Karen Iby Communication Strategist P: 607.222.4164

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Karen IbyCommunication StrategistP
607.222.416415 Woodside Rd East, Apalachin, NY
13732

• 2 - Way Communication Trust Votes

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• EXPERIENCE
• BS Communication
• MA Corporate Relations
• Prereferendum Consultant
• Television News ( Anchor/Reporter)
• Marketing Research ( Survey development, focus
  groups, data analysis)
• School Teacher
• School Foundation ( President/Member)
• Parent
• Taxpayer

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Win at the Polls-Market Your Budget!

• 2 - Way Communication Trust Votes

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Effective School Communication Its Not Just
PRIt takes more than good writing. It takes
more than an attractive brochure to communicate
with your audience.It takes strategic
communications.
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The Year-Round Communications Effort Effective
school communications programs dont simplystart
each year in January and end with the budget
vote. It takes an ongoing effort throughout the
year toachieve your communications objectives
so start planning now.
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• BRING YOUR COMMUNITY INTO THE PROCESS
• BUILD TRUST/CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
• TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS
• FOLLOW-UP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

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• BRING YOUR COMMUNITY INTO THE PROCESS
• Make-and publicize-commitment of open
  exchange information and ideas between District
  (Board of Education, administration) and public
• 1. Hold budget workshop
• 2. Develop a budget link on your
  website

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• BRING YOUR COMMUNITY INTO THE PROCESS
• Solicit input (i.e., conduct community research)
  regularly to take the pulse" of the public
• 1. Take a postcard survey about the
  budget
• 2. Hold a final question/answer forum
• 3. Compile a parent and newsletter
  letter that indicates who to call with
  budget questions

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• BRING YOUR COMMUNITY INTO THE PROCESS
• Promote your good news throughout the year,
  including student/staff accomplishments and
  honors, innovative programs, etc.
• 1. Develop a year round
  communications plan

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• BUILD TRUST/CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
• Show explicit cause-effect relationship of
  varying budget levels/tax impacts on school
  service/programs
• 1. Upgrade service/program gt
  requires significant increase in
  budget/taxes
• 2. Maintain current level of
  budget/taxes gt requires some cutback
  in service/programs
• 3. Reduce budget/taxes gt requires
  significant cutback in service/programs

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• BUILD TRUST/CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
• Provide opportunities for dialogue to more
  closely align both the communitys academic
  expectations with districts educational vision.
  Compare this to the communitys willingness to
  support this vision with real tax
• 1. Public meetings
• 2. Community forums
• 3. Project Information Nights
• 4. Survey residents again

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• BUILD TRUST/CREDIBILITY WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
• Present district position clearly explain
  district needs/student benefits to justify
  cost/tax impact express information in laymans
  terms personalize data to show what it means to
  me
• 1. Stay on message all year

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• TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS
• Engage external sources to address issues through
  out the year, especially during the budget
• 1. Local media
• 2. School-community support groups
• 3. Volunteer committees
• 4. Other third-party players
  (tax/civic/social organizations, etc.

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• TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS
• Anticipate inquiries/challenges from public
  (letters to editor, questions at meetings, etc.)
  and address budget issues in district
  communications vehicle
• 1. Superintendent/BOE letter to
  editor or guest view point
• 2. Post Q A on website answering
  anticipated questions
• 3. Volunteer committees with talking
  points
• 4. Other third-party players
  (tax/civic/social organizations, etc.

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• TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO COMMUNICATIONS
• Position budget communications as part of
  districts ongoing commitment to long-term
  planning for building connection with community
• 1. Continue dialogue with community
  AFTER budget vote
• 2. Start communicating possible issues
  prior to budget season
• 3. COMMUNICATE BUDGET EVEN IF REFERENDUM
  NOT
• REQUIRED

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• FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
• Poll your community on budget day with an exit
  poll
• Report the findings to community in various
  mediums to reach the most people (newsletters,
  website, news releases)
• Respond visibly/directly to feedback from
  community research
• Develop a year-round communications plan
  

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• KEY CONCEPTS
• Need to communicate unified, consistent, accurate
  information and messages across the state to
  increase overall awareness of budget situation
  each year
• Need to explain in clear and easy to understand
  what above the index, referendum and other
  budget terms mean

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• KEY CONCEPTS
• We are all in this together- no one is happy
  about the situation. We must find a way to get
  through any crisis with minimal impact to
  critical programs and services to our children.
• Communicate the central issues ( reduction in
  state aid, sharp rise in health insurance and
  retirement benefits, other contract-related
  increases, impact of federal/state requirements,
  new standards) is critical.

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• KEY CONCEPTS
• Building trust and credibility with your
  community shouldnt just happen during budget
  season-use this as the beginning of long-term
  communications effort to continue year-round.
• Take a proactive approach to managing the news
  media this budget season- sit down with editorial
  boards, hold a news conference, submit article
  for print, etc.

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• KEY CONCEPTS
• Establish the districts philosophy towards the
  budget Is your educational vision inline with
  community expectations and the reality of the tax
  implications? Or is adjustment of expectations
  required?
• Provide answers to questions that will be asked
  across the state, and explain the criteria used
  to make decisions, and the impact of those
  decisions so what if

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• KEY CONCEPTS
• Suggestions for handling opponent groups.
• Offer budget themes Our buildings are safe, our
  programs are sound, and our __ is stable.
  Reduce, consolidate, eliminate.
• Tips to engage community-school support groups in
  the budget process and campaign.

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• Importance of faculty and staff communication and
  support.
• Stress the need for an exit survey.
• Provide calendar for three communication pieces
  before May, and provide a rough template for the
  first piece to establish the key messages and
  tone for information sharing.

• KEY CONCEPTS

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• FINAL THOUGHTS
• School Team Must Be Unified and Committed to
  Community Dialogue
• Community Must Be Actively Engaged and Involved
  to Feel Ownership of the Plan
• Strategic Communications Planning, Must Focus on
  Needs and Problem-Solving Process
• Maintain Trust and Credibility through Ongoing
  Communication

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• Questions?

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• CONTACT INFORMATION
• Karen Iby
• Communication Strategist
• Iby Communication Services
• 15 Woodside Rd East, Apalachin, NY 13732
• P 607.222.4164
• F 607.625.5405