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CONTACT:
Maureen Wheeler,
Administrator, Community Involvement
Beaverton School District
503-591-4360 - Office
503-591-4219 - Fax
Ramping up an old program: Lunch with the superintendent
WHAT IT IS
Key Communicator programs are not new to school public relations and community involvement, however, Beaverton took the concept a few steps further. Three times per year, the Superintendent meets face-to-face for 1 1/2 hours with a diverse group of 35 people for lunch and dialogue. The group includes parents, non-parents, community leaders, government representatives, business, senior citizens, and former teachers and administrators. We try to balance the make up of the group with minority representation as well. School Board members also regularly attend.
WHAT THEY DO
The agenda consists of a school lunch (highlights the Child Nutrition Services program offerings), an update from the Superintendent and then the floor is given to the participants to ask questions. No question is off limits. The Superintendent's staff including the assistant superintendents and department leadership attend and help answer questions. By staying informed, this informal grapevine can squelch rumors, spread “positive gossip.”
Participants are asked to complete an evaluation at the end of each gathering and to provide the district with agenda topics they would like to see in the future. They also provide the group with a meeting summary sent via email shortly after.
This year, the group was more involved with setting district budget priorities. The district also did an online survey of the greater community that netted dozens of ideas and priorities, which were distilled into themes and discussed at a Key Communicator lunch meeting.
“This isn’t just a group of cheerleaders – “We make sure our critics are involved,” says Beaverton’s Community Involvement Administrator Maureen Wheeler, noting that in addition to setting budget priorities the group helped the board decide how to spend this year’s local option levy – and, how much to use from this fund (60 percent, rather than all the district is authorized to levy).
Language from the district’s Web site invites visitors to join the mailing list: “If you would like to be included on the Key Communicator list, please send your request and your email address to
community_involvement@beavton.k12.or.us”
WHY IT WORKS
The purpose of the Key Communicator Program is to organize a cadre of individuals who are well-informed about the challenges that large, public organizations face. When these people stay informed, they share with friends and neighbors – who are more likely to believe them (the people they trust!) More than the “official word” from a government agency like the “school district.” Another role they play is to advise the school district leadership about community perceptions. “We believe that in order to improve student achievement, we must listen to and actively engage our broader community,” said Supt. Jerome Colonna. “Key Communicators may also be called upon to help get information out to the Beaverton community. They are not asked to do fund raising.”
HOW IT STARTED
Beaverton started Key Communicators several years ago as a list of leaders receiving information from the district – which has grown into an electronic e-list. The face-to-face group was added to this list.
RESOURCES
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