The School and Community Relations

by Gallagher, Donald R.; Bagin, Don; Moore, Edward H.

• ISBN13: 9780205412068
• ISBN10: 0205412068
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Well researched and applied, this best-selling text provides school officials the "how" and the "why" for effective communication with their staff and the community to improve school quality and student learning. Chapters are sequenced so that the reader can learn how to establish a public/community relations program that will be effective with every audience a school administrator will encounter. The authors continue to teach, research and work extensively with school administrators and this experience allows them to provide sound advice that is field tested and successful.

Author Biography

Don Bagin coordinates the graduate programs in educational public relations and corporate public relations at Rowan University, where he is a professor of communications.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	xi
ABOUT THE AUTHORS	xiii
PART ONE: ESSENTIAL CONSIDERATIONS
CHAPTER 1 THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS	1	(8)
Why School Public Relations?	1	(2)
Suggestions for Improving Public Confidence	3	(4)
Need for a Communication Plan	7	(2)
CHAPTER 2 PUBLIC CHARACTER OF THE SCHOOL	9	(7)
Public Character of the School	9	(1)
The Meaning of Public Opinion	10	(1)
School-Community Relations	11	(2)
Models of Public Relations	13	(3)
CHAPTER 3 UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY	16	(24)
Sociological Inventory	16	(7)
Power Structures	23	(3)
Measuring Public Opinion	26	(11)
Electronic Surveying	37	(3)
CHAPTER 4 POLICIES, GOALS, AND STRATEGIES	40	(12)
Nature of a Policy	40	(3)
Goals and Strategies	43	(5)
Planning Checklist	48	(4)
CHAPTER 5 ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM	52	(21)
The Board of Education	52	(3)
The Superintendent's Role	55	(2)
The Administrative Team	57	(1)
Director of School-Community Relations	57	(4)
Standards for Educational Public Relations Professionals	61	(1)
Plans of Organization	62	(2)
Responsibilities of Other Team Members	64	(1)
Budgetary Provisions	64	(1)
Staff Members	65	(1)
General Community Relations Responsibilities	65	(1)
Specific Community Relations Responsibilities	66	(3)
In-Service Training	69	(4)
PART TWO: RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL PUBLICS
CHAPTER 6 THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS	73	(16)
Elements of Communication	76	(1)
Communication and Persuasion	76	(7)
Media's Role in Communication	83	(2)
Words	85	(1)
Crisis Communications	86	(3)
CHAPTER 7 COMMUNICATING WITH INTERNAL PUBLICS	89	(29)
Why Internal Communications?	89	(1)
School Board Actions	89	(2)
Administration-Employee Relations	91	(2)
Relations among Teachers	93	(2)
Relations with Noninstructional Personnel	95	(1)
Improvement of Staff Relations	96	(7)
Communicating during Negotiations and Strikes	103	(4)
Communicating with Pupils	107	(2)
Instructional Practices	109	(1)
Relations Outside the Classroom	110	(2)
The Pupil and Internal Community Relations	112	(1)
Student Unrest	113	(5)
CHAPTER 8 COMMUNICATING WITH EXTERNAL PUBLICS	118	(42)
The Pupil and External Community Relations	118	(5)
Community Relations Role of Teachers' Associations	123	(4)
Importance of Parent Relations	127	(7)
School Liaison Groups	134	(3)
Key Communicators	137	(1)
General Community Groups	138	(5)
Older Adults and the School: An Intergenerational Public Relations Approach	143	(3)
Opportunities for Cooperation	146	(3)
Meeting Criticism and Attacks	149	(6)
Communication during Negotiations and a Strike	155	(2)
Communicating with Diverse Cultures	157	(3)
CHAPTER 9 GETTING READY FOR A CRISIS	160	(14)
A Crisis Plan Is Essential	160	(2)
Why Is a Crisis Management Team Important?	162	(1)
What Types of Crises Can We Expect?	162	(1)
Where Do Acts of Violence Take Place?	163	(1)
When Violence Strikes... What To Do	163	(3)
Working with the Media	166	(4)
Special Considerations	170	(1)
Prevention...Your First and Best Strategy	171	(1)
The Warning Signs	172	(1)
The Aftermath	172	(2)
CHAPTER 10 COMMUNICATION ABOUT SCHOOL SERVICES AND SPECIAL EVENTS	174	(22)
Contacts with the Board of Education	174	(2)
Receiving School Visitors	176	(2)
Handling Telephone Calls and Correspondence	178	(3)
Servicing Complaints	181	(1)
Meeting Everyday Contacts	182	(1)
Requests for Information	183	(1)
Participation in Community Life	184	(1)
School Plant Appearance	185	(1)
Special Programs for Older People	186	(1)
Open House	187	(2)
Building Dedications	189	(1)
American Education Week	190	(1)
Business-Industry-Education Cooperation	190	(1)
Community Use of School Facilities	191	(1)
Adult Education	192	(2)
Community Education	194	(2)
PART THREE: COMMUNICATION TOOLS
CHAPTER 11 WORKING WITH THE PRESS	196	(30)
Guidelines	197	(4)
The Role of Reporters	201	(2)
The Press and School Board Meetings	203	(2)
The News Conference	205	(1)
Drafting a News Relations Plan	206	(1)
What People Want to Know about the Schools	206	(1)
Foreign-Language Newspapers	206	(1)
News Topics in Your Schools	207	(4)
Types of Stories	211	(4)
News Sources	215	(2)
News Organizations	217	(3)
Getting the News to the Press	220	(3)
Mechanics of the News Release	223	(1)
Other Methods	223	(3)
CHAPTER 12 RADIO, TELEVISION, EXHIBITS, AND AUDIOVISUAL AIDS	226	(17)
Using Radio	226	(5)
Writing for Radio	231	(1)
Working with Radio Personnel	232	(1)
Television Opportunities	232	(1)
Getting Television Time	232	(1)
Planning for Effective Television	233	(2)
School Exhibits	235	(4)
Movies and Videos	239	(2)
Other Options	241	(2)
CHAPTER 13 SCHOOLS AND THE INTERNET	243	(9)
Study Technology's Past Impact	243	(1)
Apply Yesterday's Lessons	244	(1)
Forget the Gee-Whiz Factor	244	(1)
Consider the New-Media Mix	244	(1)
Focus on Relevancy	245	(1)
Listen to Your New-Media Customers	245	(1)
Create New Worlds: The Snaring and Feeding of New-Media Customers	246	(1)
Tap the Power of Digital Face to Face	246	(1)
Deal with the New World of Communication Chaos	246	(1)
Prepare for the Unexpected	247	(1)
Expect Grassroots Involvement	247	(2)
Understand the User's Power	249	(1)
Take Advantage of New Developments	249	(1)
Follow These Tips	250	(2)
CHAPTER 14 PREPARING PUBLISHED MATERIALS	252	(28)
Objectives and School Publications	252	(1)
Knowing the Audience	253	(1)
Choosing Content	254	(1)
Determining Who Should Write the Publications	254	(1)
Knowing How to Publish It	254	(1)
Priorities for Traditional Printing	255	(2)
Saving Money on Printing Costs	257	(2)
Designing and Laying Out the Publication	259	(3)
Getting the Most Out of Typography	262	(2)
Using Photos to Enhance Publications	264	(1)
Distributing Publications	264	(4)
Evaluating School Publications	268	(1)
Deciding Which Publications to Print	268	(4)
The Role of Student Publications	272	(8)
CHAPTER 15 CONDUCTING CAMPAIGNS	280	(35)
How a Community Accepts a New Idea	280	(1)
The Change Agent	281	(1)
How People Accept Change	282	(1)
Introducing an Innovation	283	(1)
School Finance Elections	284	(1)
What the Research Says	284	(3)
Planning the Campaign	287	(1)
Determining the Proposal	288	(1)
Establishing a Philosophy	288	(1)
Naming a Campaign Director	289	(1)
Timing of the Campaign	289	(1)
Financing the Campaign	289	(1)
Citizens' Advisory Committee	290	(1)
Registration of Voters	291	(1)
Other Campaign Participants	291	(2)
Knowing the Community's Thinking before the Election	293	(1)
Adopting a Theme or Slogan	294	(1)
Personalizing the Campaign	294	(1)
Keep It Simple	295	(1)
Working with the Media	295	(1)
Publications Can Help	296	(1)
Speakers' Bureau	296	(1)
Endorsements	297	(1)
Small-Group Meetings	297	(1)
House-to-House Canvass	297	(1)
Absentee Ballots	298	(1)
Election-Day Plans	298	(1)
Campaign Timetable	298	(2)
Recommendations to Improve Election-Day Results	300	(1)
A New Jersey Example of a Campaign	301	(9)
A Nevada Example of a Campaign	310	(5)
CHAPTER 16 SCHOOL PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE SCHOOL CHOICE CHALLENGE	315	(9)
What Are the Challenges?	315	(1)
Counteracting a Competitor's Marketing Plan	316	(1)
Questions to Address	317	(3)
Statements a Competitor Might Use to Attract Students	320	(1)
Suggestions to Get People to Choose Your Schools	321	(1)
How Memphis Told Its School Story	321	(3)
PART FOUR: EVALUATION
CHAPTER 17 ASSESSMENT OF THE PROGRAM	324	(16)
Scope of Assessment	324	(1)
Myths about Measurements	324	(1)
Importance of Evaluation to a Public Relations Plan	325	(1)
Approaches to Evaluation	326	(4)
Appraising the Results	330	(10)
APPENDIX A ORGANIZATIONS THAT COULD BE HELPFUL	340	(3)
INDEX	343