Quick List: Winning Ideas for Meaningful Celebrations

January is School Board Recognition Month. It’s easy to celebrate in meaningful ways with the following ideas from OSBA:

There are two important things to remember: First, it’s a good idea to designate one person to coordinate activities. Second, when board members tell us what they like best, the popular response is "anything that comes from kids." Sincere comments from citizens and parents also rank high.

Consider asking someone to head up a group to brainstorm ideas. This coordinator should contact school staff, students and community leaders to schedule events. To officially commemorate this month, make sure it’s on your board’s meeting agenda in January.

Here are some winning ideas we’ve gathered that cover the gamut from small, easy to accomplish gestures, to more elaborate events requiring advance planning.

• Elementary students could laminate place mats autographed by the class, for each board member.

• Provide coffee mugs filled with candy kisses and cocoa mix with rolled up and tied recognition certificates tucked inside.

• Create posters or artwork to be displayed in the board room and in prominent public areas during the month. Ask business partners, such as grocery stores, to display posters made by kids.

• Have students from foods classes prepare snack trays, (e.g. meats and cheeses) for the January board meeting, along with goodies and coffee.

• Say "thank you" to your board on school marquees and message boards; run a school board recognition message complete with board members names on variable message signs during athletic events. Ask others such as banks to run recognition messages on their marquees.

• Have students interview board members on what they do on the school board. If the students feel ambitious, they could capture the interviews on video and use the experience as a class project, with a "premiere" later at a board meeting.

• Students could make cookies or goodies and deliver them to board members at their place of employment.

• Consider hosting a Board Recognition Dinner in conjunction with a regular meeting.

• Present custom-made T-shirts to board members, featuring student art or thank you statements.

• Assign the task of creating cards or booklets of individual student messages for each board member, from students in schools that represent each board member’s zone.

• Recognition takes on a deeper meaning when community members, such as mayors, city council, local businesses, chamber of commerce, etc., attend a board meeting to offer their thanks. Invite the key leaders in your community to consider this public gesture.

• Have horticulture students create gifts of potted plants or floral arrangements; or construction/trades students create wood pencil/pen holders.

• Invite past school board members to the meeting at which you honor your current board members during recognition month.

• Have schools "Adopt a board member" for the month, by sending cards, inviting him/her to lunch, etc. Make sure students and staff are involved, including teachers, secretaries, custodians.

• Work with local media if anything you plan sounds interesting as a feature story or photo opportunity; make sure you give enough lead time!

• Send a general news release to local media about the governor declaring January as School Board Recognition Month and suggest interviews with your board members on the changing roles and challenges they face in managing America’s most precious, and politically popular issue! Think about the local challenges you face, and how you’re addressing them, whether it’s growth, boundary changes, diversity, school safety or dropout prevention. Also ask the paper’s editorial board or staff to consider publishing an editorial – it’s perfect timing because it’s newsworthy!

• Ask the high school newspaper staff to consider writing an editorial or feature story. Contact your journalism/communications teacher or newspaper advisor.

• When and where are you biggest staff gatherings? Inservice? Staff-meetings? These are great "built in" opportunities to invite a board member for special recognition.

• Ask local businesses to sponsor a school board recognition ad in the local paper.

• Send an recognition banner signed by students to the board members’ workplace.

This information is provided as part of OSBA’s PR In Action subscription service. OSBA members can receive information like this plus more ideas and materials to improve your communications with the public through a subscription to PR in Action.