Competent Leaders Make the Difference in Achieving School and ...

Both schools use slogans to involve students, teachers and parents in supporting the school’s goals for student achievement.
SGPHS uses the theme Writing and Reading Across the Disciplines (WRAD) to promote schoolwide literacy.
SRHS uses a western theme — You’ve Been Caught Branding Literacy — to draw attention to outstanding practices and to
recognize teachers for increasing the amount of reading and writing for learning.
SRHS promotes its code of conduct, The Rayburn Way, by decorating the school with posters showing students dressed
appropriately. Students are expected to practice courtesy and good citizenship.
The schools have found the following marketing ideas to be effective: brochures, interactive DVDs, public service
announcements on radio and television, fliers, newsletters, letters, mass mailings, Web sites, open house events, other special
events, and souvenirs such as t-shirts, bags and pencils. Both SGPHS and SRHS have software systems that phone parents in
multiple languages to notify them of upcoming events.
When planning a marketing campaign or a special event, schools need to think about where most people congregate in the
community — sporting events, community events, festivals, churches, shopping malls and grocery stores. Then they need to
work with those groups to design something that will be an asset to the school and the location. In putting together a display,
schools should depict a cross section of students actively engaged in learning.
School leaders need to find the answers to certain key questions as they develop a successful marketing plan: Which
improvement effort do we want to spotlight? What is unique about our school or program? Who are we trying to reach? What
is the best way to reach our target audience?
Beth Green, HSTW school improvement consultant, listed the following guidelines for effective marketing efforts:
Be proactive to make students, parents and the community aware of higher expectations and new programs and practices.
Use a variety of strategies, from tried-and-true methods such as newsletters to new ideas and events tailored to your
school.
Go to parents rather than waiting for them to come to the school. Parents will be more receptive if you save them time
and travel.
Design attractive marketing products. Students and parents are accustomed to seeing slick materials on television and
elsewhere. Be creative. Involve fine arts and graphic arts students in producing the visuals.
Use logos and color to make the connection with the school.
Communicate at least three ways about every project, including a phone system, newspaper articles and notes to parents.
Plan quality special events. Feature students’ accomplishments in live displays at shopping malls, festivals and other
community events.
Develop positive relationships with education editors and news and feature writers in the local media. Tell them what
the school is doing to raise student achievement and invite them to cover your activities. Don’t forget radio and
television.
Contact the media at least three times before an event. Generate a news release, an
e-mail message and a phone call to explain what is happening at the school and why
it is important for the community to know about it.
Contact:
Barbara Hagle
(barbara.hagle@gpisd.org)
Jamie Burt
(jburt@pasadenaisd.org)
Beth Green
(beth.green@sreb.org)
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