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School Public Relations for Student Success
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School Public Relations for Student Success

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July 2009 | 184 pages | Corwin

"Everything you need to succeed with parents, community leaders, employees, and more can be found in this book. Moore's lifetime experience comes through with clear, no-nonsense ideas and insights that those working in schools can put to work right away."
—William J. Banach, CEO
Banach, Banach & Cassidy

An on-the-job public relations and communications partner for everyone working in schools!

As school public relations efforts play an increasingly vital role in helping students achieve and schools succeed, the communications expectations placed on school leaders at all levels continue to soar. Now this field-based reference offers educational leaders practical advice and specific tips for meeting the tough new communication demands they face daily.

Ideal for both long-range planning and day-to-day basics, this guide helps leaders define and organize their school's PR plan. The book offers step-by-step guidance on creating and applying communication tactics that work—from how to generate community support to managing crises, stopping rumors, handling media inquiries, dealing with critics, and much more. Emphasizing the PR responsibilities of all school employees, the author:

  • Outlines the key components of successful communications programs
  • Covers how to set reasonable expectations for communications efforts
  • Provides questions for assessing PR needs, guidelines for judging what's working and what's not, and an abundance of checklists
  • Offers interview advice from professionals in the field

Educational leaders will consult this comprehensive resource again and again as they plan and implement public relations activities to support student and school success!


 
Preface
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Author
 
1. The High Stakes of School PR: Student Success
Strong Relationships Support Student Success

 
Perceptions and Reputations Matter

 
School PR Efforts Reflect Reality

 
School PR Basics: Do and Tell

 
Questions for Assessing School PR Support for Student Success

 
 
2. Understanding How PR Serves Your Students and Schools
Connecting Teaching and School PR

 
School PR in Action

 
Serving All School PR Audiences

 
Questions for Assessing Commitments to School PR Excellence

 
 
3. Defining Your School PR Needs
Defining School Public Relations

 
Organizing School PR Efforts

 
Different Needs, Different Roles in School PR

 
Use Available School PR Support

 
Questions for Assessing School PR Roles and Resources

 
 
4. Organizing Your School PR Efforts
Defining School PR Success

 
Key Components for Success

 
Getting School PR Research

 
Examples: Putting School PR Research to Work

 
Setting School PR Objectives

 
Deciding Strategies

 
Picking Tactics

 
Examples: Defining Your School PR Tactics

 
Checklist: The 12-Step School PR Planner

 
Q&A: Frank Basso Discusses How Schools Should Plan and Measure PR Efforts

 
 
5. Getting Useful School PR Research
Examples: School PR Research Myths to Address

 
Examples: School PR Research Sources

 
Early-Warning Roles of PR Research

 
Questions for Assessing School PR Research

 
Q&A: Cynthia E. Banach Talks About the Importance of Communication Research to School PR Efforts

 
 
6. Creating Goodwill Ambassadors for Your School
Examples: The People Who Make or Break School PR

 
Communication Happens: Planned or Not

 
Listening: Making Communication Two-Way

 
Examples: Listening Opportunities in Schools

 
Checklist: Getting Started With Internal School PR

 
 
7. Achieving School PR Success: Employees
The Real Power in School PR: When People Care

 
Creating a Team That Works

 
Know All of the Audiences

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Employees

 
Checklist: Ideas for Helping Employees Deal With Upset Customers

 
 
8. Achieving School PR Success: Parents
What Parents Want

 
Example: Targeting Messages to Parents

 
Analyze Your Messages

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Parents

 
Checklist: Engagement Idea Starters for Parents

 
 
9. Achieving School PR Success: Students
Students Talk, People Listen

 
Supporting School Communication by Students

 
Celebrate All Student Successes

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Students

 
 
10. Achieving School PR Success: Volunteers and Other School Visitors
Welcoming Outsiders to Your School

 
First Impressions Last

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Visitors

 
 
11. Achieving School PR Success: Diverse Audiences
Diversity's Impact on School PR

 
Use PR to Tap Diversity's Power

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Diverse Populations

 
 
12. Achieving School PR Success: Seniors
Boost Senior Involvement

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Seniors

 
Q&A: Diane Holtzman Talks About Involving Seniors in School PR Efforts

 
 
13. Achieving School PR Success: Businesses and Vendors
Tap Business Expertise and Influence

 
Build Working Partnerships

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Businesses

 
Q&A: John Moscatelli Discusses How Schools and Businesses Can Work Together

 
Q&A: Dr. William J. Banach Discusses How Marketing Can Contribute to School PR Efforts

 
 
14. Achieving School PR Success: Community Leaders
Encourage Active Involvement

 
Ideas for School PR Activities With Community Leaders

 
Q&A: Dr. Don Bagin Talks About Key Communicators and School PR

 
 
15. Creating Your School PR Messages and Content
Creating Messages That Work

 
Linking Messages to Needs and Beliefs

 
Example: Creating Messages That Spark Action

 
Pay Attention to Message Meanings

 
Some Suggestions for Building Such Messages

 
Writing for Readership

 
Revising Copy to Strengthen Messages

 
Transitions: Shifting Gears Between Ideas

 
Assuring Message Transparency

 
 
16. Delivering Your School PR Messages and Content: In Print and Online
Organizing Public Relations Tactics

 
Communicating Through Design

 
Accommodate How People Read

 
Ideas for Facilitating Communication

 
Headlines Need Special Attention

 
Don't Be Anonymous

 
Consistency Creates Credibility

 
Package Your Information

 
 
17. Delivering Your School PR Messages and Content: In the News Media
Why Schools Use the News Media to Communicate

 
What Do the Media Offer Schools?

 
How Does Publicity Relate to Public Relations?

 
Who Speaks to the Media?

 
What Is News?

 
Tactics for Getting Stories to the Media

 
Building Solid Relationships With Reporters and Editors

 
Ways to Connect Schools and the Media Covering Them

 
Setting Interview Ground Rules

 
Choosing a Good Interview Location

 
Know What Makes for a Successful Interview

 
Preparing for Interview Questions You'll Face

 
Handling Tough Interview Questions

 
Learn to Leverage School News

 
Q&A: M. Larry Litwin Talks About Working With the News Media

 
 
18. Delivering Your School PR Messages and Content: In Person
Dealing With Others One-on-One

 
Face-to-Face Tactics in Action

 
Ideas for Creating Successful School Gatherings

 
Planning and Writing Presentations and Speeches

 
Accommodating the Audience

 
Getting the Right Introduction

 
Creating Great Visuals

 
Handling Questions During and After Presentations

 
Presenting to Unfriendly Audiences

 
Personal Communication During Crises

 
Tapping the PR Power in Good Etiquette

 
 
19. School PR: How You Can Make a Difference Now
 
School PR Resources
 
Index

"Building relationships that work can be a perilous endeavor for even the most experienced educator, but everything you need to succeed with parents, community leaders, employees, and more can be found in this book. Moore's lifetime experience comes through with clear, no-nonsense ideas and insights that those working in schools can put to work right away."

William J. Banach, CEO
Banach, Banach & Cassidy

"Moore provides school leaders with relevant strategies to use when communicating with diverse publics associated with the school district and individual schools. His book is light on theory but heavy on practical ideas ready for immediate use."

The School Administrator, September 2010, Vol. 67(8)
American Association of School Administrators

"For those looking for a comprehensive guide to confronting the many communication challenges today's educators face, this book fits the bill. Its guidance is practical, thorough, and sensible. All school employees—from teachers to principals to district administrators and more—will profit from the useful tactics and techniques offered."

Suzanne D. FitzGerald, Professor and Chair
Public Relations and Advertising Department, Rowan University

"Educators are constantly challenged to provide 'real-world application' activities for students within their classrooms. This book provides the reader with 'real-world application' that can immediately improve the public relation practices of every school."

Bruce Deterding, Principal
Wichita Heights High School, KS

"Provides school administrators with a clear, easy-to-use blueprint for developing a communications plan and dealing with sensitive issues that come up in any school district. Administrators and board members who follow the suggestions in this guide will feel more confident and more effective in dealing with the public."

Patricia N. Anderson, Associate Professor
National-Louis University

"A practical and useful book that will be of value to all administrators desiring to improve public relations in their school. The book contains numerous insights on effective public relations."

Kenneth Arndt, Superintendent
Community Unit School District #300, Carpentersville, IL

Sample Materials & Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1


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