The Power of Public The Power of Public Relations in SchoolsRelations in Schools

Establishing and Promoting Establishing and Promoting Partnerships within the Partnerships within the

Community Community

The primary function of the Public Relations The primary function of the Public Relations officer is to develop and maintain officer is to develop and maintain informational communication supportive of informational communication supportive of the district’s programs through various the district’s programs through various forms of media within the schools, the forms of media within the schools, the community, and with the press, television, community, and with the press, television, and radio stationsand radio stations (Lober, 1993 p. 21). (Lober, 1993 p. 21).

The Functions of School Public The Functions of School Public

Relations:Relations:

getting positive messages outgetting positive messages out

Promoting community input and building Promoting community input and building strong relationshipsstrong relationships

Anticipating image problems; providing Anticipating image problems; providing solutions solutions

Handling all aspects of district publications Handling all aspects of district publications

Acting as the key contact for the mediaActing as the key contact for the media

Creating avenues for student/staff Creating avenues for student/staff recognitionrecognition

Promoting good educational practicesPromoting good educational practices

Maintaining knowledge of the district’s Maintaining knowledge of the district’s curriculum and instructional programscurriculum and instructional programs

Attend community meetings, school Attend community meetings, school meetings, and events to maintain close meetings, and events to maintain close contact with citizens, staff, and studentscontact with citizens, staff, and students

Be knowledgeable of district statusBe knowledgeable of district status

Key players:Key players:

Superintendent of SchoolsSuperintendent of SchoolsCabinet Level StaffCabinet Level StaffCentral Office StaffCentral Office StaffBuilding PrincipalsBuilding PrincipalsDirectorsDirectorsDepartment ChairsDepartment ChairsTeachersTeachersGuidance CounselorsGuidance Counselors

Library Media SpecialistsLibrary Media SpecialistsNursesNursesSecretariesSecretariesCustodiansCustodiansFood Service WorkersFood Service WorkersSchool Bus DriversSchool Bus DriversCrossing GuardsCrossing Guards

Public Relations is Everyone’s Job!Public Relations is Everyone’s Job!

The four-step public relations The four-step public relations process:process:

ResearchResearch - up front analysis on where the district stands - up front analysis on where the district stands in regard to all publics it wishes to reach in regard to all publics it wishes to reach Action planAction plan - developing public relations goals, objectives - developing public relations goals, objectives and strategies that go hand-in-hand with the district's and strategies that go hand-in-hand with the district's overall mission and goals overall mission and goals CommunicateCommunicate - carrying out the tactics necessary to - carrying out the tactics necessary to meet the objectives and goals meet the objectives and goals EvaluateEvaluate - looking back at actions taken to determine - looking back at actions taken to determine their effectiveness and what changes are needed in the their effectiveness and what changes are needed in the future future

Local and National Public Relations Local and National Public Relations organizations:organizations:

NYSPRANYSPRA is the is the New York School Public New York School Public Relations AssociationRelations Association – an organization – an organization that promotes best practices in the field of that promotes best practices in the field of educational communications. For PR educational communications. For PR professionals and school leaders across professionals and school leaders across the state, NYSPRA is a common link---the state, NYSPRA is a common link---offering support, information and proven offering support, information and proven ideas for building and strengthening a ideas for building and strengthening a successful communications program. successful communications program.

Why NYSPRA?Why NYSPRA?

NYSPRA knows education and the NYSPRA knows education and the challenges you face: from breaking news challenges you face: from breaking news to crisis communications, to ever evolving to crisis communications, to ever evolving state and national standards, schools are state and national standards, schools are put to the test every day. It is clear that a put to the test every day. It is clear that a strong school communications program is strong school communications program is more important than ever. (NYSPRA)more important than ever. (NYSPRA)

NYSPRA Provides:NYSPRA Provides:

Conferences, Workshops & SeminarsConferences, Workshops & Seminars

Networking OpportunitiesNetworking Opportunities

Membership DirectoryMembership Directory

WebsiteWebsite

Conference StipendsConference Stipends

Strategies That WorkStrategies That Work

              

                                      

              

                                                                  

                    

              

                                          

              

                                                                 

              

                                

                                                     

                                              

                                                         

            

                                             

            

                                                                    

                                               

                                                                                 

                                  

                                             

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

               

                                                                 

               

                                                                 

                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                               

                                 

Contact: Marcia Kelley 315 463 2128

Mission StatementMission Statement

  

The National School Public Relations The National School Public Relations Association is a professional organization Association is a professional organization dedicated to building support and trust for dedicated to building support and trust for education through responsible public education through responsible public relations that leads to success for all relations that leads to success for all students.students.

NSPRA Goals and Objectives: NSPRA Goals and Objectives: 

Goal #1: NSPRA will be the professional organization that Goal #1: NSPRA will be the professional organization that school public relations professionals and other education school public relations professionals and other education leaders cannot live without.leaders cannot live without.  

Objective 1: School communicators will have the skills they need to Objective 1: School communicators will have the skills they need to implement an effective public relations program. implement an effective public relations program. 

Objective 2: School communicators will use NSPRA products, Objective 2: School communicators will use NSPRA products, services, and resources. services, and resources. 

Objective 3: NSPRA members will be recognized and valued as Objective 3: NSPRA members will be recognized and valued as critical members of school/district leadership teams. critical members of school/district leadership teams. 

Objective 4:NSPRA members will exhibit commitment and Objective 4:NSPRA members will exhibit commitment and dedication to the Association.dedication to the Association.

Goal #2: NSPRA will be the recognized leader and authority on Goal #2: NSPRA will be the recognized leader and authority on school public relations.school public relations.

Objective 1: NSPRA (staff & members) will be visible throughout the Objective 1: NSPRA (staff & members) will be visible throughout the educational community.educational community.

Objective 2: NSPRA will be the primary source of expert information Objective 2: NSPRA will be the primary source of expert information and knowledge on school public relations. and knowledge on school public relations. 

Objective 3: NSPRA will have beneficial relationships with other Objective 3: NSPRA will have beneficial relationships with other organizations.organizations.

  Objective 4: NSPRA will advocate for effective public relations in Objective 4: NSPRA will advocate for effective public relations in education organizations.education organizations.

This site is Copyright ©2006 National School Public Relations Association. All rights reserved.

 

                                         

                                            

                                                     

                                                

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Keys to Success Keys to Success

Build personal, trusting relationships. These Build personal, trusting relationships. These strategies take the most time, but are much strategies take the most time, but are much more effective than strategies such as mass more effective than strategies such as mass mailings that supply information but do little to mailings that supply information but do little to build the kinds of relationships that result in a build the kinds of relationships that result in a high level of support for schools. high level of support for schools.

Learn about internal audiences in your district, Learn about internal audiences in your district, like school staff. Really listen to them. like school staff. Really listen to them.

Have a dedication and love for education, young Have a dedication and love for education, young people, and schools. people, and schools.