Principal - News Blogblogs.houstonisd.org/hisdacademicmemos/wp-content/... · Principal communications guide 2015 – 2016 Houston Independent School District Media Relations Get

Principal communications guide

2015 – 2016

Houston Independent School District

Media RelationsGet the support you need to manage media in crisis or celebration 7

Connect with ParentsSend phone or text reminders to parents using SchoolMessenger 11

Build positive relationshipsEngage parents and community for academic excellence 17

HISD reflects Houston’s rich diversity and contributes to its economic stability and growth. Our work is guided by

the belief that all of our students must leave as Global Graduates — possessing skills that will prepare them to be successful in college and to

compete in today’s global workforce.

HISD LEADER PROFILE

Visionary

Establishes a collective vision of excellence and builds a shared commitment among stakeholders in achieving that vision. Develops a school culture that promotes habit building and inspires behaviors that directly align with the established vision of excellence.

Data Driven

Gathers and organizes data from multiple stakeholders. Ensures data is robust, relevant, and systematically utilized to improve practices and impact scholar outcomes.

Culture Developer

Creates a strong culture where learning thrives and habits for success are developed.

Leadership Teams Manager

Leverages colleagues inside and outside of school to build expertise, share best practices, and foster collaboration across the district. Develops structures to manage and support the school leadership team in delivering on the mission.

Instructional Planning

Assures instructional plans afford every scholar rigorous and well-structured lessons that promote intellectual growth, curiosity, collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity.

Observation & Feedback

Prioritizes professional development, learning communities, and a consistent feedback cycle to empower staff and improve their craft. Exemplifies a growth mindset and builds capacity among leadership team/colleagues through distributed leadership.

An HISD LEADER IS:

4 | www.Houstonisd.org/PrincipalCommunicationsGuide

Communications Support

Helen Spencer, Chief Communications Officer ............ 713-556-6797

Media RelationsHolly Huffman, Senior Manager .........................................713-556-6392

Strategic Partnerships and Information CenterCaleen Allen, General Manager .........................................713-556-7200

Family & Community EngagementJorge Arredondo, Assistant Superintendent ............713-556-9592

Administration and Translation ServicesCandice Castillo, General Manager ...............................713-556-7507

Strategic Communications and VideoDave Einsel, General Manager ................................................713-556-6138

HR, Internal Communications and District InitiativesSarah Greer Osborne, Director ..................................... 713-556-6081

Printing Services (PS1)Charles Werninger Jr., Senior Manager .................713-556-6041

Bond and Business Operations — Police, Transportation and WebSylvia Wood, General Manager .............................................713-556-6398

www.Houstonisd.org/PrincipalCommunicationsGuide | 5

Table of contents

Crisis Management / Media Relations ............................................ 7

Publicizing Campus News...........................................................................9

SchoolMessenger ......................................................................................... 11

Social Media .......................................................................................................13

Business Partnerships ................................................................................15

Family & Community Engagement .....................................................17

Translations ......................................................................................................19

Website Help ........................................................................................................21

Audio/Visual Support ................................................................................ 23

Graphic Design & Printing Resources ......................................... 25

Your Voice ........................................................................................................... 27

The Office of Communications has a number of resources available to campus and district staff. This guide provides a quick overview of topics and details on how the various

departments under the Communications umbrella can support you. Each section includes a list of tools, links and resources, as well as information on whom

to contact with questions. We look forward to helping you with your communications needs.

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CRISIS MANAGEMENT / Media [email protected] | 713-556-6393

Media Relations is your primary communications contact during a crisis on campus. We can help you notify parents and respond to media when an emergency occurs.

You should contact Media Relations if:

• You have an incident on campus that requires parent notification or could potentially garner media attention. We have a large database of templates (callouts, letters, text messages) and can help you draft a message to send to your school community. Note: You may draft your own notifications, but it’s important to alert our team about any emergencies, as we’re likely to get media inquiries.

• You have been contacted by the media about a positive or negative story. We’re here to help coordinate with the media and facilitate interviews or respond on your behalf, if necessary. Sometimes, a media inquiry about your school will come through our office. When that happens, we will reach out to you immediately.

• You are working with a partner organization to schedule a joint press event, pitch a story to local media or distribute a joint press release or advisory. Even if your partner organization is taking the lead, it’s important to keep us in the loop.

• You have a story idea and want to pitch it to the local media. Please contact us first and visit with us about your plans before you contact a reporter directly. This helps ensure we’re all on the same page. You can also send information to [email protected].

Below you will find direct contact information for members of the Media Relations team, as well as sample parent notification templates, and a step-by-step guide to the parent-notification process.

RESOURCES• Parent Notification Process (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CrisisParentNotification

• Parent Notification Sample Templates (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CrisisParentNotificationSample

• Media Relations Contacts (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/MediaRelationsTeam

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Publicizing Campus [email protected] | 713-556-6066

HISD is always on the lookout for positive district stories. If you have information about a student, an employee, or an event happening on your campus that you think is worth sharing, please let us know so that we can consider it for a web story, inclusion in eNews or to use on our social media channels. Depending on staff availability, we might be able to send a writer, photographer or videographer to your campus.

In general, projects need to promote one or more of the following topics to be considered for development:

• Student success stories

• Highly effective teaching

• Major district initiatives, such as Linked Learning, Literacy By 3, or Global Graduate

• HISD’s mission of providing a high-quality education to every child

• Instilling students with the skills they will need to be successful in college and to compete in today’s global workforce

Principals are always welcome to contact the Communications team about story ideas or events. However, the extent of coverage available will depend on a combination of editorial factors and district resources.

Below are some resources to help you determine the best place for your news and tell your stories more effectively. Please note that articles may be edited before posting, and not all submissions may be used.

RESOURCES• Writing tips (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/WritingForWeb

• What is newsworthy? (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/WhatIsNewsWorthy

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[email protected] | 713-556-6000

SchoolMessenger is an automated call-out system that allows principals to send phone or text reminders to parents about non-urgent, campus-related news. (For urgent or crisis-related call-outs, please contact Media Relations.)

The HISD Information Center works closely with the schools offices and SchoolMessenger representatives to ensure that all campus principals and their approved users have training and access to site-based SchoolMessenger accounts.

Information Center representatives also provide ongoing support to schools by blocking erroneous numbers, notifying campus registrars of incorrect student and employee data entries, creating special contact groups, and assisting with other programmatic needs.

Principals can use the contacts listed above to request activation of approved campus user accounts. SchoolMessenger also provides 24-hour support at 800-920-3897 and [email protected].

The public may call 713-556-8949, the caller ID associated with the program, or email [email protected] to have numbers blocked.

RESOURCES• Getting Started (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/smGettingStarted

• Quick Start for New Users (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/smQuickStart

• SchoolMessenger for Mobile Devices: Apple (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/smIphone

Android (.pdf)http://www.HoustonISD.org/smAndroid

• Remote Access Pocket Guide (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/smRemote

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SOCIAL [email protected] | 713-556-6066

Social media has become one of the first places people look for news, and that includes information about what’s happening in HISD schools.

Sending out information through Twitter and Facebook accounts is a quick way to let students, particularly in high school, know about any last-minute scheduling changes. It’s also a good way to remind them about upcoming testing periods, when fees for their PowerUp laptop are due, and more. At the elementary level, it’s a simple way to remind parents about upcoming events at school, give them a peek into their children’s day while in class, suggest tips to help their children, and encourage them to become volunteers.

Being active on social media is a fantastic marketing tool. Posting regularly on social media accounts allows parents and students to get a glimpse inside your school before they ever set foot inside. A quick tweet about an experiment going on in a chemistry class or a short clip of a school play will show off the amazing programs you have to offer.

A common misconception about social media is that it takes a lot of time to manage. Facebook and Tweetdeck, a Twitter product, allow you to schedule posts, so you don’t have to post everything in real-time. You could set up testing reminders for an entire year in one sitting! Clicking the retweet icon on a teacher’s post or one from the district takes about a second.

RESOURCES• How to set up a Facebook account (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CreateFacebook

• How to set up a Twitter account (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CreateTwitter

• Dos and don’ts for posting on Facebook and Twitter (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/SocialMediaPostTips

• Social media guidelines http://www.HoustonISD.org/SocialMediaGuidelines

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BUSINESS [email protected] | 713-556-7200

Cultivating relationships with local businesses can pay off in many ways. Organizations see the positive impact their contributions make on students, and campuses build strong partnerships with companies that offer valuable resources.

Here are four basic steps to building a successful community partnership:

• Identify Your Needs: What do your students need the most? Complete a school needs assessment form to determine your priorities, and use your school improvement plan as a guide. Make a wish list of your top three to five resources.

• Locate Potential Partners: Review student enrollment cards for parent employment information or ask faculty and staff members where their spouses work. Explore the area around your school and complete a community-mapping form. Scour the local newspaper for special sections released annually, and make a note of contact information.

• Approach: Do your homework, and have a clear plan in mind before you reach out for how a company can help you. Explain how a partnership will benefit their business. Plan a big welcome on the day that company representatives visit your school.

• Recognize: Nurture your partnerships. Say “thank you” often, and make sure everyone on campus knows when representatives are going to be there so they can extend their thanks as well. Send gifts, throughout the year, such as original student artwork or goody bags, as tokens of appreciation. Ask partners to participate in campus events, and recognize them publicly. Check in periodically to see if the arrangements are satisfactory.

If you would like additional guidance, please contact Strategic Partnerships at the number/email above for assistance.

RESOURCES• Community Mapping Form, example (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CommunityMappingExample

• Community Mapping Form, blank (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/CommunityMapping

• School Needs Assessment Form (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/SchoolNeeds

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FAMILY & COMMUNITY [email protected] | 713-556-7290

Building strong relationships with parents and members of your school’s community can promote the academic success of your students, and the Family and Community Engagement Department (FACE) stands ready to assist you.

FACE representatives can lead workshops, provide guidance, and offer tips on the best ways to make parents feel welcomed and valued.

The resources below will show you how to forge strong connections with parents, schedule workshops for your staff, and locate valuable community services that can help your students. A Back-to-School Toolkit for principals and many other helpful materials are also available on the FACE website.

RESOURCES• Family Friendly School Certification http://www.HoustonISD.org/FamilyFriendlySchools

• Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) program

http://www.HoustonISD.org/HIPPY

• Academic Parent-Teacher Teams (APTT) http://www.HoustonISD.org/APTT

• Family Learning Academy Upcoming Events http://www.HoustonISD.org/FLA

• Upcoming Professional Development Workshops http://www.HoustonISD.org/FACEpd

• Professional Development Workshop Materials for download http://www.HoustonISD.org/FACEworkshops

• Six Steps to Creating a PTA/PTO http://www.HoustonISD.org/StartPTAPTO

• Community Resource Guide for Schools and Parents http://www.HoustonISD.org/CommunityOrgs

• FACE website resource page http://www.HoustonISD.org/FACEtools

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[email protected] | 713-556-6130

The Translation Services Department provides written translations and oral interpretation services (for community meetings) in Arabic, Spanish, and Vietnamese — the languages most commonly spoken by HISD students and their families. Translation Services also accommodates other foreign languages on an as-needed basis through the use of translation agencies. Schools may not charge parents for the translation and interpreter services.

Our department translates:

• Essential school and district forms that parents need to read and complete

• Important school and district letters, newsletters, and announcements

• School and district handbooks for parents

• Any other type of document that district or school personnel consider essential to parents

• Documents that are designed to “supplement, not supplant” activities/services

Some special populations of students require other departments to be involved in translations or interpretations. Below are contacts for those situations:

• ARD meetings/Students with Special Needs: Please contact The Office of Special Education at 713-556-7025

• LEP/Migrant Education and Refugee Students: Please contact Multilingual Programs at 713-556-6980

RESOURCES• Multi-language terminology list (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/TranslationsFrequentWords

• Things to consider before requesting a translation (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/TranslationsThingsToConsider

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WEBSITE [email protected] | 713-556-6066

Your school’s website often is the first place parents and other community members look for news and information about your campus, so having an attractive and well-organized site is important. Keeping the site current also is critical to encouraging traffic and inspiring trust in its information, so it’s a good idea to have at least one designated site manager and one or two backup administrators on staff.

Open labs are held regularly. All webmasters, site managers, and administrators are welcome, even if they have already completed their initial training. Webmasters are encouraged to attend to brush up on their skills, get tips, and to focus on developing websites. Below, you will find a registration link for open labs, as well as tips and other resources to help you make the most of your campus website.

It’s important for schools to develop their own content, but the district’s web team will occasionally push web content related to various schools down to the campus level. This helps principals keep their sites fresh without having to do anything. The HISD web team will alert you or your staff when content is shared.

RESOURCES• Classes for school webmasters http://www.HoustonISD.org/SchoolwiresClass

• HISD website resources: Schoolwires guides, Style Guide, and more http://www.HoustonISD.org/WebsiteHelp

• HISD photo archive: Free images for you to use on your site http://photos.HoustonISD.org/

• Designing a successful website (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/WebDesign

• Managing your school website (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/WebManagement

• Writing content for the web (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/WritingForWeb

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AUDIO/VISUAL [email protected] | 713-556-6066

The Multimedia Services Department has a variety of audio/visual equipment available to loan to schools for public meetings and events held on campus, including speakers, public address systems, microphones, LCD projectors, screens, DVD players, tripods, still cameras, and mini video recorders.

If you would like assistance in determining what you might need, please call or send an email and we can walk you through that process.

RESOURCES• Equipment loan request (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/EquipmentRequest

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GRAPHIC DESIGN & PRINTING [email protected] | 713-556-6066

It’s important to have polished, professional materials on hand to communicate your message to parents, community leaders, and the general public.

HISD has made a number of useful tools available to employees, including a district Style Guide; templates with instructions for formal letters, flyers, and PowerPoint presentations; a selection of approved HISD seals and district logos; and even a best practices guide on how to put together an effective PowerPoint slideshow.

For assistance with graphic design and printing, please contact HISD’s Printing Services Department (PS1) or the approved vendor of your choice through Procurement Services.

RESOURCES• Branding assets website http://www.HoustonISD.org/Branding

• Printing Services (PS1) http://www.HoustonISD.org/Printing

• Procurement Services website http://www.HoustonISD.org/Procurement

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YOUR [email protected] | 713-556-6066

Your Voice is the largest customer satisfaction survey in HISD’s history. Conducted for the third consecutive year in 2015, this confidential third-party survey helps school staff and administrators assess how students, parents, community members, and educators feel about the safety, rigor, and consistency of education in HISD.

Your Voice results can be used to better understand the needs of our schools. Results from previous years have been used to guide and update school improvement plans.

Below are some resources you can use to prompt discussions with school staff, announce the results to parents or answer questions about the survey.

RESOURCES• Sample Letters (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/YourVoiceSampleLetters

• Talking Points (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/YourVoiceTalkingPoints

• Questions & Answers (.pdf) http://www.HoustonISD.org/YourVoiceFAQ

It is the policy of the Houston Independent School District not to discriminate on the basis of age, color, handicap or disability, ancestry, national origin, marital status, race, religion, sex, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, and gender identity and/or gender expression in its educational or employment programs and activities.

Leader

VisionaryDeeper-Learning

Cultivator

Adaptable & Productive

Data Driven

Social & Emotional Learning Facilitator

Responsible Decision Maker

Observation & Feedback

Data Driven

Critical Thinker

Leadership Teams Manager

Literacy Developer

Skilled Communicator

Instructional Planning

Lifelong Learner

College-Ready Learner

Culture Developer

Personalized Learning Architect

Graduate

Teacher Leader

At HISD, our goal is for every student to graduate ready for the world — possessing the characteristics they need to be successful in college and to compete in today’s global workforce. Our ability to develop global graduates is dependent upon our ability to

develop teachers and leaders with the skills they need to be effective. Outlined below are profiles for the HISD graduate, teacher, and leader. Each contains a list of competencies.