Effective Communication Skills for CPF Members

Effective Communication Purpose: To improve the effectiveness of parent communications with educators, school trustees and school board staff.

Why are you here? “The brain starts working the moment you are born…. and never stops until you stand up and speak in public.” -Anonymous “Easy reading is damned hard writing.” -Anonymous

Do We Have Issues? Think about the issues we commonly face with FSL learning We’ll build the issues list today

One Leg At A Time! Complex issues need to be approached in a logical fashion. You must know how the issue inter-relates to the ‘whole’ Taking on the octopus is done - one leg at a time

School Board 101

School boards in Ontario are governed by the Education Act Staff and trustee roles are also defined in legislation You need to determine the sphere of influence You also need to influence both the political and the administrative sides of the table

School Board Structure

School Trustees Elected every four years Member of the School Board Looks to Board staff for advice Represents the public interest Accountable to the Ministry of Education under the Ontario Public School Boards Act and the Education Act

Director of Education The connection between the administration and political levels Secretary to the School Board (does not vote) and also a member of staff Ensures that School Board follows Ministry procedures

Superintendents Board employee Executive staff member Represent a group of schools and/or a number of Board program areas Program, Operational or School Superintendents

Principals Managerial level Immediate supervisor of teaching staff at their school Responsible for budget, hiring, health & safety, implementing policy, behaviour and liability All certified teachers Report directly to their superintendent of schools

Curriculum Consultants Board employee Responsible for delivery of curriculum Teachers/union members Provide training and direct support to teachers Have a budget for their program

School Councils Parent representatives of individual schools Can make motions to School Boards which must be responded to Vary in effectiveness, cohesion

French Immersion Advisory Committees Important means of exchanging ideas Board staff, principals, teachers, students, parents & special interest groups Meet regularly and pass concerns onto other Board departments and trustees Influence policy and make recommendations to the Board

The Sphere of Influence Classroom Teacher Group of Teachers Lead Teacher Program Parents School Principal/VP Related Schools Superintendent Schools Local Trustee(s) Superintendent Program FLAC Board of Education Ministry of Education

The Sphere of Influence Many people in this sphere can be very helpful. Understanding how to get the support you need from the right person or group is a key to success.

General Advocacy Tips

Advocacy Exercise Identify key facts you need to find Identify key questions you need to answer. Brainstorm ideas to obtain these answers. Who to contact Where to look How to generate additional data

Setting the Groundwork Consensus among Chapters Networking: get to know your trustees and school staff at meetings and other opportunities “Do Time”: attend board meetings and workshops to build relationships Collect info: read newspapers, read web sites

Research Plan out things you believe you will need such as numbers, trends or policies Divide up expertise so that each person becomes the source of information for each topic Resources: CPF web sites, Ministry of Education, local library, city hall, board web site, even other provincial web sites

Interviews & Surveys Talk to people and document what you find Interview: trustee, superintendent, parents, board staff, students Survey: students, parents Surveys need to be fairly large (200+) and carefully prepared

Visuals Can be very useful Create simple, large, high impact visuals if they can make your point more clear Graphs, charts, etc need to be easy to read

Petitions Can be a dangerous tool Sets a tone of negativity, which may not be necessary Use with caution

Writing Techniques

Written Submissions Acknowledge past support positively Outline the problem and use real examples of consequences Always present a solution

Tips Be concise and factual Don’t be emotional Make sure written communication is perfect – have someone else proof it

Presentation Techniques

School Board Meetings Getting on the agenda What happens at a meeting Rules of procedure Role of a delegation

Presentations It’s all in the preparation! Pick one or two key points and make sure they are clearly expressed Think of questions and concerns in advance and try to address them up- front

Strength in Numbers Communicate through websites, (CPF/school), , newsletters Stronger turn-outs at Board meetings get better results Use visual tactics (colours, stickers, etc.) to identify your supporters

Avoiding Sweaty Palms Practice Dress the part Body language, eye contact Voice modulation, speed Fielding questions

Successful Presentations Outline the problem Request a specific action from the Board (report from staff etc.) Be brief Submit a written handout for the Board to refer to Be prepared for questions