Communications
After a unanimous vote of approval by the School Board, we recently adopted five new strategic goals that will affect every element of our district’s activities and policies over the next six years. One of those five strategic goals focuses directly on communications:
“The West Chester Area School District will improve internal and external communications to foster strong and inclusive relationships, celebrate achievements, and recognize the contributions made by all members of our community.”
The Communications Strategic Goal represents a continuation of efforts that have always been present in our district, which strives to be a model in the successful application of resources, ability, and innovation. Those elements make up a very special tradition of excellence, and the new goal is intended to extend and expand our relationships and communications pathways where they already exist, and to create new pathways to help achieve our mission: “To educate and inspire our students to achieve their personal best.” The dedicated focus on that mission month after month, and year after year, will build confidence throughout our entire community that WCASD students meet or exceed expectations to become the most accomplished students and best citizens possible.
In the final analysis, that is what the public investment in our school system is expected to yield, and the administrators, professional educators, and staff of this district recognize that effective communication on a variety of levels is essential in order to support our mission.
The most visible communications tool we employ, aside from the daily interaction between our teaching professionals and our students, is the district website. The homepage of our website is a clearing house of information and links to help with everything from identifying district and individual school boundaries to finding the websites of our 16 schools as well as individual teacher websites. The welcome message on the homepage crystallizes our approach: “We invite you to explore this website for updates on news and activities, to see examples of our creativity and diversity, and learn about our exceptional staff and outstanding school facilities.”
There are sections of the website dedicated to parent interests, School Board issues, and for subjects involving the administration, schools, and curriculum and programs. Brad Rockowicz brings a strong information technology background to the communications department. He oversees not just the district website but, working with the individual web authors, Brad helps coordinate the function of each of the district’s 16 school websites as well.
Another community service offered by the Communications Office is the complete information folder that is designed, populated, and packaged by Ginny Zahn, who also handles all digital photography for our office. The information folders are a valuable resource to local realtors and to anyone who is considering a move within our district. The folders are full of useful facts and helpful tips of all kinds, and a quick review reveals why many real estate advertisements include home features and pricing but also the notation that the home is in the West Chester Area School District. We remain proud of the fact that professional realtors view being in our district as an important plus for potential buyers.
In addition to the folders, Ginny designs and prints informational brochures within our Communications Office, which are available on request through individual departments in the district. Among other things she also is responsible for the design and printing of the annual school activities calendar, which is distributed each August before the start of the new school year. Vacations and other district-wide activity dates are included in the calendar as is general information regarding our schools such as contact names and phone numbers.
Questions of a historical nature can also be directed to the communications office. A book-length text written by Florence Miller, who recently retired from the district, is entitled, “A Legacy of Learning – The History of the West Chester Area Schools.” This important work covers West Chester public education from the years 1834 to 1994 and, while the book is currently out of print and not available for purchase, a copy is kept in the office and referred to frequently to answer questions.
Trusted publications such as Excel and Update, which have not been produced since the start of this year, will evolve over the course of the summer of 2008, and the information found in each will be provided in new formats and releases that will emerge at the start of the new school year.
While responding to and channeling a steady stream of phone calls and e-mail directed to the Communications Office, we are also always ready to help with community issues as a dedicated resource. We also want to reinforce that taxpayers and residents within the district, whether they have children who attend our schools or not, are important partners in the educational effort, that their opinions are valued, and that we solicit their feedback on the entire range of educational issues. Having spent more than 20 years gaining communications experience in the private sector, I am proud to have joined such a qualified, energetic, and committed group of professional educators, staff, and administrators. I and the entire communications function will be at your service all year round.
