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D211 – Community Relations

  • Effective: 9/11/1979
  • Revision: 11/23/2004
    1. Board Policy
      The Board delegates responsibility for planning and directing a community relations program to the Superintendent of Schools.
      The Superintendent:

      1. Has primary responsibility for planning and coordinating a community relations program that builds public trust through effective, targeted communications.
      2. Delegates the proper community relations functions and commensurate authority to the Office of Communications without relinquishing his/her own authority.
      3. Makes effective use of available technical assistance from staff members and public relations consultants, and assigns specific responsibility to specific persons.
      4. Encourages and expects the staff of each school to maintain exemplary community relations.
      5. Develops a comprehensive set of long-range and short-term objectives designed to assure an appropriate and effective community relations program for the District.
    2. Administration Policy
      1. The District community relations program shall be the responsibility assigned to the Superintendent of Schools. To meet the intent of the Board, the community relations process shall consist of four equal concepts as follows:
        1. Analysis
          Analyze priority audiences to determine attitudes, understanding, and the degree of support generated by the school system.
        2. Planning
          Maintain an ongoing integrated communications plan to deal effectively with what is important to the school system and to maintain public trust.
        3. Communication
          Implement effective two-way communication with key audiences.
        4. Evaluation
          Evaluate the effectiveness of the community relations program, making revisions and adaptations as circumstances dictate.
      2. Objectives
        Following is a set of long-range community relations objectives:

        1. Maintain an effective media relations program to respond to media inquiries, proactively promote awareness for school and department activities and provide ongoing media training for administrators.
        2. Establish an internal communications program to communicate with employees and other internal groups.
        3. Develop an external communications program that provides critical information to District patrons, taxpayers and other key audiences.
        4. Implement an Internet strategy and Web presence to support the internal and external communications programs. Provide support and training for Districtwide and school-specific customer service and public/community relations initiatives.
        5. Develop and support District coalition building activities with key communicators.
        6. Conduct research and evaluation, as necessary, to support and direct District community relations efforts.