BRINGING A STRATEGIC PLAN TO LIFE

Align all communications around the four pillars of the strategic plan

District leaders worked with Allerton Hill Consulting (AHC) to weave the strategic plan into all the communications possible. The district’s newsletter was the only publication that was sent regularly to the entire community. Realizing that we needed a more multi-faceted communications approach, we developed a strategy that included a digital presence, video content, publications, social media, face-to-face interaction, and media outreach.

The district worked with AHC to create a blog for the superintendent that provided insight and perspective on what the district was doing inside the schools and the impact on the students. We also worked with the district to create a landing page on the district’s website for the strategic plan, enabling all stakeholders to have direct access to it. Earlier in the school year, AHC worked with the district to create and regularly mail a newsletter that focused on financials to all district residents. Once the strategic plan was complete, we began infusing content about the plan into this newsletter and used the strategic plan as the outline for the Quality Profile, which was refreshed after lying dormant for a couple of years. To reach a broader audience, we placed an op-ed in the local newspaper detailing the plan, with ideas for future op-eds built into the communications plan. We also worked with the district to create a video series, “State of the Schools,” which rolled out on social media and then months later provided the foundation for a State of the Schools presentation, which was also streamed live and had engagement from more than 750 unique users. To continue a presence and focus on the strategic plan throughout the year, the district launched a quarterly video series that showcased people throughout the district who embody the plan in action. The plan truly became – and continues to be – the fabric of the communications culture.