Exeter Region Cooperative School District

Personnel, Policy and Communications Committee

Meeting Minutes

October 26, 2005

 

Meeting Location: SAU Office: 24 Front Street; Exeter

 

Committee members present: Kris Magnusson, Chair; Robin Scott

Absent:  Greg Kann, Ray Trueman  

 

Other Board members present:  Patty Lovejoy 

 

Administration present:  Dr. Skip Hanson

 

Guests:  Jennifer Kinsey, John Hazekamp, Mark Bodi & Travis York of Griffin Bodi & Krause, Inc.

 

I.  At 7:00 PM Kris Magnusson called the meeting to order followed by the Pledge

of Allegiance.

 

II. Communications Audit Update

Mark Bodi and Travis York of Griffin Bodi & Krause, Inc. presented the summary results, conclusions and recommendations from the document, Communications Audit Conducted for SAU 16 as prepared by Griffin Bodi & Krause. [Attachment 1]  The comprehensive communications audit included a teacher survey for both CMS and EHS, media audit, web site review, communication survey of local officials, a communication survey of local residents, and an appendix with verbatim responses to the SAU 16 Teacher Survey.  Mark Bodi commented that the school environment is very complicated and challenging with many audiences.  It is expected that there should be natural and healthy differences of opinion and perhaps difficult to draw conclusive results.  Communication issues that need solving are unique to our district and are to be expected.  Mark Bodi reviewed the recommendations from the teacher survey including:

°          House and learning leaders are an excellent communication channel.  They should be kept more fully informed and utilized more to assist the administration in strengthening overall communications.

°          A much greater effort should be made to seek out teachers’ views and opinions.

°          Administration’s communications regarding academic policy decisions at EHS should be communicated comprehensively and through multiple channels.

°          Communications from house and team leaders to teachers regarding administrations expectations should be reviewed and clarified.

Mark Bodi reviewed the recommendations from the media survey including:

°          Be more responsive to media inquiries, particularly with respect to deadlines.  Make an effort to return a media inquiry as soon as possible.  Understand each reporter’s daily or weekly deadline to respond appropriately.

°          Establish a protocol for fielding and responding to media inquiries, which includes: a) identifying who should take the initial call, b) knowing which questions to ask of the reporter, c) determining how to best direct the inquiry to the appropriate spokesperson.

°          Learn to better anticipate potential media stories and angles to be better prepared to respond.  Realizing that the media cover every meeting, identify potentially newsworthy items on the agenda.  Anticipate the tough questions and prepare talking points or notes as needed. 

°          Attempt to conduct interviews in person, whenever possible.  Use the phone as a second option.

°          Continue to proactively provide information to the media via releases and statements when appropriate.

°          Avoid “going into the bunker” behavior when a negative story is printed or reported.  Do not take the stories personally and remain accessible at all times, not just when the media is working on a “favorable story”.

°          Consider professional media training to better understand the media and become more effective media relations practitioners.

°          Be direct, always honest and do not be afraid to say “I don’t know”.

Patty commented that she speaks with the Exeter Newsletter reporters regularly and Robin defers to Patty as the spokesperson.  Patty asked Mark how to deal with responding to rumors.  Mark commented that encouraging an open door policy and encouraging dialogue is helpful.

 

Travis York reviewed the SAU web site observations and made the following recommendations:

°          Consider and Information Architecture project to address content hierarchy, navigation and site organization.

°          Consolidate information for each SAU 16 school.

°          Promote an e-mail opt-in and develop a corresponding communication program for subscribers.

°          Update the look-and-feel of the web site by completing a redesign of relevant page templates.

Jennifer Kinsey asked if the web site looked too professional, could that create the wrong impression.  Travis commented that updating the look is for the purpose of creating ease for the user and making it simpler to navigate.  Robin agreed that ease of use is important.  Patty would like to see e-mail be used for quick messages.  Kris would also like to use the web site for on-line surveys and possibly for the annual teacher survey in the spring.  Mark will look into pricing for web site services and get back to the committee.

Mark Bodi reviewed the results of a communication survey with local officials in 3 SAU 16 towns:  Newfields, Stratham and Exeter and offered the following recommendations:

°          Periodically rotate SAU 16 meetings at various co-op communities and encourage attendance.

°          Establish e-mail database of local officials that seek to be more informed.

°          Maximize the opening of the new school to create greater communication opportunities.

Mark Bodi reviewed the results of a communication survey of local residents in SAU 16.  50 community members were selected at random and were all asked these specific questions:

1.      How well do you believe the School Board communicates with residents of the community?

2.      What type of communications would you like from the School Board

3.      How closely do you follow School board activities?

Mark then offered conclusions and the following recommendations:

°          Use the new high school as an opportunity to more fully expose residents to SAU 16.  Consider activities that also include seniors and residents without school age children.

°          Issue more press releases if possible regarding SAU 16 activities.

°          Task board members with reviewing and reporting on community communication needs.

°          Consider board member “speaking tour” at various town venues to talk about the education investment.

Mark Bodi made a general comment his communications firm could help roll out some of the committee’s goals and could seek grants to help underwrite a web site update and on-going communication services.  Skip noted that with a school district of our size, there are many communication needs.  Budgeting over several years would have to be done.  Skip took the additional copies of the Communications Audit and will send to all Board members and for office file.  The committee thanked Mark and Travis on their hard work for us.

 

 

III. 2005-6 Goals Progress

Skip Hanson noted that there should be no problems with video conferencing goal (Goal 1)starting in December and will check into different pricing structures depending on length of meetings.  Finalizing with video conferencing company and figuring out how to ship out the next day.  Patty commented how important it would be to keep the meeting to 2 hours.  Skip will get pricing from Mark Bodi to help implement communicating with parents by e-mail goal (Goal 5) and administering annual teacher survey goal (Goal 2). Skip  wants to get SAU web specialist, Kathy Weise involved.

 

IV.              SST Driving Policy

Skip presented the Seacoast School of Technology Driving Policy that all participating SST school districts will vote upon.  Skip feels that there are special circumstances that may warrant allowing SAU 16 students to drive from the new EHS to SST.  SAU 21 does not want any of their students driving particularly because of Route 101.  Suggestion was made that this be reviewed by the SAU Policy Committee and by legal counsel first.  John Hazekamp did not believe this should be under the driving policy and made some suggestions as to the most appropriate use of this policy.

 

 

V.  NH School Board Association Resolutions.

Skip passed out a memo and 2006 resolutions as outlined by the NHSBA.  These resolutions get reviewed and voted on at the annual Delegate Assembly that will be held on Saturday November 5, 2005 from 1-4pm.  Each Board gets one delegate and Patty will represent the ERCSD.

 

VI. Public Input: None

 

VII. New/Old Business.  Kris informed committee that she will be attending the first of five School Board Institute seminars this Thursday, October 27th sponsored by NH School Board Association. Patty noted that she will attend the School Board Summit on 11/18/05.  Patty also said that she along with Jennifer Kinsey and Victor Sokul will highlight new EHS construction on Channel 22.

 

VIIII. Approval of September Meeting Minutes.  Robin made motion to accept amended September 28, 2005 Minutes to reflect correction of minor typos.  Kris seconded.  Motion carried 2-0.

 

Motion made by Robin Scott and seconded by Kris Magnusson to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried 2-0 and meeting was adjourned at 8:52 pm.  Kris thanked the committee for a good meeting and reminded everyone bout the next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 7pm at the SAU offices on Front Street.

 

Respectfully submitted, Kris Magnusson