PR insights for Glenbrook Dist. 225

PR insights for Glenbrook Dist. 225
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Hello, my name is Ann Piasecki. I am a seasoned public relations and communications professional serving nonprofits and school-affiliated programs. My success is informed with an expertise honed during my years as a journalist (reporter and editor) at metropolitan dailies like the Chicago Tribune along with community, niche publications, magazines and online platforms. I am also a teacher with a Type 09 certificate; I currently instruct an online course in basic writing at Governors State University.

I am here today to address the public relations/communications needs of the Glenbrook High School District. Allow me to expound on the insights and perspectives I have employed in the role of Public Relations Director, and how these strategies work to shape effective outcomes. First and foremost is achieving an understanding of the culture that drives the school district—its commitment to education, the community it serves and its economic realities. These aspects are realized through collaboration with the administration, board of trustees, faculty and staff, students and parents, governmental bodies and businesses.

Our successes, whether they are top test scores, innovative curriculum or extra-curricular achievements, are the features most likely to gain respect within the broader community. Tragedy, calamity and the negative impact of social ills will stir the emotional pot, and that demands a human-centered--compassionate, consistent response; one that responsibly responds to critical questions.

The question then becomes how to convey the school district’s position. Certainly the website, the superintendent’s blog, newsletters, speeches and presentations are under our control. However, it takes a thorough knowledge of the media to gain the advantage of conveyances that are not produced in-house. And that’s where rhetoric and targeted appeals come into play.

That begins with recognition that various forms of media cater to different functions. A beat reporter at a community newspaper will zero in on known personalities and attitudes. A network television affiliate will seek out a common thread to the situation at hand, offering brief exposure to significant positions. Coverage by NPR, metropolitan dailies or national publications (online, broadcast and print) is focused on societal implications.

It takes a savvy PR professional to satisfy and nurture positive and proactive coverage. It takes targeted, careful cultivation of sources to reflect the district’s best interest.

For instance, I make sure to research the reporter’s stories, which can be driven by a heavy-handed editor with a desire to exploit a conflict. It’s a tough road for a reporter in that situation, and it’s more likely to occur at the level of a community newspaper struggling to stand out.

On the other hand, major media doesn’t have time to linger over attitudinal details. Therefore, I make sure to respect his or her time by highlighting a single event—enough to give them the color and news their looking for in one fell swoop.

Finally, the personal touch—a supportive comment or gesture—is worth a million stories.

As a public relations director, I lead with a genuine and intuitive spirit. I look forward to sharing my communications expertise and passion for education with Glenbrook High School Dist. 225.