…

Strategic planning that really works

Rick Nobles Mar 2, 2020 3 min read

When we ask school districts about their strategic planning efforts, we hear a number of responses – some of which are not very encouraging – such as: I looked for a strategic plan when I became superintendent and found the last one was done 11 years ago.   Our BOE is…

Taking the “fatigue” out of surveys

Susan Nenonen Jan 23, 2020 2 min read

Every day, week and month, your patrons’ inboxes are inundated with customer surveys. From your local pharmacy to retail stores to restaurants to your local municipality, there isn’t an organization (or business) that is not seeking their feedback. And you don’t want your patron survey to just add to the…