Effective Communications

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Effective Communications

• Engaging stakeholders
• October 21, 2006
•  

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Communications 101Why do we need to communicate
effectively?

• Establishes positive relationships

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Communications 101Why do we need to communicate
effectively?

• Enhances student achievement

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Communications 101 Why do we need to communicate
effectively?

• Builds Trust

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Communications 101 Why do we need to communicate
effectively?

• Promotes greater accountability

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Communications 101 Why do we need to
communicate?
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Communications 101 Who is your audience?

• Your peers (other parents, school council
  members)
• School staff (teachers, administrators)
• Trustees
• Media
• Neighbours
• Government members (municipal, provincial,
  federal)

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Communications 101 How do you do it?

• Face-to-face meetings
• Letters
• Newsletters
• E-mail
• Phone
• Web blog
• Media

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Manager of Corporate Communications Responsible
  for overall communications services. Sits on
  Parent Involvement Committee and School Council
  Support Group as ad hoc member.
• Public Relations Officers (2) communications
  planning, media relations, communications support

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Communications Coordinator provides admin
  support to the Corporate Communications Mgr. and
  PROs, oversees switchboard, special event
  planning and logistics management
• Webmaster manages HWDSB website
• Multi-media (2) photography and multimedia
  support and development

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Switchboard/Reception (2) front line
  communication support for the Board

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Corporate Communications is committed to
  promoting the Hamilton-Wentworth District School
  Board (HWDSB) as the school board of choice for
  students, parents and employees. The HWDSB is a
  diverse organization that is committed to
  respect, innovation and accountability and to
  helping all our students achieve their full
  potential.
• Through example and education, Corporate
  Communications encourages proactive, professional
  and consistent communication, providing best
  practices and defining expectations for
  communicating with the Boards stakeholders.

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• What we do Corporate Communications role is
  to promote the Board while protecting and
  enhancing its image. The Department promotes
  effective twoway communication with internal and
  external audiences maintains an open, proactive
  relationship with the media manages issues and
  crisis situations oversees development and
  maintenance of the corporate web site, and
  ensures a uniform visual identity.

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Services at a Glance 
• Issues Management
• Design
• Multi-Media
• Media Relations
• Website Development
• Communications Publications Resources
• Internal External Communications

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Communicating with your School BoardYour
Communications Dept.

• Fast Communications Facts
• More than 1 million visits to the website since
  October 2003
• PROs Handle more than 300 media calls per year
• Switchboard handles approximately 200 calls per
  day

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Communicating with your School BoardHow we
communicate with you

• Community Blackboard (2 issues annually)
• Website (feature stories, information for
  parents, community)
• Board Bulletin (monthly news items from the Board
  for school newsletters)
• First Class Conferences (School Council)
• Directors Forums (Fall and Spring)
• Media

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Communicating with your School BoardHow you can
reach us

• Info_at_hwdsb.on.ca (e-mails checked daily and
  responded to as quickly as possible)
• [phone] (0 for switchboard)
• FirstClass (post questions)
• Contact your school principal
• Contact your Trustee
• Board Presentation

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• When issues or concerns arise, they should be
  resolved at the local school or at the
  appropriate administrative level through
  co-operative agreement between the affected
  individuals.

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• Teachers
• Discuss homework, classroom concerns, planned
  absences, ...

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• Office StaffStudent absences, update
  emergency/medical contact information, seek
  general school information, ...

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• Principal / Vice-Principal
• Overall school management, ...

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• Superintendent
• School Safety, community partnerships, staff
  development, ...

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• TrusteesEducation policy development, budgets
  and goals, program equity, ...

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Communicating with your School BoardWhen you
have concerns

• DirectorImplement board policies, management
  of school board, provide support and direction to
  schools, ...

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Working with MediaNews _at_ 11
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Working with MediaRole of media

• Watchdogs of society
• Is a business

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Working with Mediagetting your message out

• Make sure its news
• Impact (whos affected, how many involved,
  benefits)
• Timeliness

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Working with Mediagetting your message out

• Press release
• Media Advisory
• Follow up phone call
• Make friendly contacts

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Introduction to FirstClassIan Pellizzari

• Introduction to FirstClass
• FirstClass as a communications vehicle for
  parents
• Acquire login information
• Hands-on setting up FirstClass and logging into
  FirstClass

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How can we communicate better with Parents?
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