NSPRA's Communication Audit Report - Harford County Public ...

communicator network and to consider inviting them in to meet with district leaders once
or twice a year.
• Implement a “Shadow Day” program. One of the most effective ways of
demonstrating the quality of the educational program is to let people see it in action.
“Shadow Day” opportunities allow business and community leaders to spend a couple of
hours or a day following a principal, teacher or student. This first-hand experience is
especially enlightening for those who have not been in a school for a long time. The goals
of this program are to provide a greater understanding of district schools for business and
community leaders; expose principals and school staffs to different ideas and
perspectives; and begin a dialogue between school leaders and business/community
leaders on the needs and responsibilities of the schools.
Districts that offer this program find it helpful to designate one day annually (i.e.,
Groundhog Day) for the activity and to hold a debriefing session at the end of the day for
participants or invite them to a follow-up breakfast to discuss their observations and ask
questions. Some districts videotape participants’ comments about the experience for use
in marketing the district.
• Involve students in your communication efforts. Tying student-learning activities to
real world experiences in the community offers a wonderful opportunity to take teaching
and learning outside of school walls and shift the traditional dynamic of always inviting
the community into the schools. We recommend that the schools seek out new ways to
connect to their neighboring communities and promote positive interactions between
students and community members.
Recommendation 7: Evaluate and update publications to improve
effectiveness and key messaging.
Effective communication requires HCPS to ensure that interesting and important
information is regularly available to all stakeholders in a variety of convenient formats, as no
single channel of communication reaches every member of the community. This is currently
accomplished through a multi-layered strategy that includes print publications, electronic
publications, the web site, media outreach, and some video.
While communication technology has made it easier to reach stakeholders, it has also
increased the volume of communication from many different entities, making it increasingly
difficult to reach target audiences who are overwhelmed with information, both personal and
business-related. As a result, information needs to be “pushed” to parents and community
members more proactively, delivering “what they want, when they want it,” so it is important to
think strategically about how key messages will be delivered. In order to move toward this type
of information delivery system, it will be important for HCPS to evaluate current communication
vehicles in order to change and adjust to better meet stakeholder needs.
NSPRA Communication Audit 32 Harford County Public Schools