1. Communications Update
March 2018
Director of Communications Laura Hart

2. Communications Specialist
36% increase
Communications Office
Operations Division
Director
Translator
Communications Specialist
Manage:
Media Relations
Issues Management
Translation & Interpretation
Website Management & Support
Social Media
Parentlink Communications & Training
Photography & Videography
Publication Design
Copywriting & Editing
Event Promotion & Advertising
Assist with:
Family Communications
Special Event Planning
Crisis Response
Internal Communications
Legislative Affairs
Board Communications
City Communications
Speechwriting and Editorials

3. Goal 4: Providing Improved Service
Strategy 4D: Strengthen communications to encourage awareness and to promote the PPSD brand.
Audiences: staff, families, students, school board, elected officials, community partners, community influencers, local and education reporters, funders, education peers, voters
Channels: news media, free & paid social media, print & radio advertising, website, print collateral, direct mail, instructional materials, electronic communications, phone messaging, presentations, meetings, special events
Communications to Manage
and Leverage Change
Consistent internal communications
Set clear expectations
Promote employee buy-in
Create effective feedback loops
Targeted communications channels for families
Arm students’ most important influencers
with information
Encourage parental engagement
Coordinated approach to external promotion
Aligns with top priorities
Creates forward momentum

4. Media Coverage, 2017 Issues Management: Brand Building:
36% increase
Media Coverage, 2017
Issues Management:
While topics are problem-based, news may include positive elements; district is usually responsive to media rather than proactively placing stories.
Brand Building:
Stories are upbeat and aligned with PPSD mission; often they are proactively placed by PPSD.
Kizirian/DCYF
Central HS Viral Video
Weather-Related Closings/Delays
Student Walkout
School Facilities Funding: City & State Efforts
Personalized Learning + Zuckerberg
All In Summit
Central HS Water Damage
ELL + Newcomers
Sprint 1Million Campaign (tie)
10. Students Arriving from Puerto Rico

5. Brand Building Media Coverage
36% increase
Brand Building Media Coverage
High level of community interest
District momentum
Strong brand ambassadors
Reliable and responsive reputation
Human-interest pitches
Knowledge of media market

6. 36% increase
Brand Building
Media Coverage

7. Stakeholder Communications
36% increase
Stakeholder Communications

8. Family Communications 36% increase
340 messages sent from district office in 2017

9. Website hits 37% increase Adoption of platform by all schools
4,212,467
3,078,547
Adoption of platform by all schools
Leveraging social media to link back to web
Inclusion of web address in all promotions

10. 54% increase in tweet impressions
Twitter
54% increase in tweet impressions
72320
46930

11. Facebook Followers 36% increase Total post impressions 80% increase
Adoption of social media by all schools
Coordinated campaigns
Cross-promotion school-to-district & district-to-school
Average reach per post
91% increase

12. Goal 4: Providing Improved Service
Strategic Plan
Goal 4: Providing Improved Service
Strategy 4D: Strengthen communications to encourage awareness and to promote the PPSD brand.
Next Steps
Interactive employee communications
Greater collaboration with FACE under new organizational structure.
External promotion of initiatives as they relate to 5 goals and 21 strategies of plan.
Communications to Manage
and Leverage Change
Consistent internal communications
Set clear expectations
Promote employee buy-in
Create effective feedback loops
Targeted communications channels for families
Arm students’ most important influencers
with information
Encourage parental engagement
Coordinated approach to external promotion
Aligns with top priorities
Creates forward momentum

13. Communications to Manage and Leverage Change
Consistent internal communications
Set clear expectations
Promote employee buy-in
Create effective feedback loops
Targeted communications channels for families
Arm students’ most important influencers
with information
Encourage parental engagement
Coordinated approach to external promotion
Aligns with top priorities
Creates forward momentum

14. Appendix: Influencer/Parent Communications
Strategies
Offer year-round bilingual family communications to improve understanding of district-wide educational expectations and services
Use school-based communications to build awareness of school-specific opportunities for engagement
Build greater awareness of registration lottery
Create multi-channel bilingual family communications regarding back-to-school information
Promote greater engagement in Summer Learning opportunities by building community awareness
Promote high school graduation success stories to create greater awareness of college and career opportunities

15. Appendix: Internal Communications
Strategies
Create more effective face-to-face opportunities among decision-making staff across silos
Expand online engagement between Central Office and schools
Create more effective face-to-face opportunities between Central Office and school leadership
Empower staff with information to become PPSD brand ambassadors in the larger community

16. Appendix: External Communications
Strategies
Position superintendent and leadership team (senior staff, principals, School Board) as brand ambassadors
Build internal and external awareness of strategic plan in order to promote alignment of initiatives and resources
Build public narrative of efficiency and responsiveness to support investment in school system
Build public narrative on Providence’s commitment to personalized learning
Build public narrative on the value of community collaborations and supports
Build public narrative on the needs and initiatives related to issues of diversity and equity